Introduction: Turn Your Doodles Into Treasures!

About: Hatched from a nerd egg.

Ever want to put your doodles on something rad but couldn't quite figure it out? Well, Techshop has got lazer beams and the things to make those doodle dreams come true! 

The things that you will need for this project:

A TechShop membership
A doodle
Balsa or other wood
Sand paper

Step 1: Scan That Doodle!

Step 1: Scan your doodle into the computer! You can than use a program such as photoshop or iphoto to clean it up a bit if you like. 

Step 2: Sand That Wood!

Step Two: Sand 

This step is not 100% necessary, but it helps to make the surface flat if you are using a rougher wood. 

Sanded the surface of the wood so it is smmmmooooooth :)

Step 3: Illustrator Magic!

Step 3: Open your doodle up in illustrator. Using the pen tool make an outline around the doodle. If the outline of the doodle needs some smoothing use the smoothing tool ( Located in the same button box as the pencil tool.)  Than change the stroke of the outline to .003 (This is number that we use to tell the lasers that we want to cut through the material.)

Step 4: Position and Focus Laser Cutter.

Step 4: Place into laser cutter. At this point you will also want to focus the laser to the wood. 

*note be sure to dust off the wood if you did sand it. :)

Step 5: Change Those Settings!

Step #5 Set the Raster and vector settings for your material. Somewhere next to the laser there is a sheet giving all the information on what to the speed and power. 

Than Press Print! 

Step 6: Relax and Enjoy!

Step 6: Watch in anticipation as the laser slides across your material etching your doodle! Woot! Almost done! 

Step 7: Smile!

Step 6: Remove from laser and enjoy these little doodle treasures! These are great to turn into many of things! Good luck charms, Hair barrets, magnets, pins, make believe currency. What ever the heck you want!

Step 8: Share

Share your doodles with friends!! 

The end. :) 

Make It Real Challenge

Participated in the
Make It Real Challenge