Solid Wooden Sunglasses

Intro: Solid Wooden Sunglasses

Mid last year I made these sunglasses and I thought I would share them here. Check out the video above to see how I made them! Thanks to my beautiful baby sister for kindly modelling these! It's much better than seeing them on me.

STEP 1: The Lenses

First up, we'll need some lenses. I ripped some out a plastic pair of sunglasses I got free!

STEP 2: The Templates

Using the original sunglasses I produced some 1:1 cutting templates. If you are using similar sized lenses you can download the ones I used from my website: http://thiswoodwork.com/making-wooden-sunglasses-summer-woodworking-project/

STEP 3: Attaching the Templates

Next, the templates are stuck to the rough blank with a little wood glue.

STEP 4: Cutting Out the Frames

Using the scrollsaw the frames are cut roughly to shape, If you don't have a scrollsaw you can do this by hand, it's just going to take a while!

STEP 5: Cutting the Frames 2

To cut the opening for the lenses drill through the blank and thread through the blade. Leave the cavity slightly over-sized at this point.

STEP 6: Cutting the Temples

The temples (or arms) are cut out in the same way.

STEP 7: Fitting the Lenses

Align each lens properly and trace around them with a pencil. Sand close to the marked line, leaving a small rim just under 1mm (IMPORTANT) I used a drum sanding attachment at the drill press to do this.

STEP 8: Shaping

The final shape cannot be achieved on the scrollsaw, so using a small handsaw cut away the remaining material and use a hand-file to shape. The original sunglasses serve as a good reference when doing this.

STEP 9: Shaping 2

Using sanding attachments, sand to the final shape. (If you don't have these some careful filing and sandpaper should work.)

STEP 10: Fitting the Lenses 2

Now to cut the rim for the lenses. Using a rotary cutting disk mounted in the drill press for ease, I cut a shallow groove around the edge of the lens cavity, for the lens to slot in to. This will take some care and a bit of trial and error, but should work if you are careful.

STEP 11: The Hinges

Next is the hinges. I could have made some tiny wooden hinges, but it was far easier to cut them off of an old pair of cheap plastic ones!

STEP 12: Fitting the Hinges

To attach the hinges mark the position and cut a small cavity on both the front and temples of the glasses. (I used a small drill bit to do this.)

STEP 13: Gluing the Hinges

The hinges were glued into the cavities with some quick-set epoxy.

STEP 14: Applying the Finish

Finally a finish can be applied to the glasses, before the lenses are pressed into place. For a finish I used mineral oil just to be safe, but I am sure that some spray lacquer would be fine too!

Comments

[Van57]

Great jobs.
Duplicate the shape from other sunglasses.
Thank you.

[farraha]

Great

[jrow00]

what kind of wood did you use and where do you recommend we get it?

[Marker1024]

Well done! You should treat yourself and those frames to a nice pare of polarized lenses! Its a disgrace to use the cheep ones in when you've crafted the rest of the sunglass so nicely! Great cheep project though.

[BenMercier]

Do you know where to buy the polarized lenses for this style of glasses? I can't find any for under $30

[buck2217]

They are great but knowing me I would either leave them in the pub or sit on them -- cue heart broken!!

[kdorais]

Definitely gonna try to make these this summer, but with actual lenses since I have terrible vision :P These are so cool!

[sabladask]

You glasses looks grate:) i like that they are crafted by hand ( no cnc).

[HarshanaS]

Could you do these with regular glasses?

[Spokehedz]

Yes. Same principal, just be far more careful with the real lenses.

[mjackson-1]

Just don't forget that prescription lenses factor in pupilary distance and have a focal point... there's a lot more precision required than for non-corrective lenses.

[HarshanaS]

Thanks

[Containerschiff]

Wow they look awesome! You've got some nice skills! You make the sunglasses yourself while others buy them for a lot of mony at a (desing) shop!!

keep your work up - i'm looking forward to seeing new projects

[onemoroni1]

Very cool. Nothing like hand crafted.

[acaig]

That takes proper skills nothing I could do they look lovely I imagine you could sell a few of those
I was always annoyed at school the boys got to do woodwork and girls had to do home economics it was so unfair from a very early age I used to stare longingly in to the workshop classrooms and my brothers told me id do them for at 11 lying watsits

[dirizary]

Fantastic.

[fixfireleo]

wow, beautiful work by a beautiful artist!

[Dandie]

This is great, admirable.Very nice work, congratulations!!

[kodiwoedee]

Awesome! People love hand made items. Do u sell any on Etsy?

[CK101]

How do you attach the lens at the end