Glowforge: How to Make a Personalised Memory Box
Keep found items safe and sound in this small but perfectly formed memory box, engraved using the Glowforge laser printer. It's perfect for housing those little treasures your mini makers find whilst exploring the great outdoors.
Quickly and easily personalise the lid of the memory box with your name and message of choice. You can add as many or as few design elements as you like using the extensive Glowforge image library, or why not upload your own digital design?
Project and instructions by Aisha Cluitt and Hobbycraft Artisan Chrissie Ellson
Please note: This project contains paid-for content from the Glowforge image and font library. Screen reference images are taken from the desktop version of the Glowforge design software.
You will need
How to make
Switch the Glowforge on and connect to the machine on your desktop or laptop.
Place the wooden box into the machine with the right-side facing up.
Start a new project within the design software and add your chosen greeting/message - we’ve used the Bold ‘Caveat’ font – followed by and additional design elements – we’ve added a small bird.
Re-size the text as desired making sure it fits comfortably on the top of the box lid. Use the ‘Align’ and ‘Group’ functions with the Glowforge software to ensure your text is positioned evenly.
Place the elements on top of the on-screen box (the Glowforge will have scanned this after it had been placed into the machine); the Glowforge will add the design elements on to the lid of the box where it is positioned on screen, so make sure you have everything exactly where you want it!
Top Tip: Due to the height of the wooden box the crumb tray will need to be removed from the Glowforge machine.
Within each of the design elements down the left-hand side of the screen set each of the elements to ‘Score’, the text and design elements will then turn a purple colour.
As the material that is being cut is not a Glowforge proofgrade material the settings will need to be manually added. We used the following settings to engrave the lid of our box –
Base Setting = Cardboard
Speed = 1000
Power = 30
Lines per cm = 105
Number of Passes = One
Select ‘Print’, then press the flashing go button on the machine when prompted. The machine will then start work on your design.
While the machine is working, a progress pop-up will appear on screen featuring a count-down timer of how long is left until completion.
Once complete wait for a prompt to display on screen before lifting the machine lid and removing the item/s.