Maker's Magic Toolbox
Introduction: Maker's Magic Toolbox
I am proud to present my latest project, the Maker's Magic Toolbox!
The Toolbox is a variant of the classic Magic 8 ball game, with an inspirational maker angle. I really tried to pack the Toolbox with good Maker positive advice while keeping it fun. I hope that some makers manage to get something positive from the experience.
Stick around to the end for a demonstration of the Toolbox in action!
Supplies
* CNC
* Fusion360
* 1/32" endmill
* HDPE cutting board
* 1 beautiful board
* Latch and hinges
* Handle (or steel to make one)
* DIY snowglobe
* Yellow food dye
Step 1: Carving the Die
I started the toolbox project by prototyping a 2” triangle with the raised words “MAKE SOMETHING”.
I modeled the triangle in Fusion360 and carved it out of a cheap hdpe cutting board with my cnc, after first testing to make sure it floated. The size of the letters are tiny, and I needed to use a 1/32” endmill bit. Because the bit is fragile, I kept the speed at 15ipm and depth to .01” per pass.
The triangle came out great, but it would make a huge die so I downsized it to 1.5”. Next I cut out 7 more.
Step 2: Assembling the Die
I beveled the back of each edge of each triangle on the belt sander.
Using hot glue, I stuck 4 triangles into a pyramid shape, and did the same with the other 4.
After filling each side completely with hot glue, I stuck both halves together into an octahedron.
The die needs to be filled, otherwise it will be too buoyant and it would leak bubbles into the globe.
Note: The original 8-ball toy had a die with 20 sides, but that would have been too large so I went with 8 instead.
Step 3: Carving the Toolbox
I modeled the entire Toolbox in Fusion360 and used it to create toolpaths for each part. From the end view you can see that I made the inside of the box smaller than the globe by pushing the walls in then subtracting the overlap from the insides.
The wood used was a rough cut board of white oak burl. Each piece was surfaced flat on one side with the cnc, then flipped and carved into shape with 3d adaptive clearing paths.
Each of the outer sides of the box also got a thin horizontal line with a v-bit at the same height, to give the appearance of a lid.
Step 4: Carving the Inlay
First I cut the negative text into the roof about .1" deep using a 1/32" flat endmill. 622
VERY CAREFULLY. As in 10ipm and .01 depth per pass carefully. Then using the same bit and settings I cut the positives .15" tall from mahogany. I used a flush trim saw to remove the letters from the block, and pushed them into the negative with some glue. Since the letters were taller than the negatives, they stood proud of the surface allowing me to sand them down to perfectly flush and smooth!
Step 5: Fabricate the Handle
Note: This step can be optional, if you buy an off the shelf handle.
I started with a sheet of 22 gauge steel, and used an angle grinder to cut it into strips.
I beat it into submission (and the proper shapes) with a hammer, then welded them together to form the handle.
Each end got a small metal dowel, and a small box which anchors into the lid and allows the handle to pivot while supporting the weight.
The handle was painted black, and the anchor blocks gold.
Step 6: Assembly
Once all the pieces were carved, I glued it together with wood glue. The angles were all awkward, so I just used tape to clamp it while it dried.
While the pieces were very accurate and fit well, I did end up with some small gaps on a couple edges. These were closed up by working wood glue and sawdust into the gap, then burnishing it with the side of a screwdriver.
The back panel is separate and is only attached with magnets, in case I spring a leak later I can access the globe. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.
Step 7: Add Finish and Hardware
The next step was to add two coats of Simple Finish. It just wipes on with a rag, and excess is wiped clean 20-30 minutes later.
Now that the wood was gorgeous, I screwed on a faux latch and hinges to complete the look.
The handle was attached by the two end anchor blocks. 220