Custom Miniature Minimalist Picture Frame

You.  You have a picture laying around.  It's an odd size.  It has much sentiment attached to it...it could be a portrait of a long-lost love...or a rendering of someone (or some...thing) you've only dreamed of.

You'd tack it on your fridge, but magnets are so passé.  You have standards. Maybe you live in a minimalist highrise overlooking the twinkling horizon of Shanghai, and only the best will do. Or maybe you live in a transparent future-submarine, zipping around the Mariana trench, where opaque decorations are silly & verboten.  Well, have I got just the project for you.  

Step 1: Gather Your Materials & Tools

You will need:

Materials
Photograph
Clear Acrylic (3mm thick)


Tools
Ruler
Adobe Illustrator
Laser Cutter
Plastic Strip Heater

Step 2: Measure the Picture You Want to Frame

Break out your ruler(s) & measure away.  You only need 1 ruler, but I used 2. Why? Cuz YOLO.

This photo measures 49mm. x 72mm. 

Step 3: Sketch Out a Laser Cutting File

Our picture is 49mm x 72mm.  Using Adobe Illustrator, create a laser file with the measurements you'd like.  

Width
The frame will be 49mm wide, like the picture.  

Length
The length needs to be long enough to bend 3 times: 2 times for sandwiching the photo between 2 sides of acrylic + 1 time to shape a base.  Let's figure it out:

72 x 2 = 144mm (both sides of the acrylic picture sandwich)
5mm for upper curve (some give where acrylic will bend at the top)
15mm for lower curve (some give where acrylic will bend at the base, )
35mm (for the actual base)

So our total length is 144 + 5 + 15 + 35 = 199mm

Bend Guides
We know the total size of the rectangle will be 199mm x 49mm.  Now add light raster lines where you will be bending the plastic.

Things to Watch out for:
-Leave some clearance in the frame for the picture to slide in between the sandwiched pieces of acrylic. If you make the back piece too long, it will bump into the base & be difficult to open.

Step 4: Use the File to Cut Acrylic in Laser Cutter

Using the file we just made...laser away!  The laser will cut and engrave the acrylic to perfection.

Isn't she a beaut?  Look at the magical clean lines lasers make. It's truly beautiful, like a Neptunian sun gleaming on the iridescent skin of a lizard-human hybrid.  Or...you know...beautiful like a flower or something.

In the future, everyone will have a laser, I just know it.

If I had a laser to call my own, I would create new decor that could turn any house into a super-future mod plexiglass palace.  As a self-employed lady, lasers are indispensable to my business - they're immensely practical, and infinitely cool.

 Now, on to the 3-dimensional portion of our tutorial...

Step 5: Bend the Acrylic With the Plastic Strip Heater

Place the acrylic on the strip heater at the first engraved line (the one that turns 2 pieces into an acrylic sandwich).

Cool the acrylic by blowing it with the airline. This will help it retain its shape (faster than just waiting for it to cool).

Things to Watch out for:
-Don’t leave the acrylic on the heater too long, or it will bubble and turn brown...or worse - melt into the machine.  Keep checking to see if it’s ready to bend.

Step 6: Bend the Base.

Place the frame on the strip heater, aiming to warm the area between the lower 2 engraved lines.  When it's ready, bend into shape, by sight, or by placing it against a tool to keep the acrylic at a certain angle.

Cool the bent area by blowing it with the airline...and...

Boom! Frame!

Things to Watch Out For:
-Don’t bend the angle of the frame back too far, or it will become off balance, or the top acrylic pieces may bump into the base, not giving enough space for the picture to slide in.

Step 7: Slip in the Photo. Rejoice.

Now, slip in your photo.  Congratulations, you are from the future.

This was made at TechShop, a place where unicorns frolic, angels sing, and dreams come true.

XoXo.  Peace be with you. Yours Truly,

M_____M