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Paying Homage to the Laser Cutter - Three Great Projects
Although the 3D printer seems to get the spotlight most of the time, people are making some very interesting projects where the laser cutter takes the lead role.
As digital fabrication becomes more popular, and more common, makers are moving beyond the 3D printer to many other tools -- including the laser cutter. At SparkFun, the laser cutter is a very busy machine; we wanted to pay homage to it by recognizing a couple of great projects.
Complex Sculptures Built from Layers of Laser-Cut Paper
Eric Standley leverages his understanding of math, technology and art to build complex pieces from layers of laser-cut paper. In this video (embedded with his permission), he shares a bit about his motivation, process and inspiration.
New work from Eric Standley will be showcased on December 7, 2017, at the PULSE Contemporary Art Fair (Miami Beach), represented by Victori + Mo Contemporary.
Layered Maps Built from Laser-Cut Wood
This Game of Thrones fan used a laser cutter to build a layered wooden map – it offers quite a bit of detail while still supporting an interesting aesthetic. During this long spell sans GoT, this may be a good project to undertake.
Camera Case Built from Cardboard
On the more practical (yet still artful) side, this video shows a camera case that uses laser-cut cardboard for the padding inside. This approach could have many applications.
Finding a Laser Cutter
Not everyone has a laser cutter. The good news is that access to digital fabrication tools is becoming more widespread. If you can locate a FabLab or Makerspace nearby, they may have a laser cutter you can use. We recently discovered The Maker Map -- this open-source project attempts to map out where you can find maker resources all over the world. Let us know what you think; it seems to have many of the resources local to us (in Colorado), but we did need to do some filtering.
Share some of the unique laser-cut projects you have seen or created yourself in the comments below!
