Monday, July 17, 2023

Acrylic Boxes

 I had some boxes I needed made.  Knowing I had a laser cutter, I did a fast google search and found MakerCase (see note in a few paragraphs in italics).  I quickly downloaded a custom-sized box with box joints, and slapped it through the paces.  It couldn't cut deep enough, and repeated attempts failed to stay lined up.


 I then realized that a $50 sheet of acrylic was a pittance less than a package from SendCutSend in acrylic.  So, off the DWG's were sent, and processing/mailing times were waited.

Apparently, the MakerCase file is on the outside of the cut line.  This means that the box joint cuts will have a minimal overlap.  I corrected this using a file on the joints to fit it, so make sure you fit it up BEFORE you glue it.

I tried to purchase a thin acrylic adhesive, but that got lost in the mail somewhere, so I ended up using e6000 cement from a local hardware supply chain.

This cement is terrible - it immediately starts to congeal, so be aware that long cuts (like I had on my box) will start setting up before to finish applying the cement.  It is also very stringy - so it will be messy.

It should be noted that it is still a workable option for fast prototyping, or for custom one-off boxes.

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