Well, Valentine’s Day is racing towards us with the speed of a freight train on steroids, and once again, I have no idea what to give my better half. (Guys are so danged hard to buy for…if you need something, you just buy it without mentioning it to those of us searching for something unique. You have to quit that…drop a freaking hint once in a while.)
So this year, I get to make something with the laser, all I need is ideas. This is what I’ve come up with so far, but I am open to anything better, so feel free to drop ideas in the comments.
I finally got around to testing the heart basket file I shared in the Free Files section on some leather, and it came out pretty nicely as a pocket for a fancy love note. (Guys like leather, right?)
Anyway, it was a good opportunity to experiment with some finishes and dyes on the PG leather. I got it a little too dark, but I didn’t know you were supposed to wet the leather first. Next time I’ll know better.
Every once in a while this machine still surprises me in a fantastic way…this time it was the tiny gate card I cut to put in the pocket…it’s a lot smaller than normal sized, so i was really expecting it to fall apart, but the Glowforge cut it perfectly and I was able to get it off the mat without tearing it.
So I’m amazed again.
Here’s a close up so you can see what the machine was able to do…I’m almost afraid to breathe on the thing.
Every one of those little black lines held up through removal of the card from the mat, and the weeding. Since I didn’t mask the back (which I should have) you can see the cuts a little more clearly from the backside…I reworked it with some masking to reduce that effect, but it does make it easier to marvel over the precision of the cuts.
The trick is not to buy what they want but to buy (or make) what they could not imagine wanting till they see it. You know them better than they know themselves? Show them that.
As a guy, I don’t need a thing. A nice dinner and, well I think you know. Nothing the Glowforge does. Unless of course it’s cutting lace into something wearable. And un-wearable.
The hearts look great, and so does the gate card! I too am constantly blown away by the performance of this thing on paper.
As far as what to get him, I’m in the same boat. I did get a cool lighter thingy (it does some sort of a death ray spark or something), but I’ve also decided to cut one of the stylish tool racks for his many bench tools, from the catalog.
Jules, can you give more info on that “gate card”? I have no idea what that is, but it looks like something you fold back over itself - for what purpose, and was there more involved than cutting and folding?
Yes, you fold the edges over to meet each other - like a gate. The salmon colored vellum inset underneath is where you’d write the note. Open the gate flaps (which you normally would hold closed with a ribbon bow, but this card is a little too fragile…I scaled it way down), and then you can read the note.
That’s one of Monica’s cards…her files are awesome, but they do require a bit of work to join all the segments before cutting. (Monica’s Creative Corner)
Other than the cutting and folding though…nope. They’re easy to make and she’s got dozens available.
