Laser Cut Acrylic Rose With Etched Base

Hello everyone,  I made an acrylic rose display piece for a loved one. I was lucky enough to have access to an Epilog  laser cutter at the time. If I were to win an Epilog  Zing 16 Laser,  I would start a small business making sculptures, jewelery, and other cool and unique things.
    When I made the rose I didn't have any plans drawn up. I went more by how a rose looked and what felt right. Feel free to use rose reference photos if necessary.  My list of materials are as follows:

1 sheet of 1/16" clear acrylic ( size of sheet depends on what fits in the laser)
1 acrylic rod 1/4" cut to the length you want
 Heat gun
 Heat gloves
 Safety glasses
 Needle nose pliers ( to hold the petals while you shape them)
 1 sheet of 1/8" mirrored acrylic
 1 sheet of 1/8" black acrylic
 Black spray paint
 Weld on acrylic glue
 Glue applicator syringe
 Laser cutter/ engraver
 Computer with CorelDraw program

 With any project, please be safe and use appropriate safety equipment when needed.

Step 1:

   I first started by creating some petal shapes that varied slightly, in CorelDraw. I then sent the file to the laser cutter and cut them out.

Step 2:

 I then shaped each petal individually, using a heat gun (set on low)  and needle nose pliers ( to hold the petal). Make sure you are wearing a heat glove when shaping it gets pretty hot. Repeat this for all the petals. You won't use them all, but if you make a lot you can then choose the pieces that fit together best.

Step 3:

Using Weld On and a syringe, I glued the petals together to form the rose.

Step 4:

This is what it looks like when it is done.

Step 5:

Using the heat gun shape the stem using the 1/4" acrylic rod. I sanded the bottom of the stem at an angle to make it look like it  was a freshly cut stem.

Step 6:

 I then cut two small holders out using the laser cutter to hold the rose in place while in its display box.

Step 7:

In CorelDraw, I set up a file for the base piece.  I typed a favorite passage from a movie on the outer edge of the base.
In order for the words to etched correctly, they had to be reversed because I was doing a reverse etch on the back of the mirrored acrylic.  After it was cut out, I spray painted the back of the acrylic black so the text would show through it. Then using a piece of black acrylic, I cut a smaller base piece that was glued to the top of the mirrored piece of acrylic. I then glued the two stem holders onto it to hold the rose in place.

Step 8:

This is what it looks like on the base.

Step 9:

 I then cut out pieces of 1/8" acrylic on the laser cutter,  to make a box that fits over the rose. I used the Weld On glue to put it together. It fits on the outside edge of the black acrylic on the base. This box protects the rose from damage, and allows it to be displayed.

Step 10:

Here is the finished rose complete with display box.( It's not very easy to take pictures of clear and mirrored acrylic)

Step 11:

Final acrylic rose shown with base only.
Photo by: Andrew Koerber

Comments

[Maldrax]

Awesome. Beautiful piece of art...

[puddleglumdad]

Beautiful! could you publish the Corel files you used to cut the pedals etc with? Or please send to [e-mail]

[jeanniel1]

Wow, a really nicely planned out and made piece. My son blows glass and can make glass roses, but this one is really well done. Bravo! Very well-written 'ible too. Thanks for sharing

[8220819]

woww, good job

plz send me file for cut,

tanx :)

[e-mail]

[taco ftw]

Awesome work. I just wanted to let you know, when taking pics of glass or acrylic using a black and white setting for the camera usually works best.

[Ms Addesign]

cant you design a rounded triangle. He took the time. Where we admire his/ her genius. Great stuff

[mmorsy1]

Beautiful !!!

Can you please send me the CorelDRAW files to

[e-mail]

[mmorsy1]

Beautiful !!!

Can you please send me the CorelDRAW files to [e-mail]

[mikefilardi]

this is amazing!!!! greatest idea EVER!!! im going to try and make it. can you please send the file if you wouldnt mind to [e-mail]

thank you and great job..

[Vadinhotpj]

Verry nice! If is possible, can you please send me the Corel Draw files to

[e-mail]. Aprecciate!

[Taramax]

Beautiful !!!

Can you please send me the CorelDRAW files to
[e-mail]

[KirallyRocker]

Nice work!

Can you please send me the CorelDRAW files to
[e-mail]

Thanks in advance!

[ylevy2]

Can you also email it to [e-mail]

[ylevy2]

How big, on average were the petals?

[jhack82]

Hello, thanks for the great instructable, i think i'm going to attempt this for my wife for valentines day this year, one question, how big did you make your rose petals? did you vary their size much?

Regards,

Jordan

[NickGarthright]

Wow this is really amazing! I'd love to attempt to do something like this. (though it definitely wont look as good) Could you send me the corel files?? [e-mail]

Tank You!

[craftyv]

I absolutely commend you for this Instructable and the beauty of the piece. Gorgeous.

[Lcartier]

Thank you very much.

[occam999]

Nice work!
Thanks for taking the time to post it.

[Lcartier]

Thank you.