DIY hand-crafted wooden eye-wears

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Happy day world!!

Don’t you love to see how usually plastic things are produced in wood? Then surely you must have think at least once how to make your own pair of wooden sunglasses, as I have imagined for years before realizing this models!

Today, I will  share with you roughly how our wooden eye-wear frames are made and how you can make your own with little or without technical help or knowledge.

This Tutorial is based on the use of a laser cut machine and I have 3 design available to download as dxf files;  It is also possible to make the shapes by hand-saw, but then you must change the design a litte bit.

What you will need:

• 2 mm thick  wood veneer
• Microstone real stone veneer
• Organoid  scented veneer
• Printed drawing  or dxf file
• Bending molds for arms/body
• lenses
• Spring metal hinges
• Hand saw
• Files and sand papers

Prepare materials

First off all you need wood, obviously, and I recommend use 2 mm hardwood veneer and cut it to the chosen shape.

I have 3 suitable designs (male rectangular, rounded unisex, stylish female) available in pdf file to download and print for hand-saw cutting as well as dxf files for the laser cutting option.

In our frame we use mostly an alternation of Beech and Wenge wood that gives a nice contrast and particular look, then we customize the frame adding a final layer chosen from our 0,3 mm exotic wood veneers, Organoid organic matter coating or Microstone real stone 0,3 mm veneer.

All materials are available to purchase from our site together with the metal hinges, and the sunglasses cases.

Glue the main frame

Start by making a mold with the preferable curve, an example showed in pictures below. When laminating the pieces mind the right order where the part that allow the lenses is placed close to the external part . Start by doing a dry test to see that everything fits correctly then glue the layers, place them in the mold, clamp in position. and allow sometime for the glue to dry. Any wood glue would do but we use a specific faster hardening glue to avoid slipping.

This way gives the frame more stability and resistance to little torsion, resulting significantly more strong compare to frames made out of a single piece of wood.

Sanding and adding hinges

Sanding the wooden frame and polishing them comes next; using sanding tools such a bell sander and a Dremel tool and its attachments, sand to the final shape. (If you don’t have these some careful filing and sandpaper should work)

Now you are ready to screw the metal spring hinges to the frame and place the arms, we use hinges that have a wider angle so that fit better, comfortable and easier to wear on/off.

The finish touch

Finally a finish can be applied to the glasses to extend durability and enhance the grain texture, before the lenses are pressed into place. For a finish I have used natural beeswax but any mineral oil would do.

Congratulations! You have succeeded, or maybe not. But I hope you found some inspiration in this tutorial!