Lizzie Edwards Proposal: Mixed Techniques

Proposal Statement

I plan to make a wooden shelf for my trinkets. I want it to be cute enough that I will want to actually use it. That is why I want to use the laser cutter to make small designs to upgrade the shelf to a more aesthetically pleasing shelf. These details will help make the shelf feel more intentional and pretty, making it functional and a creative expression of my style.

First ideas and sketches.

I traced a picture of this decorative shelf bracket for the shelf. I will laser cut this.

My Fusion360 shelf drawing. 

This is one of the inspiration shelves I found.

I am still working on the design for a decorative laser cut top piece.

Advice

I talked with Dawson, Dr. T, Ryan, and Jorge about my ideas and they all thought it was a very good and doable idea. I also shared the design with some of my peers who all responded positively, describing it as cute and an engaging design. I didn't really get any feedback on what to do or what to change, but I already had a solid idea and I don't see myself changing it anyway. But, my discussions did reassure me that my idea resonates with both instructors and classmates.

Rough Game Plan

I plan to use a phased approach. First I want to start with wood working by selecting and preparing a suitable piece of wood, which I will then cut and assemble into the basic shelf structure. I will need to find a piece of wood that I can stain because I hope to stain or paint it a darker brown color. Once the main structure is built, I will move on to the laser cutting aspect of the build. I will likely make two, maybe four if I like it, decorative brackets to put on the sides of the top shelf and a decorative piece to sit on top of the shelf like in the picture from Google. After attaching those laser-cut details, I will consider adding a small, 3D-printed trinket shelf as a fun finishing touch if time allows. 

Needs

I will need to utilize the wood working shop to create the shelf out of wood. I think I should also use a sheet of plywood to attach to the back of the shelf once it is completely built. Then I will laser cut a few decorative pieces which I will then glue to the shelf. Therefore I will need wood that can be stained or painted, a plywood sheet for the backing, the laser cutting machine, wood glue for attaching laser cut pieces, Fusion360 software for designing, equipment to drill pieces together, and sandpaper and finishing tools. 

Comments

  1. Ryan HodgeApril 14, 2025 at 10:41 AM

    What a fun and useful project. For your decorative attachments, as you find designs you like, you can bring them into Fusion 360 as a canvas and trace around them. I would plan on procuring your materials next class period and staring the cuts.

    ReplyDelete

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