The Desk Tidy is a container kept on a desk and used to store stationery and other small items. My desk tidy was shaped around the idea of a table with a trough in it. Originally i was going to just create a box like figure that would easily support stationary and the random items we use in desk tidy's but i wanted to have a unique idea compared to my class mates and so i decide to create four beams supported by dals or rungs which connected and stabilised my desk tidy. This table like shape was to be my supports for the polyproprene which was to be added later on in the design.

Step 1: Step 1: Select AutoCAD Inventor 2016 or Other Software

Select a software to put your dimensions into. Inventor was extremely good. Having a visual 3D diagram of your design was helpful and having solid dimensions helped with beginners like me to the program to make something difficult. Inventor also has tutorials to help beginners understand how to use the software.

Step 2: Step 2: Dimensions

Add dimensions to your Inventor drawing. Draw four circles with 10mm diameter. Then extrude those circles to 80mm in length. At this stage you will have a project looking like the first phto up top. From this stage draw a rectangle 10mm down from the top edge of every extruded circle. This rectangle should be 10mm X 5mm and be centred on the edge of cylinder face. Extrude these rectangles so that they reach over to the other cylinder. By now you should have this shape like the second photo above. From this step draw a circle on top of each cylinder- 5mm radius. Extrude these circles 10mm in height so that your braces can hook onto the polypropene. Your inventor should now look like this.

The final product of inventor should look like the last photo in the selection.

Step 3: Step 3: Makerbot Step

Save your file as a file compatible with Makerbot, a software used in 3D printing. It may be a DWG, JPEG or STL file depending on the computer. Export your file to Makerbot. Once this process is done, you will then see a screen like the above photo. From this, mark the scale up to how you want it, presumably 1:1. Make sure your dimensions are correct and scaled correctly. Take the USB which you have saved the Makerbot file onto and place in the USB slot on the 3D printer.

Step 4: Step 4: Start 3D Printing

Once your USB is in the USB slot, make sure there is enough filament for your job.

Step 5: Step 5: Sanding

Collect final product from 3D printer. Start sanding, evening out all the whiskery bits, making sure your job is nice and smooth. Use rough sanding paper, slowly moving down to a thinner grade of paper.

Step 6: Step 6: Start Polyproprene Design.

Create a bolt like figure like the photo above you. Dimension it to how large your project is.

Step 7: Step 7: Laser Cutting

Once the design of the polypropene has been finished, export it as a DWG file onto a USB. From this stage save the DWG file to the USB and place the USB into your Laser cutter. Make sure the intensity is dropped to the lowest setting as the ployproprene can melt.