Heed the words of the veterans. These words are now etched into my heart as if by a laser cutter.

Forgetting to look through past posts and gain some tips before starting this project, I happily set upon creating a laser cut box on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Make a box. Okay. Been there done that.

This time, looks like the box has several compartments. The required compartment dimensions fit together perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle.

Next, make a box. I’ve got just the thing– makeabox.io. Inputting my total inner dimensions (9″ x 9.5″) and the wood thickness (5.20 mm = 0.205 in), I preserved all the other default parameters and generated a beauuutiful box– here it is in Illustrator:

After some truly laborious calculations that determine the exact placement of joint holes according to my desired compartment dimensions (I won’t go into details here), I had the four sides, the bottom, and the two main dividers (vertical and horizontal) of my box. And I was feeling quite accomplished.

It was then that a kind-hearted soul waked into the computer room (where I’ve been working for hours) and asked how’s my box coming along. Not bad. Oh that’s great, but make sure to change the kerf! The what?!?!

To be fair, I had noticed the “kerf” box while setting my parameters. But, I assumed default was fine. I learned a little late that, as recommended by past ENGI veterans, setting the kerf at about 0.007 (instead of the default 0.0024) accounts for more wood loss while cutting, therefore produces a tighter fitting box that can hold together without any adhesive. (Thank you Anna!)

With the new box outlines generated by makeabox.io, I moved on to design…

I traced the sprout from a googled image and downloaded some cacti from a free vector file source (Freepik), incorporating both into my box layout:

I wanted to show that though this box is only a beginner’s attempt at laser cutting, it will most certainly lead to greater things. A sprouting seed may grow into anything– you’ll just have to wait and see.

Entering the laser cutting room, I tested my wood a few times, making sure that the settings can both etch and cut as desired, then I taped the back of the wood (to prevent charring), focused and jogged to the starting point, and pressed GO.

A few seconds later, it was as if a gigantic leaden arrow shot through my entire being… a few lines of tiny print appeared mysteriously on my wood… a former user’s file had overlapped and ran over mine.

Well, time to stop and start over.

I found more wood, and charged onward.

Joining the box outlines together and grouping light/dark colored patterns separately, I created a much more user- and printer-friendly file. Download HERE. Or, buy it from me with $10 materials + $20/hr labor * 12 hrs + $10 machining = $260. Wow. Almost double of my last box.

Finally, the cutting. For box outlines, I vector cut at 5% speed and 100% power; for patterns, I rastered the darker ones at 40% speed and 100% power, turning the speed up to 80% for the lighter. The entire process took quite a few runs and quite a bit of time, but I loved the final effect!!

 

And it is done. The edges are a perfect rich brown color, and the design is emanating a cool charred effect. More importantly, let it be known that there is nothing like fitting the pieces together with a satisfying *snap* after working in the OEDK for 12 hours straight.

I still intend to make a nice box for my future projects some day, but right now, I just need a tiny little break from the laser cutter. (Actually I still have to finish my homework and prepare for the midterm tomorrow.) Good night (more like good morning) then, and that is all the rambling from a laser cutting beginner for today.