Our professor asked for each of us to submit ideas for a we project we would like to work on during the week and a half before spring break, but he didn’t give us any restrictions, so we were all stumped. So, on Thursday he told us to start designing boxes. He gave us a few restrictions; our boxes had have 2” sides, and have two fixed sides and two moveable sides. Our boxes will be judged on their performance, manufacturing and aesthetic appeal. Also, it very important that we document our process as we make our boxes.
We talked a lot about ways that we could join the sides of our boxes. We could join them with glue or screws, or a friction hold, like finger joints. We could also use a combination of some of the methods. I was thinking about ways we could join the sides, and I wondered if you can change the angle of the laser in the laser cutter to make mitered edges? I do not think I would use mitered edges, because I don’t think that they would be sturdy enough. But I do think that they would look nice.
When I was at a summer program we built motors, and we had to build acrylic boxes to put them in. We followed a similar design process to make our motors, but we only had one shot at making everything. We couldn’t really try things, test them and go back and adjust them. My box for my motor was a disaster. It was really wonky and misshapen. We had to use a table saw to cut the sides and we put them together with screws. We drilled holes in the acrylic with the drill press, so of course my holes were terribly misaligned. Also, it took forever for me to drill the holes because I was afraid of melting the material after they had lectured us not to. So, after that experience I am ecstatic that we have the laser cutter to do the cutting for us, and that I can completely avoid using the drill press.
When he turned us loose to start working, I was unsure of where to begin. I began googling to see how other people had made boxes using laser cutters. It turns out that there are loads of programs online where you can enter the dimensions of you box, the width of your material and the the kerf of your laser and the program will give you a vector drawing for pieces to be cut out by your laser. There are also tutorials for methods determining the kerf of your laser cutter.
I also found this awesome laser-cut ukulele. All of the pieces were cut out with a laser cutter, and it looks like it is mostly held together by finger joints and glue. The neck folds in the make the ukulele more portable, but I can’t tell how he accomplished that.
We talked a lot about ways that we could join the sides of our boxes. We could join them with glue or screws, or a friction hold, like finger joints. We could also use a combination of some of the methods. I was thinking about ways we could join the sides, and I wondered if you can change the angle of the laser in the laser cutter to make mitered edges? I do not think I would use mitered edges, because I don’t think that they would be sturdy enough. But I do think that they would look nice.
When I was at a summer program we built motors, and we had to build acrylic boxes to put them in. We followed a similar design process to make our motors, but we only had one shot at making everything. We couldn’t really try things, test them and go back and adjust them. My box for my motor was a disaster. It was really wonky and misshapen. We had to use a table saw to cut the sides and we put them together with screws. We drilled holes in the acrylic with the drill press, so of course my holes were terribly misaligned. Also, it took forever for me to drill the holes because I was afraid of melting the material after they had lectured us not to. So, after that experience I am ecstatic that we have the laser cutter to do the cutting for us, and that I can completely avoid using the drill press.
When he turned us loose to start working, I was unsure of where to begin. I began googling to see how other people had made boxes using laser cutters. It turns out that there are loads of programs online where you can enter the dimensions of you box, the width of your material and the the kerf of your laser and the program will give you a vector drawing for pieces to be cut out by your laser. There are also tutorials for methods determining the kerf of your laser cutter.
I also found this awesome laser-cut ukulele. All of the pieces were cut out with a laser cutter, and it looks like it is mostly held together by finger joints and glue. The neck folds in the make the ukulele more portable, but I can’t tell how he accomplished that.
(Image from http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/17771/laser-cut-folding-ukulele-by-brian-chan.html)
I also saw some boxes with cool designs cut into the sides. I think it would neat if you cut designs into the sides and then put an LED on the inside. But, for now I am just going to worry about building a plain box. I would like to just use fingering joints and maybe glue if needed, but I will have to play with it to get the right fit, and I will probably have to experiment with a least one other approach. I really need to think about how I will do the moveable joints.
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