Laser: Night Light

How do we laser cut a night light?

Good question -- check out the Flickr photo album for Make a Laser Cut Nightlight to see the different approaches you might take!

- Design within a 2" x 3" piece of acrylic by
  - Tracing, combining, or drawing an original shape
- Cut the design out of acrylic
- Install the acrylic to the nightlight

Download the template.

- The template is 2" x 3"
- It comes with two holes for the night light
- Each hole is .075" x .163" -- we have digital calipers if you would like to make sure these will fit

View image

Click View Image, then Right-Click to Save As

Save Image to Desktop. Open Inkscape, go to File> Open, and select the image. Select Embed Image.

Once the image is open, go to Path> Trace Bitmap

Use the settings below to get a single scan of your silhouette. Select Update> OK> X to Close.

Delete the original, keep the silhouette with the paths

Does your image fit in the 2" x 3" box?

Resize by

- Selecting the shape
- Turn on the Proportions Lock (in the Tool Controls bar, between Height and Width
- Select a corner of the shape and decrease or increase as needed

Add a base by

- Selecting Square Tool
- Draw a square around the two red squares
- Resize the square as needed -- round out the square with the Ry setting
- Select the nightlight shape and the square (not the two small red squares)
- With both selected, go to Path>Union

Go to Object> Fill and Stroke to change your shape to an outline. For Stroke Paint, select Red.

We'll take a minute to look over everyone's designs so we can work out any needed changes.

Save your file as an SVG, using your name, for example: Sarah.svg