Jorge Larach - Project 2: Laser Cutter

Process
Much like Project 1, I started by referring to the tutorial videos provided. I created the floor and four walls, but changed their dimensions, opted to not include the legs and slanted top that the tutorial box had (to make it stackable), and changed the number of teeth used to connect the pieces. I struggled a bit on working with the different sketches, of which there was one for each piece, but managed to get a good layout of the box. For the lid, I planned on making it hinged, following a couple of photos from the internet and later a tutorial video on Youtube, but scrapped the idea. Instead, I decided to make a lid that fit into four holes on top of each of the four walls, with a piece sticking out as a handle. This is where I began to feel more or less comfortable with Fusion, and I was able to accomplish the needed modifications to the lid without referencing tutorials or the internet. I exported my four DXFs to Illustrator, and with help from a student worker, was able to cut out my box. I fit them all together to make sure my measurements were correct, and moved on to the engraving phase. After careful and considered deliberation, I decided on a meme of a dog sipping a bottle of pepsi as my image to engrave on the lid. I worked with Ryan on tuning the strength of the engraving laser to make contrasts in the image more pronounced, and did a couple test engravings on scrap wood. Once I decided on the best configuration, I engraved it on the lid piece and glued the box together, careful to not also glue the lid (which I almost did). 

Results
I think the final result succeeds aesthetically and practically. The lid is fixed onto the box by its grooves, and is easily removable and replaceable. After I scrapped the hinged lid idea, I intended to have the lid just be a square that sits on top, but decided that was lame and impractical. The floor of the box isn't flush with the bottom of the walls, instead sitting just a few centimeters above it, which I think makes it sturdier. I used only two teeth to connect each wall, because I figured that if we're gluing them together anyway, the number of teeth probably doesn't make much difference, so I went with two for aesthetic reasons. I noticed the bottom side of the laser cut wood had some black burn marks, and specifically made those sides face inwards, so that the outside was all the same color. The process was definitely an iterative one, and I ended up with a box that I'm proud of. 

Reflection
Whereas in Project 1, we used Fusion as a reference for measurements and structure, here it is the central piece of the project. We measured, designed, and cut the whole project solely on Fusion (except a little on Illustrator). In the month and a half since this class started, the most challenging aspect of it is definitely getting my head around Fusion and feeling comfortable with it. This only started to happen in the final few hours I was working on this project. I struggled with having multiple sketches on the same dimension (as I had to do for the floor sketch and the lid sketch), and also with the timeline of sketch modifications. I also struggled a bit in the extrude+combine part, where I accidentally did an extrude+join rather than new body. When it came time to export DXFs, I mistakenly made sketches of the faces of the bodies, not of the faces of the component, which took up some time. Thankfully, my first cut was a success, and the engraving part went smooth as well. The real challenging part of this project wasn't design or assembly, but working with Fusion, which at this point, I feel confident in being able to do this again without referencing resources. I also think the dog meme really brings it all together.

Photos

Test engravings

Working on initial sketches

Final box model in Fusion

Pepsi dog

Final DXFs in Adobe Illustrator

The picture of the final box will replace the Pepsi dog tomorrow (I forgot to take a picture)