How i display my projects

 When it comes to mounting things on walls, I'm a big fan of 3M Command Strips. I use large for most maps and signs; medium for medal holders.

Whatever size you choose, take 2 strips:

And place them together, with the tab at opposite ends:

Cut them in half:

You now have 2 sets. 1 set is sufficient for most projects.

Peel the backing off of the strip without the tab. That's the piece going on the project.

For a larger project or sign, you may wish to place the strip horizontally.

A dab of instant glue may be necessary for the strip on the wood - sometimes the wood is resistant to the adhesive on the strip.

For most projects I recommend centering the strip in the top 3rd of the project.

Place the other strip back with it's mate, . Just a light press is enough.

***Note this picture is showing the incorrect half - the strip with the tab should have been in the above picture, mated to the "untabbed" strip affixed to the back of the project.

Peel the backing off of the strip, determine where you want your project, and press it to the wall:

After the strip has been affixed to the wall, remove your project, leaving the tabbed command strip stuck to the wall:

Press the strip against the wall firmly for 30 seconds. Wait 60 minutes before hanging your project. (This is per the instructions included with the Command Strips.

Press your project to the strip on the wall, and enjoy your newly displayed project:

Medal Holders

 There's a more in-depth discussion at my other blog as to why I came up with these, but I like them so far:

Some more burns

 First up, is Lake St Clair, that I made as a gift for some dear friends. I'm pleased with the way it turned out, despite all the little fiddly bits...

Next is Lake Lahontan, a nearby lake I used to sail on many years ago. For future revisions I'd like to bump up the size of the lake itself to see some of the finer details.

And last for now, Donner Lake. Another local landmark with lots of little beaches and cool picnic spots.

My first commission

 After posting some pictures on social media, I got asked if I could make a map of Lake Huron. This was a fun project to do, and was even more fiddly than Italy.

I'm pleased with it, and even more pleased with switching from a matte to a gloss clear-coat, even though it doesn't translate well in pictures.

I also learned that if you spray clearcoat in an extremely hot garage, much of it will solidify before it hits the project surface, and result in a grainy texture. Nothing a little light sanding with a paper bag couldn't fix though.

Italy

 After a successful first project, I started getting files for several other local lakes, I realized that I should probably make something for my wife. As a long time lover of everything Italian, Italy was perfect for her. Again, I am extremely pleased at how this turned out, although I have to come up with a strategy to handle and preserve all the little fiddly bits like islands and such.

First Project! Lake Tahoe Bathymetric Map

I discovered a whole range of ready-made SVG files for laser cutting on Etsy, and became fascinated with Bathymetric Maps. What better first project to try then a local Jewel, Lake Tahoe?

I'm very pleased with how it turned out. I'm hoping to install an Extension Kit so I can use bigger material. I currently am constrained to a 12x12" project piece, and as a result projects are about 11.75" wide or high.

What's this then?

 So in 2022 I got an Ortur Laser Master 3 during a Black Friday sale. I messed with it for a bit, but never really dove deep into using it. I burned some images onto Cardstock, learned a little about Lightburn, and then it just sat, leaned up against a wall, for a better part of a year...

A few months ago, I became obsessed with a character design from the Fallout Video Game series, the New California Ranger. I wanted to make one of the helmets. While getting a pattern, and researching the build, I realized you can use a laser to cut EVA foam (see also here). After experimenting with the laser and EVA foam (which worked out well), and started playing around with cutting 3mm birch ply as well.

I hope to chronicle my journey here.