A Laser-Cut Drawer Organizer

The ADU (the “cottage,” as the guest house has gotten to be known) has a giant kitchen silverware drawer. And it has a big mess in the corner that’s just a clump of binder clips (“chip clips” and the like), rubber bands, and twist-ties. It’s just a big ol’ mess. If you need a clip … Continue reading A Laser-Cut Drawer Organizer

(Re-)Making a Tarot Journal

I have been absolutely inundated with ads for at least one (and I think multiple) Tarot-Journal Kickstarter projects. The central theme behind all of these ads is thus: you back the kickstarter and, if successful, they send you a tarot deck, a set of small rubber stamps, an ink pad, and a special daily journal … Continue reading (Re-)Making a Tarot Journal

Cardboard Prototyping a Laser-Cut Camera Cover

Over the years, I’ve gotten pretty good at eyeballing laser-cutter designs. I’ll always prototype in cardboard. Increasingly often, the prototype and the final versions are one and the same. A number of things start off with a boxes.py parametric box followed by tweaks. I work from home, from the tiny house in the backyard. Recently, … Continue reading Cardboard Prototyping a Laser-Cut Camera Cover

Botanical Plaques, Mark 2 & 3

In my last post, I talked about designing a botanical plaque to label trees in the yard. The design had some flaws. It was two pieces epoxied together and most of them broke apart after 6–12 months. I suspect water got in the gap, froze, and helped separate the pieces from the dried epoxy. This … Continue reading Botanical Plaques, Mark 2 & 3

Botanical Plaques, Mark 1

I have a bunch of cool-looking and weird trees at the house. In a notebook somewhere, and elsewhere in a text file, I have a list of their names. And if I’m honest, that’s fine for the one time every couple of years where I want to look up what’s what. If you’ve been to … Continue reading Botanical Plaques, Mark 1

Laser-Cutting Cantina Coasters

Last month, Christine and I went to Disneyland. And more specifically, we went to the new Galaxy’s Edge section (“Star Wars Land”). You get to spend time immersed in Batuu, in a way that’s unlike any of the other Trivial Pursuit wedge lands of the park. Cast Members are in character. All of the signs … Continue reading Laser-Cutting Cantina Coasters

Laser-Cut Spell Saga Boxes

The story of Spell Saga, a tabletop novel, is long, twisty, and goes back to 2013. You might say it’s a bit of a… saga. The fancy “zero edition” cards arrived earlier this year, and I figured I do a little something nice to preserve them. I threw them in card sleeves (blue = deck … Continue reading Laser-Cut Spell Saga Boxes

Locky: The Laser-Cut Tile Construction Set

About a year ago, I learned that I could load a 3D model into Fusion 360, and it can calculate all the slices necessary to turn it into a laser-cut cardboard (or wood or acrylic or whatever) project. They’re quick to cut out of scrap cardboard, and they’re fun to fidget with and throw around. … Continue reading Locky: The Laser-Cut Tile Construction Set

A Decoder-Ring Keychain

The last couple of years, I’ve made little Christmas gifts for my fellow Portland Puzzled Pint organizers. Last year, it was themed coasters. This year, I thought I’d make “code sheet” keychains. Or zipper pulls. Or lanyards. Or whatever the hip kids are calling them these days. It took a couple of design revisions to … Continue reading A Decoder-Ring Keychain

Potions Party Website

Less than a week after the Harry Potter Potions Party that Christine and I hosted, I wrote The Inception of the Potions Party, a quick blog-post overview of the party and the inspiration and tinkering that led to us saying “you know, I think this may just work. Not only work, but be super-amazing!” Today, … Continue reading Potions Party Website