I know that I should be pessimistic about actually getting the Glowforge in June. I was barely in on the crowdfunding campaign, but that deadline of October 25th listed in the “Latest Schedule Updates” banner at the top of every page has me so excited. I’ve been trying to think of things to make since I made my purchase, but now I feel like I can actually start working on my designs and such. My wife is also excited about it, but when asked she can’t really come up with anything specific. I know that there was that question of the day about what the first thing we would make would be, and I’m pretty sure I answered there, but now, I don’t know how I’m going to decide what to do first.
Thus far my list consists of the following:
Card catalog drawers (I bought an old filing cabinet at a yard sale and I want to make custom inserts to store and sort my Magic: the Gathering cards)
Board game inserts - These are inserts that go into a board game box to sort the components and keep them neat during storage and transport (Broken Token Inserts). I love these things but can’t bring myself to pay the money for them… now I can make my own!
A phone stand/charging station for my desk at work
I’m very excited about living hinges and want to incorporate them into my designs.
I want to make art/decoration for my game room (laser-etched canvas with game themes)
Custom game components (like tokens, dice etc…)
As you can see most of my thoughts revolve around games and the gaming world. I browse these forums and scour YouTube and the internet in general for laser-cut ideas all the time, and I’m starting to pick up materials so that I’m ready to go when the Glowforge finally arrives.
I am greatly anticipating the future and all of the possibilities that Glowforge offers. (Though I am fully aware the volitile nature of this industry and the fact that a delay could pop up at any moment, so my anticipation is somewhat tempered by that).
Anyway, what do you have on your lists of “I MUST MAKE THIS ASAP!”?
There are a bunch of irregularly shaped do-dads that are almost impossible to make efficiently using traditional tools. But most of the less intricate things I can do better old school. The one area that stands out for me is adding the artistry. Images, patterns, engraved designs, potentially inlays, etc. The Glowforge will probably be used to add the “art” to my “function”.
It is the scanning feature that has me excited.
Instead of having to master vector or raster software to communicate with the tool, my own hand drawn artwork will be recognized - Allowing easier, freer creative expression. That is nothing short of awesome!
I also have a particular photographic image I am anxious to commit to stone, wood and leather. Inlays are another method I am anxious to explore.
Just being able to have instant access to a laser cutter is enough to make me super happy!! As @printolaser stated, the built-in camera has me so excited. Just the other day I was looking for an image of a Mac laptop keyboard to design a keyboard cover, and when I found one I thought ‘oh hey, that won’t be too hard to trace over/convert to vector linework’…then I realized oh wait, I don’t even need to do that. Just stick the printed out image onto the laser bed and scan it in- amazing!
As far as actual project ideas, I really want to make a range of around-the-house type products to see if I can make a little pocket money at local craft shows- grad school ain’t gunna pay for itself, you know!
You have stated you seem to have a strange affinity for things you don’t know much about.
nothing strange there. That unknown is the source of our wonder. Feed it. "It is not such a shame that we die, the shame is what dies within us while we live."
Keep the child alive!
Haha well, I suppose it’s because there all these branches of design I love and want to work in, but I wouldn’t exactly say I have any experience in them other than a growing list of cool projects in their respective fields. So…I’d love to be a robotic engineer! Do I know anything about it? Nope! lol
I recently got an ungergrad degree in architecture and I’m working at a firm to save up for grad school, but I would totally love to work at a place like glowforge. All my work is on computer screens- I hate it!
I’m excited to have this as the beginning of a future Makerspace! So many ideas floating in my brain, want them to be able to be fleshed out with this equipment. One of my MANY ideas will be flatpack furniture. I am anxiously/excitedly awaiting my Glowforge!
Yes, you can’t get what’s on the display under your fingernails!
I don’t recall who said it here, but it was eloquent… “I can’t wait to start making things that don’t go away when I turn off the computer”
I do believe the very first project I absolutely must do is make my fiance a much belated birthday present (august - urgh… why she hasn’t killed me yet I’ll never know) which is a pendent of purple heart that will look so much better on the laser than with my limited ability with a hand miter saw and dremel (would have worked better with more of that ever-precious commodity: Time)
I think that’s a big reason I went laser instead of 3d printer as my first personal maker tool. there is never enough time.
second project: leather straps to keep the pro slot closed and locked until I have a chance to get the appropriate safety goggles
Ensure your safety by making the first project for her…
I remember a thread asking about eye protection and a few links. Dan piped in that “I would do some research before I spent a hundred dollars on some plastic glasses.”
I don’t suppose I would be lucky enough that poly carbonate (my reading glasses) would be opaque to the infrared frequency.
I already asked that many moons ago because my lenses are also polycarbonate, and it came out that although the official laser protection glasses also have polycarbonate lenses, they also have coatings (or perhaps other chemicals built into the lenses) that are the real secret sauce for keeping out the laser. I have seen somewhere that polycarbonate can actually be cut by a laser cutter, but the results aren’t pretty - it apparently absorbs the energy rather than reflecting it, so it kind of burns and melts ugly; behavior that likely wouldn’t be ideal a centimeter from the eyes and a fraction of a second before the beam made it through!
I’m with @rpegg–I’ll be adding a lot of beautiful surfaces to things like cabinet doors, pillars, and pavers around the house. I also have a lot of designs in mind for leather jewelry and bookbindings.
Last week my wife & I spent a few days in Palm Springs, which has an abundance of mid-century/retro type stores. One in particular had quite a few cool lasered pieces. As if I wasn’t already incredibly excited for the arrival of our GF…
This post has me thinking,. My wonderful wife has not (openly) questioned my purchase but it wouldn’t hurt to make her something amazing as soon as it arrives.
LOL I will ensure my own safety first due to the fact that I cannot design if I have no functioning limbs and yeah I don’t think either one of us are that lucky
You’re never too old to feel like a kid on Christmas morning!!
So…I’d love to be a robotic engineer! Do I know anything about it? Nope! lol
due to the fact that I cannot design if I have no functioning limbs 
and yeah I don’t think either one of us are that lucky 
