Laser Cut Snack Bowls

In this instructable I'll show you how to make a set of snack bowls. The snack bowls are made of a laser cut frame and flat-bottomed glass bowls. This a short and fun afternoon project, and I was surprised how much our guests liked them - I really didn't expect them to get the attention. I think this is a nice set to have at home, but it's also a pretty unique housewarming gift.

I hope you follow along, and if you have any comments, I'll be happy to reply!

For small bowls (80mm diameter / 3.15"):

1. 3mm plywood
2. a small flat-bottomed glass bowl (80mm). I used this one.

For medium bowls (110mm diameter / 4.33"):

1. 6mm plywood
2. a flat-bottomed glass bowl (110mm). I used this one.

Optional - water based colors to paint the plywood (I used a orange and black).

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For those who prefer a narrated version of the article, feel free you watch this short video (two additional mini-projects included)

I painted the plywood before cutting. Painting before cutting is easier than painting each part separately and the color turns out more even. If you want smooth parts you can paint once, sand, and paint again.

1. Mix the water based colors and dilute them with a bit of water. I used orange and a bit of black which turned into a redish brown.
2. Use a sponge and apply the paint with long, gentle strokes.
3. Keep brushing until the colors ends up even.

Cut the attached files using a laser cutter. Notice that the SVG contains different colors. Each one corresponds to a different wood thickness (small / medium bowls = 3mm / 6mm plywood, respectively).

For the large bowls I use a rather tight fit by compensating with with a kerf offset, but for the small bowls I don't compensate much and use glue instead. The 3mm plywood parts are pretty gentle, so I prefer using a bit of wood glue.

Assembly is simple, but may take a few minutes. As mentioned in the previous step, I use glue for the joints in the small bowls rather than relying on a tight fit. Both types of bowls require similar assembly steps:

1. Lay the top right (the larger one) on a flat surface.
2. Attach 4 legs to it.
3. Flip it, insert the bottom ring, and attach it to the assembled legs.
4. Attach the 2 remaining legs to the top and bottom rings.
5. Make sure everything is flat and well connected. If using glue, let it dry.
6. To finish, put the flat-bottomed glass bowl in its frame.

That's it! We're all done with this mini project. I really like the end result, and the fact that the glass bowls are not fixed in there is really convenient when it comes to cleaning.

Thanks for following along :)

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