The Unsexiest Thing I Am Going To Make With My Glowforge

I know we have a ton of inspirational posts and threads always going, but one of the reasons that I am looking forward to the Glowforge is to make very practical - very “unsexy” - things. I’ve highlighted one such project below.

Apparently, the previous owner of the home we bought last year found all of their electrical boxes at some obscure post-Soviet yard sale - not exactly spec. I am excited to cut a custom plate for this switch and forgo dealing with repairing the gaps. I know it can be decorative, but I am just excited about the ability solve the main problem.

Anyone else have an overly practical project in mind?

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Oh yeah - most of what I’ll use it for, i imagine. Drawer dividers. Tool holders - that sort of thing.

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Custom plates will be nice. Love that idea. I would replace that whole switch though. They are not that expensive and will look much nicer than a pretty new cover plate and nasty old switch…

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I am no artist by any means but that is the beauty of making things simpler to make, even those of us that are not particularly artsy can start dabbing our toes. Once you have the cover template down you will at some point want to add a little extra since it won’t add long to the make, and then…

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Some practical stuff that came to my mind are:
-Cat Toys (Cardboard stuff)
-Those Plant Signs (Basil, Mint, Potatoes, Carrots etc…)
-Then on to my non practical stuff! hahaha

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My list of unsexy projects seems to grow as I read and get ideas from the forum. Storage/organizer bins for my studio, plant markers, and some sort of lids/risers for the openings for my septic tank so that the grass can’t grow over them (<- I probably didn’t explain that well, but that’s the best description I can muster right now).

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So much unsexiness is going to happen at my house! :laughing:

My studio is lined with IKEA Kallax bookshelves for supply and tool storage, and I’ve been using cut-down cardboard boxes as pullout drawers in them for almost two years. They’re constantly coming apart at the corners. One of the first things that will happen as we can purchase the wood for it is building sturdy, labelled pullouts for all 38 shelf cubes. They’ll certainly have something pretty engraved on the front, but that will be way beside the point.

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Those free paint stirrers from Lowes and others --> stir, let dry, then engrave the details (ie., color, number, brand, etc.). And of course where and what you painted that particular color --> good for those of us who can’t remember the details. Hang alongside the other paint tools and viola!!!

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Excellent idea!

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I have that EXACT problem - except the idiot (me- alas!) cut the hole in the gypsum board just enough in the wrong spot that my plate doesn’t cover.

I haven’t fixed it - it’s in the newly build glowforge studio and office space in my basement. I figured that would be one of my first -and most unsexy - projects.

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there are 3 sizes of plates sold. but I like your idea of a glowforged one better.

personally I’m the guy who gets to the store and sees white, ivory, almond, grey and then panics not remembering how white the switches/outlets were that I bought.

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Oh I am so stealing this idea for leather paint/dye swatches!

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Yes. The biggest size doesn’t quite cover my measuring failure. :frowning:

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Switch covers don’t have to be unsexy. Google image search for “laser-engraved switch cover” brings up so many ideas…

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I’ll be making some foam cutouts to hold tools, or to hold gadgets in their Pelican cases.

But first, I need to find an inexpensive supply of an appropriate foam… any ideas?

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Several folks have mentioned that the interlocking foam floor-mat packs from Harbor Freight laser well. I’m curious about that as well.

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Just because it is normally a mundane item you can turn it into pure magic. That’s the wonder of imagination. ( and a glow forge just saying)

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I plan on making some gear plates like these. My kids can’t reach their light switch, so I’ve been playing around with the idea of either adding string and pulleys to it, or continuing gears down the wall so they can reach.
Might be too ambitious. We’ll see.

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Awesome. Love the practical application, but inspired to really come up with some cool concepts now! Thanks!

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How bout this ?


oops @jbv beat me to it.

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