I’m not usually a person who thinks, “here’s a design I like, now what material is correctly sized?” Instead, it’s “Here’s what I have, now what can I make?”
I’ve resisted paying for a Cuttle membership since it allows for up to 5 free projects. There are just some things I can’t do for myself anymore, and why suffer when there are so many other smart people out there designing things I want to make?
What really motivated me was my diverse stash. Few 1/8" materials are really 0.125" thick. With tabs or close-fit details, it makes a difference–three finished boxes from one board, or a waste of $$. I can customize any design based on the material I want to use and know it will work.
and @ptodd Thanks! I’m a mi$er, so it took me a while to justify the cost. The older I get though, the more time = $$.
Between watching furniture refinishing videos and hanging out with real graphic artists, I’m learning a lot. “Leaves seen at a distance” is what I wanted to project. The up-close is pretty cool, too.
I just got my reminder from Cuttle that my membership will renew in a few days. I teach Engineering at high school - sometimes traditional engineering classes involve levers or electricity, sometimes computer science, and sometimes “Manufacturing, Design and Production”, aka Design, where students do a project to create something on a laser cutter. I created the class in the fall of 2022, and was struggling with a free online drawing tool. I bumped into Cuttle one day and viola, so much more powerful, easy to use, and stable (even though they keep adding cool stuff). I teach in San Jose, and a couple of the cuttle folks live in the bay area, so they came to the presentations at the end of that first class to see what the students had created. Some of those design sparked some ideas from Toby and Ryan (that’s my story to my students), and I can see them above (round hinges, heart shaped box), so it’s kind of cool to see creativity circling around!
john
PS I’m mean - I make my students make their own finger joints for boxes, and then at the end I tell them if they want to do projects in the future, how much power Cuttle has, so come talk to me, or when they get to college, find a maker space they can use, and keep creating.
Honor to Teachers! Thanks for your work; this is the kind of class I’d have loved in HS.
I graduated HS in 1975. “Girls” had to take Home Ec, but could not take any Shop or Engineering (metalwork) classes, and “boys” had to take Shop, but could not take any Home Economics. My last year, the requirements were lifted for graduation, BUT… still no girls in Shop or boys in Home Ec. I graduated with neither.
The year after I graduated, both classes were opened up to all. Someone in the board of education finally got a clue. (Sorry, I just had to vent.)
What a wonderful way for your students to learn! I’m certain they really enjoy your class, and the fact that they are learning design techniques, especially using things like Cuttle, will really open their eyes to possibilities. Thank you for taking part in educating our future!
I got to take both at my high school. My home ec class was cooking though so I never learned how to use a sewing machine. I did the whole gamut of shop classes though. Those were great prep for owning a home, cars, making, etc. I had taken some high school level math & science in junior high (grades 7 & 8) so I had extra free class time in my schedule for the home ec/shop combos along with all the core academic classes. My kids didn’t get that option though - no shop or home ec classes offered
I made them help with home & car repairs as well as real cooking on scout trips. Still disappointed in the turn education took after I was out.
John
I would love to chat about how you use the laser cutter with your students. I am also a maker educator who helps educators around Vermont integrate STEAM
I am always looking for 2d -3d projects that integrate engineering thought
Would love to chat about how you do this using your laser cutter
r