For this project, I made a fun laser cut box, with 6 small compartments for the different projects we make throughout this class.

I began this assignment by creating the layout / floor plan of the box. I started to draw different options out on some graph paper, but I was unable to create something that I liked. I then used that graph paper to cut out pieces of paper that matched the dimensions of the given compartments. Here is a picture of the layout I ultimately chose:
After beginning to make a more detailed design, I quickly realized that making a box that was not a perfect rectangular would make my design more challenging, but I decided it was worth it so I wouldn’t have to change the dimensions of the compartments.

After determining the layout of my compartmentalized box, I drew increasingly complex and detailed designs to be prepared to create it on illustrator. First, I created this sketch. This drawing was helpful because it was the first time I took into account the thickness of the walls. I realized that I needed to expand the width of one of my compartments by 0.25″ to ensure that all of the compartments lined up correctly. This also helped me determine the outer dimensions of the box.

Afterwords, I created this drawing, which I used to determine the necessary pieces and their simple dimensions, before any joints were added. I ultimately realized that I would need at least 12 separate pieces for my box. Also, after coming to the OEDK to begin laser cutting, I had to re-do all of these dimensions once I discovered that the thickness of each piece of wood is closer to 3/16″ rather than the 1/4″ that I initially assumed so that was a bit of a set back. I also had to extend the height of each piece by 3/16″ so that each compartment would actually have 3″ full inches of vertical space. That is why you see two sets of dimensions on each piece… the ones in pencil are the correct ones.

I decided that I needed a detailed plan on how I would connect each piece together before I could begin to create my Illustrator file, which led me to this drawing. While creating this drawing, I determined how each piece would connect to each other. I used a combination of colored pens and numbers to keep each set of connections distinct from the other to make sure that each piece would fit correctly.

After completing my design, I began to create the pieces on Illustrator. I began by creating the simple rectangular outlines of each piece using the adjusted dimensions from the picture above. After that, I did some quick tests to determine the kerf, ultimately deciding that a difference of 0.03″ between the insert and cut out was sufficient for a tight fit for my box. With the simple rectangular outlines complete, and a kerf chosen, I was able to use small rectangles in Illustrator as both the cut-outs and inserts that would attach each piece together. Below, you can see the next step in the creation of my box! Here, the red rectangles are the inserts, the blue rectangles are the cut-outs, and the grey rectangles were used for consistent spacing throughout the entire box. The blue rectangles are 0.03″ smaller in width than the red ones. This process taught me a lot about the efficient (& super inefficient) ways to do things on Illustrator!

After mapping out all of the pieces and their joints, my next step was to form each piece and it’s rectangular inserts & cut-outs into one continuous piece and path that the laser cutter would be able to cut. I also added the Baker College Logo and my information to the inside of the box during this step. You can see this complete file below! The white and blue pieces below are the problem children I will talk about later!

I was now ready to begin cutting! In the laser cutter room, I did a couple quick tests to figure out what speed to run the laser cutter on since it had been having some problems recently. I chose a speed and put all of my pieces to cut at the same time. At this point, the old laser cutter was having problems that other students had noticed as well. While running my jobs, the laser would cut through a couple of my pieces at the beginning of the long job, but over time, the laser got weaker and weaker and was barely engraving the surface of the wood. We had previously assumed it was a problem with the wood or the settings, but we noticed that two pieces that were right next to each other were cut differently, as seen below. You might notice that the piece on the far left cut all the way through (this piece was cut first) while the base piece that is just to the right of that piece is barely visible (this piece was cut last).

This issue greatly slowed down my laser cutting process. I had to run various subsets of my pieces many times on the laser cutter to eventually cut them all successfully. Sometimes, I ended up running over the same path more than once before removing it from the laser cutter to ensure that pieces were cut through all the way. Sometimes, I would pause it mid cut, allow the laser to regain it’s strength, and then let it cut again. This great variety in the laser cutter’s strength during each cut caused the kerf to vary on each side of each piece. This led to some problems down the road, when some pieces fit together very well, while others required some additional hammering – but I will get more into that later!

Many hours later, I had finally cut all of my pieces, you can see them below!

After cutting all my pieces, I began to put them together. Since the fit was meant to be tight, it required some significant hammering to get the pieces to attach to one another. I began by attaching all the walls together, with the plan to add the base piece at the very end. Beginning with the back of the box, I took the horizontal wall that spanned the entire length of the box, and connected the vertical walls to it. I then attached the next horizontal wall, before attaching the next vertical walls (vertical & horizontal based on the picture below) and continued with this process until all of the wall pieces were attached.

I was able to attach all but one piece of the wall together. I quickly realized that I had messed up the dimensions of the slots on one of the long horizontal middle pieces that span the width of the box. The top piece that should aligned with the vertical pieces sticking out did not fit. 

I realized this was an issue with how I designed the third horizontal piece at the top of the picture, rather than the very last horizontal piece that is not pictured here. I had not accounted for the thickness of the exterior wall when placing the slots so they were both off by 3/16″. I went back to Illustrator, readjusted this piece, and cut it again! These problem children pieces are highlighted above in my illustrator file. The white piece was the original failed attempt, and the blue piece was the fixed one.

After realizing this mistake, I checked to see if the rest of the pieces would fit in to the base as I had planned. I noticed that one of my pieces wasn’t going to fit with the base – the inserts were off by a  little bit. I went to check the illustrator file with the plan of moving the inserts over to align properly so I could recut the piece. After looking at the dimensions, however, I realized that those changes were not going to be necessary because I had flipped the piece 180 degrees during assembly. After some fighting with the piece to remove it, I was able to flip it around and assemble it correctly. That wall of the box now aligned correctly with the base!

With all of my pieces fixed, and with some more help from the mallet, I was able to completely assemble the walls of my box relatively easily. The fun came when attaching the base. The inserts all aligned very well with the cut outs in the base, however they were all quite tight of fits. It required a great deal of careful malleting, and probably caused some great annoyance for the others working in the basement of the OEDK. However, with some serious perseverance, and a little bit of sanding, the mallet and I were able to attach the base to the box! Voila!

Overall, I love how this box turned out. At many points throughout this process, I seriously contemplated switching the beginner version because I was very frustrated with illustrator and the laser cutter. However, I’m very glad I stuck with my initial design.

In the future, I will make sure to put tape around the edges of my pieces before I cut them so that I don’t have as many charred marks on the final product. I would also adjust the kerf on the thickness of my cut-outs. If those cut-outs were just a little bit deeper, the edges of my box would have fit together much better, since each one stuck out of the cut-outs just a tiny bit.

COST:

• Labor: 14 hr x $15 / hr (what I was paid this summer) = $210
  • 10 hr on Illustrator
  • 3 hr on laser cutter
  • 1 hr assembling
• Adobe Illustrator usage: $21 (one month of Adobe Illustrator)
• Laser cutting time: 3 hr x $15 / hr (FACTORYeNOVA hourly rate) = $45
• 1 sheet of 3/16″ 2′ by 4′ Plywood: $20 (Home Depot)
• Mallet: $5.50 (Home Depot)

TOTAL: $301.50 so maybe don’t hire me to make you a laser cut box.