Forest Walk Perpetual Calendar

🪵 Materials

• For one 6” x 6” “Woodland Perpetual Calendar”:

Plywood

• 1/4” (6 mm) plywood – for:
  • Main front frame
  • Backer panel
  • Month, day, and number tiles
• 1/8” (3 mm) plywood – for:
  • Trees, mountains, sun, ground layer
  • Bear and cub silhouettes
  • Calendar Stand

Open the file xTool Studio

Place Your Wood on the Laser Bed

• Position your 1/8” plywood and 1/4” plywood where you want to cut.
• Use hold-down pins or magnets if needed to keep the sheets flat and secure.
• Make sure the material sits fully inside the usable cutting area.

Focus the Laser

• Use Auto Focus or other means,

Check Cut Settings

Start the Cut

Cut the 1/8” layer parts.

Then cut the 1/4” frame pieces.

1. Choose Your Color Palette

• Aim for warm, natural tones that highlight the layered wildlife scene:

Suggested Colors

• Sky: Soft blue or teal
• Mountains: Muted tan, copper, or slate blue
• Trees: Medium green or Deep forest green
• Ground: Soft earthy brown or green
• Bear & Cub: Dark walnut brown or charcoal
• Sun: Warm yellow or gold
• Frame/Backer: Dark walnut stain or natural wood finish

Tiles:

• Background: Cream, ivory, or natural wood

2. Paint Each Piece Before Assembly

• Painting before you glue makes everything cleaner and avoids taping off tiny sections later.

Tips for Painting Laser-Cut Plywood

• Clean burn marks on each piece.
• Wipe with a dry cloth to remove any residue.
• Spray light, even coats from 8–12” away.
• For bright colors (sun, sky), use a primer first for smoother coverage.
• For natural wood tones, use stain or wipe-on polyurethane instead of paint.

Let each coat fully dry.

3. Organize the Pieces for Assembly

• Once dry, lay everything out in order:

Top Scene Layers

• Backer (sky)
• Mountains
• Tree layer
• Ground strip
• Bear silhouette
• Cub silhouette
• Sun

Bottom Tile Area

• Month tile
• Day-of-week tile
• Two date number tiles

4. Begin the Assembly (Start With the Scene Panel)

• You can use wood glue or CA glue — just go light so it doesn’t squeeze out the edges.

Assembly Order

• Glue the frame onto the sky backer.
• Glue the mountains onto the sky backer.
• Add your layer trees.
• Add your ground layer.
• Glue down the bear and cub silhouettes.
• Place the sun in the sky.
• Set the entire scene panel aside to dry.

Make sure each piece sits flat so you avoid shifts or warping.

Position the Stand Before Gluing

• Place your completed back panel face-down on a flat surface.
• Set the stand piece behind it but do not glue yet.
• Slide the stand up and down along the back to test the viewing angle.

The goal:

• The calendar should lean comfortably without pieces falling out.
• The month, day, and number tiles should stick out slightly, allowing them to be changed easily.

Find the Optimal Angle

Mark the Placement

• Once you have the right angle, lightly mark the stand position with a pencil.
• This helps you realign it perfectly during gluing.

Glue the Stand in Place

• Apply a thin, even bead of wood glue or CA glue along the top edge of the stand piece.
• Press firmly into your marked position.
• Hold for 10–20 seconds.
• Wipe away any squeeze-out immediately.

Let It Cure Completely

Allow the stand to dry before setting the calendar upright.

• If using CA glue: ~1 minute.
• If using wood glue: 20–30 minutes (full cure in several hours).

Final Check

Once dry, set the calendar on a flat surface and verify:

• It stands securely.
• The month, day, and number tiles can be grabbed easily.
• The angle displays the artwork beautifully.