Our board game - Nagasaki Plaza (glowforge)

The boys and I have been working on a board game for years. We have tested and honed it, improved every part of it many times over, but I think it will always be a work in progress. One of the reasons I was excited for the Glowforge was that we could fabricate components whenever we wanted.

This game is loosely based on 80s-90s action movies like Speed, Die Hard and Air Force One. I wanted the game to have an office tower (the original name was Tower Seven) and I went through many versions with cardboard and foam board. With the Glowforge, I was finally able to make the tower the game deserved, and that would keep the cards and components organized:

Baseball Scoreboard (glowforge)

This weekend I made a scoreboard for our baseball team that is designed to hang on a fence. The team names and numbers are all on plates that can be changed out.

The base of the scoreboard is made with 1/4" birch plywood, as is the middle layer that forms the frame. The face is proofgrade maple plywood from Glowforge.

Notebook (glowforge)

This actually came out better than expected on chipboard. I measured the existing covers and quickly replicated it in Designer (after trying a scan/trace and failing). The chipboard is a perfect notebook cover - not too thick or heavy but stiff and sturdy.

Family Sign (glowforge)

Our family sign that sits on our mantle. Made this in December, using sanded plywood as the background and red oak as the lettering.

Ironman Plaque (glowforge)

Another XMas present, this was my first attempt at an acrylic inlay in wood. Lots of trial and error - the shapes within the shapes (O, D, A) were extra hard.

I used cherry hardwood with clear acrylic.

Viticulture insert (glowforge)

Yesterday we finished up a session of one of my favorite games, Viticulture, with the “Tuscany” expansion I received for XMas. I found myself wishing that everything would fit in one box. Glowforge to the rescue!

I have been loving the box maker at http://www.festi.info/boxes.py/TypeTray1
Designing inserts to better fit game components seems to be very relaxing for me for some reason. Lots of math and measuring clears the mind.

Everything now fits neatly in one box, which has allowed me to ditch the annoying plastic insert the game came with, as well as the second box.

Everything was made from 3mm Baltic Birch ply bought from Woodpeckers/Amazon. I want to change the box with the large cards to have holes on the sides so that you can grab the cards easily, and maybe a tray to separate the coin values. Those are my main regrets.

SVG Files

Beer 4-pack (glowforge)

I made a couple of these beer 4-packs as XMas gifts and will make more as time permits. It's a fun gift to make. I used 1/4" red oak ply from Home Depot for most of these, although I used birch ply in the one pictured.