laser cut box

09-15-16:

I laser cut my tabbed box today. I used 12% speed, 100% power, and 50%. There was no fire and everything cut through. In addition to cutting my tabbed box, I reached the section "lofting" in chapter 6 on "up and running with 123D Design". From where I left off, I learned how to tweak objects and use the push pull tool. I think that the push pull tool will come in handy when you need to change the dimensions of a 3D object, but it's not as convenient as changing the dimensions of a sketch. Also, I discovered the shelling tool which I think is pretty neat. It basically makes the shape hollowed out with a walled outside. Out of the next several skills, extruding, sweeping, revolving, and lofting, I had the most trouble figuring out lofting. Now I know that if you have more than two objects/faces, you need to select the objects/faces first then go up to the modify menu and click the loft button.

09-21-16:

Today I went back to my tabbed box and started to add to my design. Because we need two boxes, one original and one new and improved, I set out to make a press fit lid that would cover my box. Although I had an idea in mind, it was much harder to execute on Inkscape. My first plan was to make it so that there was a second layer below the lid that would fit precisely in the top (inset .15 in because the walls of the box are the width of cardboard). However, I couldn't figure out how to make that new piece press fit with the lid with a handle. So, I decided to take a different route. I would make the lid cover the top and hang over the edges. Then, in the lid I would make a place for the handle. I had just started to work out my new design when class ended.

09-22-16:

I picked up where I left off yesterday. I figured out I would need to make the lid bigger than the box so that I would have room to insert my press fit edges that would hang over the sides. All of the slots are .15 in and I used the difference tool to do it. Pretty much there are two parts to assemble. The two "lid edges" have slots that press fit into the slots on the 3.5 inch edges of the lid. The three pieces on the right are to make the handle that press fits into the center slot in the lid. To make sure the handle wouldn't slide out I designed two pieces that would press fit with the handle above and below the lid (there is a .15in between the two slots to accommodate the thickness of the lid). These would secure the handle tightly. The final thing I added was my name on one side of the box and my gymnastics program's logo on the other. Last year I had learned how to trace a bit map so that it would work like an svg.

09-23-16:

Today was the big day that I laser cut my new and improved tabbed box. I think it turned out pretty well and I am proud of the engineering I did to achieve a press fit lid. However, if I were to laser cut it again I would move the slots on the lid edges farther away from the edge because the .05 of an inch area on the edge was not very sturdy when being pushed into the slots on the lid. Here is my final product: