Week 3 - Journal

This week, I worked on designing and making a desk pencil holder that’s simple, useful, and can hold things like pencils, pens, sticky notes, tape, and small gadgets. 

I wanted to make a design that’s simple, functional, and looks nice on a desk. I looked at many designs but decided to create my own, giving it a clean geometric touch by adding a polygon shape to the pencil holder.

Since I like geometric shapes, the inspiration or design element I wanted to add to the pencil desk holder was the polygon shape, as it’s one of my favorites and can be used in many different ways. 

Softwares 💻

We used the Malky ML64 laser cutter for engraving and cutting plywood.

For laser cutting, I selected plywood because it was readily available and offers reliable results with smooth cuts and clean engraving.

After looking at several designs, I decided to create something simple and practical. The dimensions I used were approximate I checked the average length of a pen to determine the height of the side panels, then chose a suitable base length. I started visualizing the design so that the side panels, or the entire body in general, would sit on the base, with a small extra portion on each side to help with stability.

I started by creating the side panels with approximate dimensions, as these would form the foundation of the entire model. Then, I began adding the shapes I wanted to feature on the sides. 

In the middle of the holder, I added an extra panel to divide the structure into two separate compartments. I made sure the divider didn’t extend all the way to the bottom so that the screw joints would stay connected and fit properly without causing any issues. 

To assemble the panels together, I fixed one panel in place and attached the rest to it using the joints feature. 

Finally, I created the base where the panels would be mounted. Using the project tool, I added the screw holes and slots that would secure the base to the panels 

Once the assembly was complete, carefully checked all alignments and fittings, and ensured everything was ready for fabrication. I then exported the DXF files, opened them in LaserCAD, positioned them at the top-right corner of the workspace, reviewed the cutting parameters, and with that, the project was fully prepared for cutting. 

After preparing everything, I connected the laptop to the machine and downloaded the design. Then, I adjusted the focus, set the origin, checked the box boundaries, and finally started the cutting process.

In this task, I only used the cut feature in the LaserCAD program.
Black lines – for full cutting II speed 10 power 70