Overall Experience

Going through the experience of determining the measurements of my box and constructing one using the laser cutter was incredibly difficult. I did not expect to have to do many different rounds of practice before my actual box and it was also unexpected that the same settings would result in different cuts. Overall, I believe I became a lot more proficient in using the laser cutter, but a lot of unnecessary time was used to attempt to construct my box after issues that were out of my control affected the construction.

Using MakeABox.io

Before using the laser cutter, I went to makeabox.io to produce my box design that would be printed through the laser cutter. Following the instructions on the manual, I made the height, width, and length 3.875 inches to account for the thickness of the plywood for the desired 4x4x4 dimensions. However, the file given by makeabox.io resulted in a laser-cut of a box that was not perfectly cubic. Although my partner, Aaesiha, used the same original file for makes of.io, only one of our boxes was cubic. If I had more time, I most likely would return and attempt to redownload a file of the same dimensions to see if there is any change.

For the next measurements, we used 0.5 inches for the tab width as we believed 4 tabs all bc each side would be enough attachments for a secure fit while being easy to place together.

To measure kerf, we loaded the file provided on canvas of a hollow box and 9 columns and followed the instructions to determine how much would the laser cut off. From this, we determined the kerf to be 0.0125 inches. However, when printing test pieces, we determined this kerf was not accurate and had to change our kerf multiple times before concluding that a kerf of 0.01 inches was appropriate. However, the laser cutter did not always produce pieces that fit together under the same settings as our results were inconsistent. A picture of the kerfs tested is included below.

Laser Cutting Logistics

After downloading the final box file, I placed the Baker college crest on one side of the box, an etching of Lovett Hall on the opposite side of the box, and my name as well as other information at the bottom of the box into the Adobe Illustrator file.

After completing the file, I logged into the computer in the laser cutter room to set up the laser cutter and input the settings for the engraving and vector. I decided on a speed of 17% for the vector to ensure that the wood was not too burned but that the laser was also able to cut through the wood. The power and frequency were determined by the standard parameters for cutting wood. For the engraving, the resolution and speed were determined based on standard parameters. For the power, I wanted an engraving that was not too deep but clearly visible, so I decided on 50% based on the guide provided in the laser cutter room. Pictures of the settings and the laser cutter in progress is included below.

Finishing

After completing the laser box, I applied a satin gloss using spray paint, coating the box with two layers, and then left it to dry.

Cost Estimate

• Plywood – $3.99
• Running the Laser Cutter – ~$17 per hour (12 hours)
• Labor – $15 per hour

Total: $388