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

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

Find an image

View image

Click View Image, then Right-Click to Save As

Tracing the image

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

Resize and add a base

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

Fill and Stroke Settings

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

Design Review

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

Saving

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

Survey

Surveys are here: https://sites.google.com/site/cplmakerlab/surveys