CRT 300 Rapid & Improvisational Prototyping - #2 Hackathon
Keepsake Keychains
By: Bailey Henderson
Details:
For this project, I decided to make key chains for friends, family, and loved ones. The key chains were made using wood and a laser cutter. In addition to those materials, I used some mahogany wood stain for aesthetics and key chains to make them functional. The etchings are based on the environment and were done using the laser cutter as well.
Importance:
This project contributed to my theme of "Representing the Natural World Through Art and Technology." Each piece included a different nature aspect like flowers, animals, mountains, trees, deserts, plants, and other details. This project was also pretty special because each key chain was especially created for each person and customized. I have discovered that I have a passion for making gifts and other projects for people. Suprises and heart-felt gifts are my favorite thing to make!
Steps:
1. First, I spent lots of time designing and customizing the SVGs for the keychains. I did this through a program called Inkscape. Most of my designs were sourced from Pinterest, but the names used my choice of font from Canvas. Thankfully, there were so many beautiful options to choose from. Below is a picture of a part of that process.
2. Next, it was time for the lengthy process of laser printing all the keychains. There was a total of 14 key chains. After uploading all the designs to the software connected to the laser cutter, I manually deleted some misplaced lines and shapes. Then it was time to actually laser cut. Below is a picture of this step.
3. After the wood was cut and etched it was time to attach the hardware. For display purposes I attached them all together. See the picture below.
4. Lastly, I decided to experiment with wood stain. I was unsure if I would like it, so I used one of my spare wooden key chains to see how it would look. I used a Sharpie marker to emphasize the name and ensure it stayed darker than the rest of the key chain. I ended up loving the look even more than the natural wood. I did not get to finish all the staining first but decided to do the rest that same night. Below is a picture of that process:
Final Project Images
