Laser Acrylic Shelving

Laser Acrylic Shelving
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Primary Contact	Michael Erskine
Created	09/06/2014
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Simple slot together shelving for display of a Rubik's Cube type puzzle collection.

• replacing a simple shelving system made from regular crystal CD cases
  • too brittle - "the world's most brittle material"
  • too fiddly - hard to make - needed reinforcement with superglue
  • hard to clean - turned out to be a dust collection system

Prototype 1

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  Picture rail

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  Picture rail profile

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  Picture rail profile

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  cutter

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  prototype front view

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  prototype rail hook detail

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  prototype side view

• my first real use of the new A0 laser cutter at the Hackspace
• using various offcuts from the bulk red 5mm acrylic available at the Hackspace
• picture rail profile cutout for hanging
  • profile for the picture-rail on the prototype seems to work OK
• it looks rather gross - a sort of 70's cheap and nasty!
  • I think it must be a combination of the red acrylic and my overuse of Bézier splines
  • the next version will be a simpler and blockier design
  • also I will be using clear acrylic to make the shelves themselves less obvious
• shelf is 440 x 140
  • will be reduced to 120 depth and 300 between uprights

Next version: -

• need some quality material
  • http://www.kitronik.co.uk/materials/clear-and-mirrored-acrylic-sheets.html
• 4x uprights with 300mm shelf spans (to fit 1000mm acrylic sheet)
• 3x shelves at just shy of 1000mm long and 120mm shelf depth
• stick with 140mm shelf spacing?
• modernise design - actual angles? less curves?
• make it look like glass wherever possible

Second Build

I ordered a sheet of 1000x600 5mm thick clear acrylic from Kitronic (£23.10) and modernised the design as planned. The cut went well although I had to run at a lower than normal speed for 5mm acrylic to cut though it: 10mm/s at 65% power. Done Weds 25th June 2014.

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  cut parts kit

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  peeled parts

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  in place

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  loaded with cubes

Idea: Making for other people

• who uses picture rails any more? My house was built in the 1930's!