After spending about a month of so trying to figure out my design and material, I would say I am happy with my design at this point. Currently, I have a clear idea of what I want to do and how I am going to make it. My project will look something like a box with a base that allows the box to rotate. The base will be made out of wood and in between the wood and acrylic, I will use a part called ‘lazy susan’, see below, to give it the motion I want. I will also need to acquire some fasteners to attach different parts together along with acrylic glue. To give my project a nice touch, I am planning on using magnets, will be explained below, and most likely LED strip lights on the inside.
The first thing I want to do it acquire all, or almost all, the material I need to see how the colors matches. I will buy most of the parts online while some of them I need to go to a store and see for myself. For example, I will buy the acrylic online while I will go to a store to buy a piece of wood just so I can see it first.
Once I have the material I need to start executing the project, I will first start laser cutting my parts. My design is mostly made out of two different colors of acrylic (black and red), so I will need to spend a while in the laser cutting machine to produce my parts. As of this moment, I have 10 parts of acrylic that I need to cut, but many of them are identical (this is better viewed in the images below)
Once I have my laser cut parts ready, I will start working on the wood piece and cut it to the right size. This might be done at the place I am going to buy it from depending on the seller. In addition, I may end up painting the wood to match the acrylic colors but that will be decided when I see the actual piece I choose. Once I have the wood piece ready, I will attach ‘lazy susan’ between the wood and the box to be able to spin around using fasteners. With that being said, the project will be nearly done; I still need to assemble all the 10 acrylic sides, but that will be done on several steps.
*Lazy susan is a piece that functions in the same way ball bearings do. It is just larger and can support heavy weights.
Finally, I am planning on adding magnets pieces to the bottom corners of the box and top corners of the wood; total 8 pieces. This will not allow the box to spin completely freely and will give it a rigid and sturdy feeling. To add to that, I will most likely add LED strip lights to the inside of the box to make it more interesting.
One thing that I am still hesitant about is the inside of the box. it will have dimensions of 8″x8″x10″ that I am still not sure how to use. I thought about storage for coffee related things or for random things, and even thought about having a plant there, but I am still not completely convinced with the idea. I would really appreciate any suggestions you have!
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The lazy susan idea is perfect. I really think that this will be useful, and if made right, will look quite good. Why did you choose to do similar designs on all four sides? maybe you could not have it on one side and have a little shelf to put other coffee related things in. Are you going to be able to do this now that everything is closed? What exactly is the aesthetic? I know you probably already did this in another post, but it would be nice to have a recap here.Overall it seems like a very good idea. I would eliminate one of the sides and utilize the middle space as a shelf or something.
Hello George! Since I want the ‘box’ to be a reasonable size, I had to make all 4 sides for capsules. Each side will hold about 24 capsules and with more sides, there is a room for more capsules and different flavors. Fortunately, I managed to laser cut all my parts so I should be good to finish the project at home. The aesthetic I am going for is modern and minimalist.
I like the idea in general since it is functional and useful to you. I love the idea of adding magnets to allow the device to snap into place. I also like how you varied the cutout patterns on each of the faces. I would suggest using the space in the center of the device for coffee cups. You could also put another lining in the center and fill it with with coffee beans; this could add a cool aesthetic as well as emanate the smell of coffee.
Thank you for your comment! I really like the idea of filling the box with coffee beans, thank you for suggesting that!
Your design review post is great! You do an excellent job going through your design process and clearly label every part in you design for the audience to understand and comprehend. Your CAD models are extremely impressive, and provide the exact amount of detail for the audience and user to understand how your final project will come out. With regards to your space problem/question for the inner part of the box, I would recommend focusing on some storage aspect since this product is all about holding coffee capsules. Maybe think of a cool design and or a simple design that will allow the inside of the box to also be utilized for holding coffee capsules, but in a different manner than what the outside does. Other than that, I am excited to see how this turns out!
Thank you for your Great comment! I am glad you like the design and it is clear to everyone. I thought about the idea of using the space for coffee related stuff but I was honestly not very convinced. The reason for that is because the outside is designed for holding about 96 capsules and I don’t think I will ever have much more than that number haha. I think I might end up filling the inside with coffee beans and maybe add LED lights to give the entire box an interesting look.
Your CAD drawings are very nice and detail your project extremely well. I think what you put on the inside should be directly related to your aesthetic, or combine it to make it store other coffee accessories. Are you using this for a Keurig specifically? Knowing what coffee maker you have will help with suggestions – filters, to-go cups or lids, creamers. etc.
Thank you Hannah! Unfortunately, I don’t have any accessories for the coffee maker. I have a Nespresso original which does not require filters or any other accessories. I am currently in between storing coffee related stuff, but more lenient toward filling the box with coffee beans and maybe LED lights to add a nice touch. What do you think?