![[Laser cut and engrave] Personalized Letter Box for Father's Day (gift challenge week 3)](https://image-res.xtool.com/ali-res/community/making/ef52627d-256f-439d-9f7f-8766de9e2f88.jpg?x-oss-process=image/resize,w_1200,h_900,limit_0/interlace,1/format,webp/auto-orient,1)
Personalized Letter Box for Father's Day (gift challenge week 3)
Instruction
Information
This is a letter box for my chronically desk disorganized husband. It features his initials cut out on the front along with two dragonflies. He loves dragonflies. The dragonflies are repeated on the long sides, and tulips have been added. The dragonflies and tulips are based on arts and crafts movement motifs as they portray nature without becoming too twee.
Instruction
Step1
Download the design file for the box. I used "Boxes PY" software at https://www.festi.info/boxes.py/ . The setting I used are shown in the photos. Enter your settings and press download.
Step2
Collect artwork to be used if you don't want to use dragon flies and tulips and convert it to xcs readable file. I use Silhouette Studio software as my main design software as Inkscape does not play nicely with Mac OS 13.2.
Step3
Move the box bottom onto the canvas and cut using 3mm plywood setting.
Step4
Remove the box bottom from the canvas, and move the box sides onto it. The side pieces are grouped together, so ungroup them before changing the initials. Select the SJP, pull it off the canvas and delete. Using XCS text tool, create your own monogram, and drop it in place.
Cut the sides using the 3mm basswood setting.
note: easily change the front and side motifs the same way.
Step5
Snap the cut bottom and side pieces together. (Using a deadblow hammer helps.) Finish the box anyway you like. The example has two coats of Verathane Old Oak.