Laser Cutting Project
For my first laser cut project, I decided to laser cut wooden tags that would be attached to the product of a business I helped create. The name of the Business is Viking Comforts, and the product these tags were attached to were dual layered (micro-fleece and Sherpa) 50"x 60" blankets. The logo was designed by a partner in the business, and the size and material of the tags were selected by me. This project was more difficult than I anticipated because I had 32 tags to laser cut. Since it took too long to cut all of the tags in one day, I was forced to divide the tags into three "batches" (1 batch per day). I ran into various issues trying to re-upload my files, and problems with the laser not cutting through the wood (espite having all settings the same as the first batch that came out successfully). In the end, I managed to laser cut all 32 tags, and I was quite pleased with the result. Each tag measured 2 x 3 inches.
Vinyl Project
For this project, I decided on a palm tree design to represent Florida. This palm tree cut out was placed on my laptop. Originally, there were two palm trees; however, I had trouble removing the second palm tree from the paper it was made on. In the end, it still met my expectations.
I also cut out the Miami Heat Basketball Logo for my brothers vehicle since we are both Miami Heat fans.
The Miami Heat text was cut out separately. Despite the fact that the cutter cut 2 lines straight through the logo for whatever unknown reason, the end product still turned out pretty well.
Intermediate Project
For the Intermediate Project, I thought I would create a 3D manger scene out of wood. I was planning on cutting out various hand drawn layers via laser printer. I had designed the manger and uploaded all of my renderings to my computer, and had started the process of translating the images into files that could be read by the laser printer. All was going pretty well until I discovered that the laser printer could not read the lines I drew unless I altered the thickness of the lines. I played with the program settings and finally got my drawings to a point where the computer could recognize them, but the lines were now too thick, and the vector cutting would require a ridiculous number of passes (25+) just to cut one line into the wood. I spent hours trying to solve the issue and sought help from more experienced individuals, but couldn't solve the problem. I decided that I had put too much effort into the project to completely abandon it, so I made the decision to hand cut pieces of cardboard and build the same concept.
I began by practicing on pieces of paper. Since I was now using bulky scissors and my clumsy hands, I had to sacrifice a lot of the detail I had drawn.
To cut out some of the larger pieces of cardboard, I used various saws in the makerspace. This helped slightly to create straighter lines for longer cuts.
I cut small pieces of wood to help support the cardboard when put inside its frame.
After securing each layer (8-9 layers) in the modified frame, I installed LED light strips in the "roof" of the frame.
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Up close picture with LED lights turned off.
LED lights turned on in picture below
I was disappointed that I was unable to create the original design that would have used multiple layers of wood: however, I was pleased with the end product, and what I was able to accomplish despite so many problems.
Lighted Sphere Project
I had seen this project created numerous times (and had always wanted to try it on my own) but had never seemed to take the time to do it. The design is very simple. The sphere is made up of cups that are stapled together. Two holes were drilled in the bottom of each cup to accommodate two Christmas lights (blue was my preference) each. The total project requires over 50 cups and 2 strands of 100 Christmas lights.
Overall, the night effect creates a pretty neat illusion. The pictures above only show 1/2 of the project. I had drilled holes in the second half of the sphere but never got to complete the project. It is imperative that you wear gloves or at least give your hand a break when pushing each light into the holes. I had developed a blister the size of a nickel on my thumb that lasted two weeks before healing. This blister was too graphic to post an image of, but needless to say, it prevented me from doing a lot of things with my hands. I will drill larger holes next time to avoid this problem next time.
Final Project
My final project concept is a fully functional door that doubles as a ping-pong table. I had seen a design online where the entire door flips down into a table, and wanted to try something similar yet very different. I decided that the ping-pong table I would design would fold down like butterfly wings.
I used an exterior door, and I cut out the middle pieces, making sure to save the middle beam for support.
I found the assembly process very challenging, especially since the materials I used were not ideal.
The door pictured measures 35 1/2 x 83", and is 2 inches wide. The door was purchased from the Habitat for Humanity Restore in Rome, Ga. I cut two 24x40" sheets of particle board to form the table that folds down like butterfly wings.
The smooth black material shown in the picture above was also cut to size to help create a better surface for playing ping-pong. I fastened them together using screws.
Each half of the table was hinged to the door using door hinges and other materials around the Restore. I built a 25x23" cabinet door to store paddles and ping-pong balls. This cabinet is on the bottom of the door and is opened with the handle I installed.
I nailed a frame around the tables to help cover the creases. The frame boarder is 1-inch wide, and was placed on each side of the door.
Most of the building process involved me balancing the door on various objects. It was very challenging to nail and screw pieces together, and as a result, the door fell down twice in the wind. Each time it fell, more pieces would break off, forcing me to retrace my steps and fix them. When I finally got the door built, I tied it to the shelving. (This was the only place I could get the door to stand upright, but I could not leave it here for very long because it was in the way of moving furniture and supplies in the Habitat for Humanity ReStore)
I used white tape to mark the edges of the table.
I cut out an extra piece of board to create the net. I used tape to mark the edges of the net to make it more visible. Nails keep the net in place.
(Storage Door)
Each side of the table has a stand that supports it. First, I cut two 2 1/2 by 3 inch rectangles. I then drilled two holes in the center of each. I used cabinet hinges to attach the wooden rectangles to the door.
I placed a metal rod in each hole, using recycled metal from the ReStore.
Each stand is able to fold out when in use, and fold down out of the way when not in use.
I installed a strip of wood at the top to keep the table solid and straight when in the upright position. This will help keep the door from vibrating, moving, or making noises when opening and closing.
Each half of the table is held up by locks. They still need to be installed.
Overall, the project cost about 75 dollars. I used recycled materials to lower the total cost. The project took 6 days to complete mainly because I am inexperienced with using power tools, and did not have help with this project.
Overall, the door works well, and I am very pleased with the results. In the future, I hope to apply a fresh coat of paint to make the project more aesthetically appealing. the project was way more challenging than I anticipated, but I am proud of the end result and all that I have learned in the process.
