I tried cutting this shape from purple heart, but it was too brittle and crumbled coming out of the machine. The plywood is a little better; it still has some flex but still breaks easily with the thinness of the design. As I experiment, I hope to learn solid design parameters as applied to laser cuts. Let the experiments continue!
I hope y’all have a year full of creativity and purpose! Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I hope it brings some inspiration and amusement.
My folks gave me a laser engraver, because I spent so much time at their house playing with their laser. My level of craft ability has now reached dangerous (on a scale of “beginner”, “how cute”, “nice”, “wow”, “dangerous”, “how?”, “mastery”). I started with my business logo on rock, painted brass, and a thin slice of purple heart wood that I sliced on my band saw.
The rock ended up with a mottled white design that does not wash off. It has a pleasant texture but probably won’t survive a sealant (testing on that later).
I’m still experimenting with settings. The purple heart with logo was a little too intense and the burn carried outside the design.
I tried a circle of brass (I used a jeweler’s saw to cut it, the blue diode laser won’t cut brass). I originally did clean brass, but it only made a ghost image, so I spray painted the blank with black primer paint, let it dry, and ran it again. I quite like the result.
My head is swimming with all the possibilities.
I have had it in my head for a while to make a new card display for the greeting cards I have for sale at my favorite coffee shop. I wanted something artsy that would show off the cards, but also have a spot for a stack of cards and business cards. I decided the take a block of flame maple from my stash and combine it with some spiral wire card holders.
I used a two part epoxy to secure the wires in the holes drilled into the wood, then finished the block with Howard Feed-n-Wax. The feed and wax is my kind of product: it applies easily and dries within 24 hours or less, plus it smells nice.
The bouquet style display brings the cards up off the table and creates an eye catching arrangement.
In December 2010 I repaired a jewelry box for my Mom.
I glued sections back together, cleaned the hardware and reinstalled, cut new mirrors, and lined the jewelry box with new purple velvet.
I regret not taking more in progress pictures of this one, but at the time I was not blogging and just need the photo record, not a detailed analysis.
I’ve needed a hat stand for awhile now, mostly to block hats after I wash them. I decided to make one using a pretty block of spalted tamarind and some hanger wire so I could use it at the craft fair where I was selling all those hats I’ve made.
I wanted to just have the thick wire so that I could adjust the size based on the hat, but the hat looked a little strange with only vertical support. I added a spiral of aluminum wire, which helps the hat, but looks strange without the hat. Hm. It worked fine at the fair, but I will continue to fiddle with the form.
Critters and Craft 