The 2D

When I am working on inkscape, I like to configure the page before I start. From the document properties window. I like to hide the page borders, I think they just are in the way and it is possible to later on define the page to be exactly the size of the thing made.

Also I like to make couple grids for to work with, first one is 1x1mm grid of dots, and the other is 5x5mm grid of lines. This gives me good basic accuracy for drawing lines.

To design the pieces I need for my final project I need to make couple squares and couple circles. Inkscape as a vector based tool has both. When making holes, the inkscape has an annoying tendency to by default the origin point of the circle in the bottom left, but by holding down the shift key while making the circle, the origin points changes to the centerpoint of the circle making this useful to accurately placing holes.

For my final project I needed some lasercut pieces, specifically the window pieces and the coverings for the battery and the bottom end, with holes that let me screw banana plugs in place, for connecting the probes I made.

The reason why they are in separate files, is that I wanted to use different colours. The window pieces on the right naturally needed to be of clear plastic, but to make the texts more visible I chose a dark green shade of plexi. The reason why the window needs two pieces is that the lid is 3mm thick, and the larger piece is screwed into place and the smaller is glued on top of it in the hole for it in the lid.

Another way to make texts more clearly visible, is to use nailpolish, and carefully fill in the letters with it, this can be done even to 3d printed items.