Hack of the Week No.112


Making Memories Frame - Beach theme

Summer has just begun so there is no better time than the present to get working on a vacation inspired frame to display your special memories in.  Swap out the starfish for another model to make a specially themed frame for any picture or occasion!

"Making Memories"

This picture frame layout was created using models from these projects:

The font we used to simulate the v-carving on this layout is called:  Monotype Corsiva


Note - This hack was assembled in Aspire V8.5 for presentation purposes.  It could have been done in VCarve Pro V8.5 or VCarve Desktop V8.5.


Celtic rosettes for a window trim 

This Hack of the Week was inspired by a set of four celtic rosettes and a starfish themed hack that Don Harding sent in.  

The celtic rosettes use models from the Celtic Frame No.1 and would look great around a window or door.  

The starfish panel uses a model from the new Panel No.1 - Flowers project and the starfish from the Under the Sea No.1 project.  It would look great as a rosette or as a bit of wall decor at your cottage or by the pool.   

Thanks Don for sharing and inspiring us!!!

A starfish panel


Why not hack together your own layout mixing and matching models from other projects or from your own library!  For some great inspiration check out our  hacks page!


Customer Focus - Jim Meadows


We are always inspired by the unique finishing techniques our customers use.  In this case Jim Meadows uses charcoal to add shadowing and to blacken his recessed lettering. 

"Made this little plaque for a friend who has an embroidery shop in Rockport, Texas."

"After completion. Fun Stuff!!!!!"

This is a great hack using models from 5 different Design and Make CNC projects!

Before charcoal.

"(The shop is) on the beach, so the starfish, Rockport is home of the hummingbird festival, so that’s why the components.

Made from maple, finished with lacquer, and highlighted with charcoal. Not sure of the fonts, as they were traced from a bitmap."

What a great layout and the choice of components sure tells a lot about local culture.

The hummingbird and flower come from the Mother's Garden No.2 project, starfish from the Under the Sea No.1boot from the Western Saloon No.1, cowboy hat from the Western Saloon No.2 and finally the sign shape from the Pub Sign No.2 project!  WOW!!!!  That is a hack!


Thank you Jim for sharing this special project with us!

For more Customer Focus posts click here! 

John Mordus has been busy with "Under the Sea" projects


The last post we created for John was focused on his shop and garage signs he made.  Now he's back with 2 more projects that have gone in a totally different direction... Under the Sea. 

"Used your "Under the Sea" for a couple of things for my daughter's wedding
on the ocean beach."

"First one - took a piece of 4' rough birds eye maple, cut it in half and glued them together. Thought it looked pretty good so I left the edges as they were untrimmed."

The untrimmed edges really give a worn look and add to the piece.  It would have been a shame to remove them... good call in our opinion. 

"Second one - 3 pieces of scrap maple glued up, a 5x7 cheap unfinished picture frame, and your project pieces.  Don't think it turned out all bad."

We are with you on that, it does look very nice!  Great idea to use the models in the way that you did.  Gives you the illusion you are looking at a small section of the bottom of the ocean.

John also sent us in a bit more information on his projects - 

That last item in the list... that's the special ingredient in using any of our CNC projects, but we do try to give you a little help with the Project Sheet and Food for Thought ideas for each project.

Note: John used our first installment of the Under the Sea Series.  There are currently 3 CNC projects in the series that were designed, from the star, to work very well together. 


Thank you John, again,
for sharing one of your finished projects with us!

For more Customer Focus posts click here!