Reuleaux Triangle Box

Made on a Glowforge
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Here’s a little box I’ve been working on in Illustrator for a little while. It’s based on a Reuleaux triangle which is a rounded triangle of a certain shape.

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The sides are bent due to kerf cutting (actually it was a 3 pass engrave with differing widths of engraved slots):

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I used the Glowforge to make the center medallion as well. It’s two layers of black acrylic, with the lines that form the walls cut and glued on the bottom solid layer. Then filled in with an iridescent paint then domed with two-part epoxy resin. The middle of the lid is engraved to make a slot for this piece.

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I made several others (actually the others are my test pieces and they have all sorts of problems).

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I found I got the best results by using hardwood (Proofgrade basswood for this one) rather than plywood, so I could sand off the finish so it would bend easier. I didn’t have any nonPG hardwood that did not have finish, or I would have tried that.

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This is simply put Freaking Awesome
:heart:

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Wow that is beautiful! One of the nicest boxes I’ve seen. That center medallion is the icing on the cake. Thanks for explaining how you did that.

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Beautiful!

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The bend in the wood is amazing, the inner walls looks like perfect little triangular prisms were cut out of them.

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That is really great! I have been trying to get that mica thing to work but it does not look like yours. Is there a secret I’m missing?

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Gorgeous! Is the black cut from acrylic or did you just do a phenomenal paint job on it…it’s so glossy.

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Wow! This is like next level thinking, designing, etc. They are just gorgeous.

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Wow, really beautiful project. Amazing medallions.

It also makes me think; Rotary Engine.

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Ditto all these comments!! That is absolutely beautiful!

I assume the black one is all black acrylic?

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Almost, but the rotary sides have less of a curve, to allow room for compressed gasses.

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Box and medallion - perfect and fascinating. Lovely to see some outside of the box thinking (see what you did there).

SO easy to think lasers = flat boards, straight edges.

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The paint I used was Pebeo Prisme.

The black medallion is cut from black acrylic. If you are talking about the black box, that was cut from Draftboard then painted with black gesso.

See the above answer. :laughing:

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Very nice. I like the one that is painted black.

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Wow, so beautiful! Love how you curved from the inside. Will have to look for that paint.

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Ingenious and beautiful. Raising the bar with those curved sides.

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Very nice crafting there Lady! The effect you got with the paint and resin is outstanding. :sunglasses:
Beautiful embellishment to that cool box!

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The boxes that you made are stunning. I especially like the way you got your curved sides. Even the artistic way you made the tabs gives another level of beauty. Did you get the curved edge shape on your 2-part epoxy through just the surface tension?

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LOVE! I haven’t done any kerf bending, but it looks so good - and those resin tops are mesmerizing! :heart_eyes:

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Yes, different types of epoxy do that to a greater or lesser extent. So far my favorite for the doming effect is Little Windows resin.

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