Press Fit Easel

For this project, I decided to laser cut a press-fit mini painter's easel. Composed of three components, this easel is able to hold up miniature canvases pretty well. Even if this easel may be inconvenient to draw on, it is a perfect holder for little notes and doodles.

1. 1/8 in plywood

Software

1. Fusion 360
2. Adobe Illustrator/Inkscape

Tools

1. Laser Cutter
2. Sandpaper

In the sketching phase, it was crucial that I had a fully fleshed out design to understand each component and how they work with each other. I highlighted the tabs in red so it was clear to see where the components would slot together. Sketching it at all perspectives allowed me to visualize how long and level of inclination the back leg must be to allow the easel to properly stand. The angles were determined early on as these angles are important for laying the foundation of the easel. The easel would only lean back ten to fifteen degrees, and the back leg had to be slanted to do so. Thinking retrospectively, I believe ten degrees might be too steep to hold the paper. The middle hole was merely for visual purposes, this was just mimicking the qualities of typical three-legged wood easels.

After the sketch was complete, it was time to design the easel in Fusion. Correct parameterization was vital as changes in dimension or plywood thickness meant (theoretically) easy remedies. My process in Fusion went relatively smoothly, but I believe that I somehow over-parameterized my object, as further changes had to be made in order to change the easel dimensions or plywood thickness. Next time, I will definitely create more expressions of my existing parameters and construction lines to seamlessly guide the CAD process.

Within Adobe Illustrator, I ensured that the lines to be cut were solely the outline and holes of the easel. Additionally, it was very useful that I could scale my object up to fit between other people's cuts. The cutting aspect went relatively smoothly, though it required multiple iterations due to varying plywood and kerf measurements.

During the assembly, my components were a little difficult to fit into each other. With just a little sanding, the components slotted seamlessly into each other.

Overall, I am very pleased with the final object. It is perfect for holding photo strips, post-it notes, or little doodles and reminders, a welcome addition to my room.

The chapter “Build from the Bottom Up” from Tibbits’ “Things Fall Together” offers a unique perspective on manufacturing and its implications. I definitely do agree that the default supply chain of assembling products from raw materials is really soulless and wasteful. I think that the design and thought process behind transforming the material into the desired object really adds value to the product. Unlike me just selecting an easel from the store, I did not go through the process of witnessing the object be designed and formed by my hand. Additionally, this small easel is not just something that is usually provided by stores. Thus, this consolidates the object’s value, perhaps discouraging us from simply obtaining and throwing away our purchases.

Additionally, Tibbits’ approach with self-assembly considers manufacturing sustainability as well. In our laser-cutting versus 3D printing game, I feel like each tool’s sustainability was a consideration. With 3D printing, its additive nature really pushes us to use material that is only necessary. For example, laser cutting a grid would result in numerous excess squares that may not find a secondary use. All in all, Tibbits’ considerations are valuable in utilizing our materials efficiently and effectively.