Laser-Cutting Design: Personalise a Crate

Do you want to laser cut a personalized crate? Follow these simple steps and create your own laser cutting design.

This tutorial is for designing in Adobe Illustrator, as we discuss a useful tool in this program. Another vector drawing program will also work, but you will have to use different tools.

Do you want to make a personalised crate with your laser cutter? Follow these simple steps and create your own design.

This tutorial is meant for designing in Adobe Illustrator, because we will speak about a handy tool in this programme. A different vector drawing application works just as well, but then you will have to apply other tools.

Step 1: A Basic Design for Your Crate

Create a custom-made drawing for your crate. Our favourite tool for this is the website MakerCase. Fill in your measurements and download your free design for a box, case, or crate. This website generates drawings specifically for laser cutting, and you can also fill in the thickness of your material.

Tip: Choose for the Finger Joint under Edge Joints. This solid joint is easy to assemble with wood glue.

Step 2: Personalise Your Crate with Adobe Illustrator

Open your MakerCase drawing in Adobe Illustrator. You can use another vector drawing application, but we will focus on a handy tool in Illustrator here.

Draw the shape that you want to add to your crate. We have added handles on the sides and letters for the front and back.

Step 3: Convert Letters for Laser Cutting

You need to convert letters to outlines suitable for laser cutting. Follow these steps:

1. Select your text
2. Go to Type > Create Outlines

Next you can make a suitable shape around the letters using Offset Path:

1. Select your shapes
2. Go to Object > Path > Offset Path

Step 4: Turn it into One Single Shape with the Shape Builder Tool

Use the Shape Builder Tool to merge your designs:

1. Drag your own design and drop it onto your crate design
2. Select the shapes that you want to merge
3. Select Shape Builder Tool in the toolbar on the left
4. Select one area, hold down your mouse button, and drag it to the next area
5. Remove the shapes that you do not use

This is our example drawing:

And your own crate design is ready! All you need to do now is cut it out and assemble it. We used Basswood plywood 3 mm for this example.

One Final Design Tip: Use an Expressive Font

Use a cool font from Adobe Fonts. With Adobe Creative Cloud you have access to Adobe Fonts, where you can keep adding fonts to your Adobe programmes for no additional costs. Choose a more expressive font than you would normally, to make your design even more appealing.