stephcreated
Report

School Years Photo Frame

Instruction
Kids School Photos Square.xcs
Kids School Photos Square
.xcs
Application scenario
Laser (90min)
Machine & module
xTool M1
10W
Compatibles · 8
Material used
3mm Basswood Plywood
217
1707
Information
      Have so many school photos of your child and don't know how to display them? I created this through the years school photo frame. This frame displays Kindergarten through Graduation! The smaller rectangles are sized to show a mini wallet photo and the larger one is for a 3.5 x 5".
This is completely customizable from fonts to sizing!
    
Instruction
1
Step1: Designing the Front of the Frame
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All directions can also be found in photos above.

Front Frame

  1. Insert a rectangle from the left hand side of Creative Space.
  2. Click on the rectangle, click the master lock symbol between the sizing to unlock at the top of Creative space. 
  3. Resize the rectangle to a square, dimensions will be 11.25"x11.25"
    1. You can move this box to the left out of the way for now until we need it again.
  4. Insert another rectangle and resize to 1.75" x 2.5". You will have to unlock the sizing lock again.
  5. Right click on the 11.75" x 2.5" rectangle and make a copy. 
  6. At the top of Creative Space, Click "Array", then click “Grid Array”
  7. X Column =  5       X Spacing = .14
  8. Y Rows =  4           Y Spacing = .14
  9. Once you click “OK” you should have 20 boxes. 
    1. you can delete the first FOUR on the first row, leaving only ONE
    2. leave ALL FIVE boxes on the second row
    3. on rows 3 AND 4 delete the LAST TWO
  10. You should be left with 12 boxes.
  11. Create another rectangle, size it to 3.5" x 5" and align it with the bottom row at the bottom and align it to the right of the last column.
  12. Add Text, Insert the letter “K”
  13.  Move the “K” to the right corner of the first box. You want to make sure that the bottom of the “K” is slightly over the bottom of the box.
  14. Once you have the “K” placed where'd you like, Click Combine at the top and select Subtract.
    1. You would have a welded “K” into the box making it one piece.
  15. Now, repeat steps 12-14 for the rest of the boxes. 
    1. The boxes should be labeled, K, 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 11 and GRAD
  16. Select all the boxes with K-Grad, right click once they are all selected and group them together. 
  17. Bring the first 11.25" x 11.25" box back into view. You should have two groups now. The first big square we created and the all the smaller photo rectangles with numbers.
    1. Select them both and align them, horizontally and vertically. So they are perfectly centered with each other.
      1. You can do this from the top of Creative Space, Align, Horizontal align ceneter and vertical align center.
  18. With both still selected make sure settings are set to “CUT”
2
Step2: Designing the Back of the Frame
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Back Frame

  1. Create a new canvas, at the bottom of Creative Space, click the “+” 
  2. On the new canvas, insert a rectangle and resize it to 11.25" x 11.25"
  3. Insert another rectangle, I resized this one to 10.328" x 10.744"
  4. First, you will want to go back to the first canvas.
    1. Make a copy of the group that contains all of the smaller rectangles.
    2. Go back to the second canvas and paste it onto the page.
    3. Next, select both the outer frames and group of smaller rectangles and align them horizontally and vertically.
    4. They should be perfectly centered just like the 1st canvas
  5. Select the grouped smaller rectangular boxes and make sure they set to “SCORE”
  6. The two outer squares should be set to “CUT”
3
Step3: Designing the Name
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Name

  1. Go back to the 1st canvas
    1. Insert text with the name you wish to use. In my designed I used the name "Riley" 
    2. You can customize now, font, sizing and spacing. 
      1. I played with the spacing to see what looked back longer names will not need spacing, short names you might want to add spacing. This design has a spacing of “1” (Spacing can be found when you click on the text and a text box preferences appears to the right of creative space. 
    3. Make sure the name is set to “SCORE”. This will help when it is time to glue the letters later after cutting.
    4. Add another canvas by using the “+” at the bottom of creative space.
    5. Go back to the first canvas with the front frame. Select the name, right click, copy.
    6. Go back to the blank canvas we just created and paste the name.
      1. We do this because we want to make sure all settings are exactly the same as the name we are going to score on the front of the frame.
    7. Now, make sure the name you just pasted on the new canvas3 is set to “CUT”
4
Step4: OFF TO THE LASER!
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Double check all your settings on each canvas. Make sure they are set to the correct material. 

Don't forget to Auto Measure before sending to the laser!

5
Step5: Assembly
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Once everything comes off the laser you should have the front of the frame, the back of the frame, a thin frame with a big hole and the name.

Here you will need:

  • Wood Glue
  • Pet Plastic (bought from amazon)
  • 2 backing clips (bought from amazon)
  • Scissors
  • Paint
  • Small screw driver

Putting it all together:

  1. First turn over the front of the frame and glue the thin frame with the big hole to the back. Make sure it's perfectly even with the edges. You don't want any hanging over. 
  2. Next, take your pet plastic and the back of the frame and mark the size of the pet plastic to the back of the frame. You want the pet plastic to be the exact same size at the back of the frame.
  3. Cut it to size with scissors to a paper cutter.
  4. Once the front of the frame has dried, take the cut down pet plastic and insert it into the frame. (Make sure both sides of the protective film have been removed before placing inside.
  5. Next take the back of the frame and place it over the pet plastic. 
  6. Grab the backing clips and a small screw it came with and screw one on each side of the frame. 
  7. Now you can paint the name you cut out and let dry.
  8. Once dried, with some glue, glue the letters into the scored name on the front of the frame.

I put a nail hanger on the back of my design to be hung up on the wall or you can place the frame on an easel for display.

Comments
Remixes
xTool Supplies Used in This Template
xTool M1
xTool M1
3mm Basswood Plywood
3mm Basswood Plywood