Ooh. Next is the reversing setup.
1 Like
What for? Just flip the spanner around!
4 Likes
I just created, printed, and shared (in the Free Designs area) this Sharpie holder (for those of use who tend to go a little crazy and acquire a large selection of Sharpies… Not that anyone here might resemble that idea… 
.)
Another practical cut…
45 Likes
Clever. Gives me some ideas!
1 Like
Great idea!
1 Like
Genius!
1 Like
If I make one for my spouse, do I have to say it was someone else’s idea 
1 Like
No… not at all.
Happy wife…happy life!
4 Likes
Very nice and contemporary. Great job.
1 Like
So if you frequent a bar that offers a free drink if you are there at the start of a game, so long as you are wearing the appropriate appareled logo, you need an assortment of team gear. Naturally, this is not a problem for someone who frequents this type of establishment. The problem is what if you are at the bar at the start of a game, but didn’t plan to be there?
You keep one of the above in each vehicle. The text and Wisconsin Band logo were unnecessary, but it was looking too barren.
The bar is a piece of draft board with three magnets and 
maple veneer on each side. Normally, I’d engrave a hole for a washer on the backside of the badge, but I was out of washers and had extra magnets so thick maple ply was used. With six magnets total there is no danger of this falling off.
While all of you are no doubt admiring my combination of cheapness and love of alcohol, the main reason I posted was to report on the paint used. I have engraved through masking and painted before, but have always run into issues of the paint bleeding/wicking into the veneer. This time I used an acrylic paint from Michaels, a very thick and goopy paint, I used undiluted, and there was no real bleeding problem. And I put it on thick completely covering the adjacent masking. There are some paint-imperfections in the classic Brewer’s logo, but that was after I peeled off the masking and applied my own (which I expected to stick to paint over a pebbled surface.) So, yeah, I’m pretty happy knowing I can get really good results as long as I use thick paint. I know someone else here discovered the same thing before me; my apologies as I don’t remember who it was.
Edit: I put the paint on thick, let it dry for a minute or two, and then squeegee off with a piece of scrapped acrylic. Otherwise the paint would dry into a miniature mountain ridge.
7 Likes
A few of my latest practical cuts.
A headphone holder on the side of my monitor. I had a command hook, but it just didn’t fit well - this is so much better.
A whiteboard marker holder:
And some lightswitch stops. They can turn easily if we want to use the lightswitch instead of Alexa to turn on our lights. Side note - don’t take close up pictures of your lightswitches unless you want to see how dirty they really are. I suppose I could go around and clean them all…but then I would have less time with my forge. 
28 Likes
Oh hey those light switch stops are clever. Do they sort of work the screws out over time?
1 Like
Not that I have noticed, but we don’t move them very often. They usually just stay in position so we can use Alexa to control the lights. I did manually countersink the screw holes in the acrylic after cutting out on the glowforge.
2 Likes
you have inspired me to do the same. my wife keeps turning off the porch light switch.
1 Like
Before you get home? Limited personal expertise here but mom and wife and much anecdotal stories days they usually turn them on then never off.
3 Likes
Nothing Fancy, and not entirely laser cut. For the cutter part I’m reusing the one that came with some packing tape. The base and the roll holder are made with 3/4" plywood.
SVG in case you want to develop further.
41 Likes
Love the reuse factor!
2 Likes
Practical projects are my favorites. 
4 Likes
I wonder if we can make a serrated blade out of acrylic?
3 Likes
I use the edge of a cut piece of acrylic as a scraper when “weeding.” I bet it (acrylic) would make a great serrated edge.
3 Likes