Inspiration
When I was first introduced to a laser cutter in the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab, I was interested in making something that was more than a decoration. I wanted to make something useful and had moving parts. So I was drawn to a calendar project I found online.
It was fun to work out the nesting and proper layout of the cuts for the sheet material. I wanted to be respectful of the waste material. This was an example of one that had not fully leverage the layout, nesting, and orientation.
Modifications
Soon I moved to a calendar with more moving parts. This version had a wheel of months that I could adjust accordingly. Making the wheel works was very satisfying
Customization for Gifting
Eventually, I started to explore the fun of bending wood with perforated patterns.
For a member of our team who was retiring, we were very interested in having everyone contribute to the design. So I created an insert area where all the team members could come up with an image that complimented a set of dates for the month. These inserts would be stored within the body of the calendar box. It can be closed for transporting to keep all the bits in and it could be opened up with the lids being supports propping the calendar up. It turned out to be a good design.
More Customization
Soon after, there were interests in modifying the design even more for other types of calendar. So going back to the tried and true design with some modification on moving parts.
What do you think? Want to make your own calendar? Give it a try!