One of the main reasons I bought my Glowforge was to help out my robotics team with various parts. This year we decided to hand out awards to other teams competing at our Regional event as a way to grow our brand and get more of the team engaged.
They decided on 3 categories for our first event (last week). Taking inspiration from this design and this design, we came up with these:
(They look slightly cooler in person. The camera loses the depth that the engraved acrylic brings.)
I’m mostly happy with how they came out. Being the end of season, time was running out so we assembled at the event. The only glue I had (thin CA glue) got soaked up by the paper a bit around the standoffs. A thicker gel super glue would do much better (and is what we’re doing for this week’s awards).
For those wondering about the process, it’s just draftboard backing (with engraved circles for where the standoffs line up) that has red cardstock glued to it front and back. I trimmed the cardstock exactly along the cut draftbord with a razor so that there was no overhang or alignment issues. The standoffs are glued on top of that and screwed into holes in the acrylic. The acrylic is reverse engraved on the back so that it’s super smooth on the front.
Nice work! Thanks for the build info and its interesting that you glued the standoff to the base. I’ve been gearing up to try and award design and will keep it in mind. Very cool of you to include your inspiration too, more folks should do it.
This set was done kind of hastily so I don’t have any process photos. I am hoping to get better pics for the set I’m doing this week. I kept trying to find a better way to mount the standoffs, but glue was the only thing I could get to work. It makes them a bit more fragile than I like, but as a display item it should hold up.
Wow, cool awards! If you want to try something more impervious and permanent than card stock, you might give sign vinyl a try—you can get it at any Michaels or JoAnns.
Have you made a stencil? I’m wondering what material is safe to use on a GF and how to stick it tight enough onto a surface to get a clean stencil, but not damage the surface when the stencil is removed. I’m going to paint onto a finished plaque. I’d love to know what you’ve done!
Lots of users have made stencils for various projects. Mylar is a good stencil material as is a product from Johnson Plastics Plus called lucent. If you search “stencil” you will find some threads that may be helpful.
Yes, and also search on “masking.” Most of the masking material, like that used on Proofgrade materials, makes good stencil material. You want to look for low or medium tack.
draftboard backing (with engraved circles for where the standoffs line up) that has red cardstock glued to it front and back. I trimmed the cardstock exactly along the cut draftbord with a razor so that there was no overhang or alignment issues. The standoffs are glued on top of that and screwed into holes in the acrylic. The acrylic is reverse engraved on the back so that it’s super smooth on the front.
