This week we were tasked with making a laser-cut finger joint box. It was my first time using the laser cutter and I’m now OBSESSED.
The first step was using MakerCase to create box plans. I set the dimensions to create a 4 inch x 4 inch box, with 0.175 inch thickness, along with 0.8 inch finger size joints. From the tutorials, we determined the kerf to be ~0.008 inches for a snug fit.
The proposed MakerCase box plan.
Once I downloaded the plans, I imported them into Adobe Illustrator to create my design. I added my name, ENGI210, Spring 2025, and the date. After much deliberation and inspired by some of the pieces I saw in the laser cutting room, I decided to experiment and see if I could etch some of my sketches onto the rest of the panels of the laser-cut box. I scanned some pages from my sketchbook, and Image Traced them in Illustrator and added them to the remaining sides, as seen below. I also made sure the the text and Duncan College logo were vectorized and outlined them.
My laser-cut box Illustrator file.
After I was satisfied, I brought it the computer in the laser cutter room. To ensure that the sketches were only etched, and not cut, I ran the engraving component first, and then uploaded a separate file with the cutting lines of the box. Following the provided instruction packet, I used engraving settings of 100 speed, 45 power, and 600 DPI.
Progress during the etching period.
The finished etched panels.
Once etched, I used the same X and Y axis measurements of my file that only had the box outlines, and proceeded with the vector cutting, instead using 30 speed, 100 power, and 10 frequency.
The box outlines being cut out.
The finished outlines.
After popping out the panels, I assembled them according to which were left, right, front, back, top, and bottom. The finished box can be seen below!
The popped-out laser cut box panels.
The assembled box!
Another view of the finished box.
The cleaned workspace.
Overall, I loved this project and am really happy about how it came out. I loved getting to incorporate some of my sketches into the box, and can’t wait to continue using the laser cutter in Zoe and I’s midterm!
Approximate Cost Analysis :
| Material | Amount | Cost |
| 1/4 inch piece of plywood (2×4) | 1/2 | $7.45 |
| Laser Cutter Labor | $20 per hr for 1 hour | $20.00 |
| Laser Cutter Machine | ~ $23/hour for 1 hour | $23.00 |
