New Laser Projects: Boxes and Dungeon Tiles

I have cooked up two different products I hope to sell in the near future: Card Boxes and Dungeon Tiles. 

Let me start with the Commander Deck Box. This link is to Etsy. I receive no remuneration for this. I liked the design for a variety of different projects, so I removed the logo and started cutting. 

The files have a restriction or two. First, the creator didn't license the logos, so I removed them. Second, I can't sell digital products based on this. BUT the creator allows sales of physical items. 

Good enough for me.  

I have no idea how to play Magic: The Gathering, but I have a lot of friends who do. 

Second, this box also accommodates Battletech Alpha Strike cards, so I have personal use for it. I could see this box holding a whole stack of cards, dice, and a lance or two of Mechs. It's even tall enough to accommodate an Atlas, the tallest figure made. 

This is a great design. 

I could also see this box holding thread, needles, and bobbins as is. Additionally, my wife has a ton of oils for a diffuser. This is perfect for that, too. 

If I downscaled the size, it would nicely hold 4 different types of tea. Upscaling would make a nice A5 journal holder with space for pencils or markers. There are so many different options for just one product. 

I love it. 

Next is a design of my own. I made myself some dungeon tiles, something I have done on paper in the past. This 3D dungeon design is more ot my liking. 

Since the box above required several sheets of wood, I added a couple of the smaller pieces as a test print. These are 1" x 1" columns and 2" x 2" walls. They are simply downscaled storage boxes. I also have designs for 4" and 6" walls. I would like to make some doors and other decorations. 

I love how these came out. I could do so much with just these 6 pieces. 

Since this was a test cut, I didn't bother to etch the stone on the surfaces. Although the laser can go faster when etching, the amount of detail really slows the process. 

These 6 came together quickly. After messing with them for a bit, I realized I could do levels, stairs, columns, and corners. They are super light because they are hollow boxes. 

What I envision is a 12" by 12" by 2.5" box containing dozens of pieces. Since each piece is exactly an inch thick, I could put around 121 inches worth of walls in that box, with some space to spare. The lid of the box and the bottom of the box would be etched with stone work to act as a base or platform. 

In looking at these, I was thinking of gray paint or natural wood. But I could also spray them with chalkboard paint or dry-erase paint so people could draw on them. The possibilities are endless. 

Here is what the design looks like in Inkscape: 

I may sell the digital file over on my Ko-Fi page and sell physical product in person. (Insert lament about the price of shipping.) 

I might refine the design. The bottom of each piece has a raised bottom, which strengthens the design. I don't know if that is really necessary. They are so light and strong with just the top end cap. I did this out of habit; large boxes need that extra structure to stay rigid. That doesn't seem to be the case with something so small. 

Let me know what you think in the comments. 

Clamshell iBook Hard Drive Replacement Alternative

I found this post hanging out from 2018. I thought I would share it. See my update about my Amazon Associate account.  

My aging Blue iBook is suffering from a lack of space. This machine shipped with a 10 GB hard drive way back in 1999. Since I launched theseoldgames.com, the need for installation space has gone up noticeably.

Ifixit.com has wonderfully detailed instructions for the repair of a variety of consumer products, including the iBook. They are my "go-to" site for most repair projects. However, replacing the iBook drive has 10 sections, 36 steps, and no time listed for the upgrade. It is also marked as difficult. Since I trust them, I believe that this is within my skill range, but will exceed my patience for the task.

When I upgraded my old computer's hard drive, the task took all of an hour. This is a much bigger project, one I am not convinced that I am ready to start.

I had been using a USB thumb drive as an alternative to upgrading the drive, but having a little dongle sticking out of the side of the computer was always a recipe for disaster. What if I broke the one and only USB port?

Well, that is where the SanDisk Cruzer Fit USB drive comes in. It's a tiny USB drive with more than adequate storage. 

The SanDisk Cruzer would not be my first pick because I am clumsy and forgetful. Under normal circumstances, I would lose this thing in less than a day. However, once it is plugged into the iBook, its sleek, small form is perfect for this machine. As you can see in the next picture, the SanDisk Cruzer doesn't extend past the edge of the case.

Perfect! Drive problem solved, no particular downsides other than losing the use of the USB. To be honest, aside from flash drives, I don't really plug in anything. 

One caveat when plugging any drive into an OS 9 Mac - Sometimes the Mac will want to initialize the disk into a flavor or form it can use. Most modern machines do not have this problem, so plugging the drive into the Mac first, formatting if needed, then putting information on it using a different machine is the route to go.

In a perfect world, I'd upgrade the hard drive, but this solution is so handy compared to the real fix, I'm gonna run with it.

Pros: Cheap and easy. 

Cons: Can't boot from USB. Utilizes the only USB port on the machine.

Fun Storage Option for Dice

I found the greatest dice storage option at the dollar store.

Little Lego boxes! 

They're kind of small for actual Legos, but these party favors are just the right size for a set of dice. 

The lid clips closed to keep them inside and the boxes stack just like Legos. Go check out the party supply section at your local dollar store. They come four to a pack in red, yellow, blue and green. Perhaps you can find other colors.