Step4: Create Design File 3 - Adding Decorating or informational Elements
Step5: Cut and color the Design
Step6: Assembly
Design Files
My friend and two of her close relatives are all celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and these 3D hearts are tributes to them.
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Step 1: Ideas & Designs
A friend asked me to create a Christmas ornament for a few of her family members' 50th anniversary. I figured Christmas is not going to be around for another 10 months, so it would be cool for me to create something that would look good on a Christmas tree but it would also look good anywhere around the house and any other time of the year, and also Valentine's is around the corner, so a heart shape of something makes more sense, right?
I want to make something more substantial rather than just a flat heart shape...So I use my 3D Apple & Pumpkin design as an inspiration…
Step 2: Create Design File - Base
Step 1: Create the basic heart shape (see photo 1)
Step 2: Cut the shape in half (see photo 1)
Step 3: Add slots and the center side of the shape, by drawing 2 rectangle shapes, place them at the proper location, and subtract them from the original shape to create the notches (see photo 2)
* The size of the slot is determined by the thickness of your material
* You need a minimum of 2 slots to make it work, but if you are making a bigger one, you might want to add an extra slot or two for the stability
Step 4: Use an offset function to create a ring out of your basic shape, I used 0.125 inches here and did an internal offset (see photo 3)
Here is the BASE.
Depending on the finished size, you need at least 2 sets of the base (4 slices), I used 3 sets (6 slices) here, for larger sizes, you might want to do 4 or even more sets.
Step 3: Create Design File 2- Connecting Disk
How to connect all the half heart shape slices?
I figured that 2 circled disks with slots cut, so the slice could be inserted and hold the slices to a 3D shape.
Step 1: Draw 3 same center circles (see Photo 1) The smallest one will be the cut-out for the hanging string or ribbon The size of the mid-circle will be just the guide for placing slot rectangle The outer large circle will be the size of the Connecting Disk
Step 2: Place 12 rectangles along the edge of the mid and large circle (see Photo 1)
Step 3: Subtace the smallest circle and the rectangles from the large circle (see Photo 2)
Step 4: This is an optional step, I am just adding some patterns to soften the outer edge (see Photo 2)
Step 4: Create Design File 3 - Adding Decorating or informational Elements
Add whatever patterns or words of your choice, and weld them together. You can create extra layers to add engraving, and scoring to show out your design more.
Since this is for a couple's 50th anniversary, I include some hearts, their first and last name, and words to describe their 50th years of life and marriage…..
See the photo for my result
*In the design, I made 3 copies of the hearts and words, One set I offset by 0.05 inches, and united with the heart ring to create the base. Set them to a red outline, which will be the cut line. For the second set, I used an orange outline and they are for scoring For the third set, I used the purple outline for where I wanted to engrave
Export them to SVG format and ready to upload to my xtool M1.
Step 5: Cut and color the Design
Setting 1
Process Method
Laser Cut
Process Material
3mm Basswood Plywood
Power(%) or Cut Pressure(g)
100
Speed(mm/s)
4
Pass
1
Other Parameters
I use 60/80 60 lines per cm for light engraving and 40/20/1 scoring for the added details
Since the 50th anniversary is the Gold marriage, I decided to use gold for the main color, I went ahead and painted both sides of the wood with gold acrylic paint (FolkArt Pure Gold #871).
Load the board into my M1, and turn on the air assist and air purifier. Set the setting for each color and function.
First, the outlined purple is for engraved (60/80 60line per) Second, the outlined orange is scored for added details (40/20/1) Third, the outline red is for the cut (100/4/1) (see Photo 1)
After all the pieces were cut, for added interest, I went ahead add various light colors to all the detailed areas with acrylic paint pens. (see Photo 2)
Spray with a few coats of clear varnish on both sides of each piece.
Step 6: Assembly
2 More images
After the paint and varnish are dried, they are ready for assembly.
Step 1: Feed the hanging ribbon through the small hole of the Connecting Disk, I also add some beads for added details. ( (see Photo 1)
Step 2: Dab some glue at the slots on both the Connecting Disk and the half-heart slice, insert the heart slice into the slot of the connecting disk, one slice at a time, and make sure to arrange them the way you wish. (see Photo 2)
A friend asked me to create a Christmas ornament for a few of her family members' 50th anniversary. I figured Christmas is not going to be around for another 10 months, so it would be cool for me to create something that would look good on a Christmas tree but it would also look good anywhere around the house and any other time of the year, and also Valentine's is around the corner, so a heart shape of something makes more sense, right?
I want to make something more substantial rather than just a flat heart shape...So I use my 3D Apple & Pumpkin design as an inspiration…
Step 1: Create the basic heart shape (see photo 1)
Step 2: Cut the shape in half (see photo 1)
Step 3: Add slots and the center side of the shape, by drawing 2 rectangle shapes, place them at the proper location, and subtract them from the original shape to create the notches (see photo 2)
* The size of the slot is determined by the thickness of your material
* You need a minimum of 2 slots to make it work, but if you are making a bigger one, you
might want to add an extra slot or two for the stability
Step 4: Use an offset function to create a ring out of your basic shape, I used 0.125 inches here and did an internal offset (see photo 3)
Here is the BASE.
Depending on the finished size, you need at least 2 sets of the base (4 slices), I used 3 sets (6 slices) here, for larger sizes, you might want to do 4 or even more sets.
How to connect all the half heart shape slices?
I figured that 2 circled disks with slots cut, so the slice could be inserted and hold the slices to a 3D shape.
Step 1: Draw 3 same center circles (see Photo 1)
The smallest one will be the cut-out for the hanging string or ribbon
The size of the mid-circle will be just the guide for placing slot rectangle
The outer large circle will be the size of the Connecting Disk
Step 2: Place 12 rectangles along the edge of the mid and large circle (see Photo 1)
Step 3: Subtace the smallest circle and the rectangles from the large circle (see Photo 2)
Step 4: This is an optional step, I am just adding some patterns to soften the outer edge (see Photo 2)
Add whatever patterns or words of your choice, and weld them together. You can create extra layers to add engraving, and scoring to show out your design more.
Since this is for a couple's 50th anniversary, I include some hearts, their first and last name, and words to describe their 50th years of life and marriage…..
See the photo for my result
*In the design, I made 3 copies of the hearts and words,
One set I offset by 0.05 inches, and united with the heart ring to create the base. Set them to a
red outline, which will be the cut line.
For the second set, I used an orange outline and they are for scoring
For the third set, I used the purple outline for where I wanted to engrave
Export them to SVG format and ready to upload to my xtool M1.
Since the 50th anniversary is the Gold marriage, I decided to use gold for the main color, I went ahead and painted both sides of the wood with gold acrylic paint (FolkArt Pure Gold #871).
Load the board into my M1, and turn on the air assist and air purifier. Set the setting for each color and function.
First, the outlined purple is for engraved (60/80 60line per)
Second, the outlined orange is scored for added details (40/20/1)
Third, the outline red is for the cut (100/4/1) (see Photo 1)
After all the pieces were cut, for added interest, I went ahead add various light colors to all the detailed areas with acrylic paint pens. (see Photo 2)
Spray with a few coats of clear varnish on both sides of each piece.
After the paint and varnish are dried, they are ready for assembly.
Step 1: Feed the hanging ribbon through the small hole of the Connecting Disk, I also add some beads for added details. ( (see Photo 1)
Step 2: Dab some glue at the slots on both the Connecting Disk and the half-heart slice, insert the heart slice into the slot of the connecting disk, one slice at a time, and make sure to arrange them the way you wish. (see Photo 2)
Wait till all the pieces dry thoroughly.
Hang in or box it????