23 ways to use a laser-cutter

Just wanted to direct Ponoko readers to a great collection of 23 incredible laser-cutting projects at the Instructables site. No matter what it is you want to do, chances are there is a laser-cut solution.

Love machines more than people? Exponentially increase your circle of friends by building these “autonomous, self-assembling robots“.

Miss your family while on summer vacation? Say hello to those back home with an etched acrylic postcard.

Want your nails to stand-out from all those other airbrushed and bejeweled fools? Get them laser-etched!

Innovative use of CNC ‘digital joints’.

Panels 02 & 03 by Paris based sebastien wierinck will be shown at salone Satellite with the 101pct Designed in Brussels selection. The interesting thing about this work that sets it apart from much of the flat pack furniture in the field is the use of CNC specific construction joints, rather than emulating standard joinery or basic slots.
As CNC cabinetry becomes more accessible we will see some otherwise impossible (or at least really really difficult) digital wood joints being shared on the web.
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step by step with Aodh O Donnell

Philadelphia University industrial design student Aodh O Donnellwas the winner of the of the 2009 Wilsonart prize with his Armadillo Chair.
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Or inhaling carcinogens for your craft

In previous post we have shown you How-To do all manner of things from form acrylic in a domestic oven to how to get a rusty metallic effect on plastic parts. The basic fundamentals of Ponoko alchemy.
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Or How To Steampunk

Those of you who read the previous post on the Ponoko Blog that showcased Cerrious Design’s rusty Steampunk USB drive may be curious as to how he achieved the effect. Dylan of Cerrious Design has been generous enough to share his technique.
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For those of you uploading your designs in the Ponoko showroom, or presenting your designs anywhere on line or in print, the difference a great photo makes can not be under emphasized.

Like the image above of image of Your coffee mugs will be jealous by Teeny Products. A simple evenly lit scene along with an object or person for scale is a perfect way to communicate a design. There are loads of sites that can give you some tips on how to set up your own lighting rig and set using household objects. The Ponoko Blog has previously covered a few tips and resources specifically for photographing Jewelry.

You can always enlist the help of a family or friends who are budding photographers and are keen for some product on their Flickr site..

I am always on the lookout for great design photographs and photographers to check the angles and lighting effects they use (not lensflare).
Like the photos of Michel Bonvin below.

Note: Human form for scale in final image.

Roy Sablosky’s Bamboo Fruit Bowl is made of 20 layers of laser-cut bamboo tied together with copper wire.

The design is an entry for the “Epilog Challenge“. It is a “green” product in that the design makes minimal use of materials.

The finished bowl is about 33 cm (13 inches) across and 10 cm (4 inches) high. It is made of 20 layers of bamboo, each 5.5 mm (0.22 inches) thick. Each ring has four 1 mm holes through it. I use the holes to tie the rings together with 20-gauge copper wire.

The bowl is not for sale in the Ponoko Showroom but you can see how to make your own on the Instructables website.

Oh yeah, don’t forget the Instructables Epilog Challenge, where you can WIN A LASER CUTTER, also sponsored by Ponoko….

Good Luck Roy.

There’s been some decent buzz about the Yudu Screen Printer lately. With last year’s discontinuation of the Japanese print Gocco, the Yudu screen printing system is rising to meet the demand for affordable screen printing capabilities. Priced at $299.99, about the same as a Gocco, this printer made by Provo Craft has a larger printing area, uses an outlet instead of batteries, doesn’t require one-time use flash bulbs, and can be used to print on various materials including cloth, paper, wood, felt, etc.

Above are some examples from the Yudu site of what you can do with their printer. Handmade Detroit has a great video tutorial that gives you a realistc look at how simple it is to use and also what results to expect.

The Yudu Screen Printer could be used to add surface graphics to most of your Ponoko-cut designs. You can get one at Joanne craft stores or Michael’s. But if you want to save your cash and do a little craft, CraftStylish is running the Crafty by Nature competition until 22 April. Entries can be anything—fashion, accessories, home goods, etc—but must be made from natural or recycled materials and incorporate the theme of a natural element: air, earth, fire, or water. Grand prize is a Yudu screen printer! Details here.

Philly based ID student Kiki Brown Bear has just posted a great little article on Instructables for How To Oven Form Acrylic using her Ponoko flatware as an example. As well as the step by step instructions she has posted a YouTube Video.

If anyone else is posting any Ponoko based Instructables please let us know so that we can promote the sharing of your insight into making.

Also do not forget the Epilog Challenge ‘09 on Instructables where you can WIN AN EPILOG LASER CUTTER!

Thanks Kiki Brown Bear

Instructables has an 8 Step Guide to Designing Your Own Cardboard Furniture. Along with their directions is an array of super impressive and imaginative works from the Cartonnistes.

Eric Guiomar is one of the designers in the Cartonnistes, a collective of cardboard furniture makers from France. He’s been teaching his construction technique internationally and is featured in the Vine Street Works video How Things Are Made: Cardboard Furniture.

via Apartment Therapy