Homemade Glasses With Laser Cutter

I had an extra pair of lenses from my the glasses store fixing my frames... so I made a pair of wooden glasses.

Supplies

Wood and lenses

Tools: Laser cutter, Dremel, Sandpaper, clear coat, sander,

Step 1: Create the CAD

First i had to make the file to laser cut

1. I scanned my lenses on a flatbed scanner next to a ruler so i could scale them when I imported the image into SolidWorks.
2. I traced the lens shape and then drew the profile I wanted for the glasses "free hand" in the CAD software.
3. I then exported a cut pattern for my laser cutter.

Step 2: Laser Cut the Pieces

1. I cut the pieces out of material that was about .5 inches thick with the laser. The pieces can then be sanded down for a round shape rather then cut them out of thin material and trying to bend them.

Step 3: Shape the Pieces

1. Shape the glasses on a belt sander to give them a rounded shape so they fit around your head. This is a lot better then just flat panels.
2. Use a Dremel to do some of the find sanding and shaping.
3. For the groove to fit the lenses in, Use a cutter bit on the Dremel and cut a channel to would allow the lenses to pop in from the inside.

Step 4: Clear Coat and Assemble

1. Since the wood was laser cut, it was leaving black marks on my nose and smelled like a camp fire. I used some clear coat to trap in the smell and seal them after wiping them down.

Step 5: Nose Guards and Assembly

1. Pop in the lenses and secured with a couple drops of wood glue
2. Added the glasses arms
3. ... after all that... they weren't sitting perfectly on my nose so I cut a couple pieces of rubber with a razor knife for nose guards and super glued them to the frame.... now they are just right.

Comments

[Penolopy Bulnick]

These are great! Do you have the laser cut files you designed?

[David Yakos]

I do. I could share them if you want. They will be specific to my lens shape but I suppose people could alter them

[Penolopy Bulnick]

Yeah, even if you have to altern them, it's nice to have a starting point :)

[David Yakos]

I uploaded a DXF and STL file under the make file step. Hopefully that inspires more making. Enjoy.