DIY Plywood Owl Pen Holder

An owl pen holder combines a playful decorative design with practical storage for pens, pencils, markers, and other small desk essentials.

This project uses scoring to add the owl's surface details and laser cutting to create the separate structural and decorative pieces. The finished parts are then glued and assembled into a freestanding desk organizer.

You can adjust the owl details, add a name, or change the decorative elements to create versions for offices, study desks, classrooms, children's rooms, or personalized gifts.

For more DIY laser projects, explore the Thunder Bolt and browse additional ideas in the Inspiration Library.

1. Thunder Bolt laser cutting machine
2. One material sheet – flat, clean, and dry
3. Glue
4. LaserMaker software (free) – LightBurn or RDWorks also work
5. Owl Pen Holder project file (.dxf), attached to this Instructable

Laser settings for scoring: speed 100mm/s, max power 20%, min power 1%, 1 pass.

Laser settings for cutting: speed 10mm/s, max power 28%, min power 1%, 1 pass.

Place the material flat on the Thunder Bolt laser bed and make sure the surface is clean, dry, and stable.

Check the sheet for warping or movement before processing. Leave enough usable space around the layout for all of the owl's decorative panels, side pieces, base, and other structural components.

Import the Owl Pen Holder design into LaserMaker and arrange the artwork within the available material area.

Check that the owl's decorative lines are assigned to the scoring layer and that the outer contours, slots, panels, and structural pieces are assigned to the cutting layer. Review the layout carefully so all components remain complete and correctly positioned.

Set the laser focus on the top surface of the material before starting the scoring and cutting process.

You can use the Thunder Bolt autofocus function for a quick setup or check the focal position manually. Make sure the material remains flat after focusing so the working distance stays consistent across all parts of the design.

Run the Frame function to preview the complete working area and confirm that every part of the Owl Pen Holder design stays within the material.

Once the layout is correct, start the job and process the scoring details and cutting outlines. Keep the material in the same position and monitor the machine until all parts are complete.

Remove all finished parts and arrange them in their assembly order. Dry-fit the decorative owl pieces first so you can confirm their orientation and placement before applying glue.

Apply a small amount of glue to the decorative components and attach them to the corresponding panels. Press the pieces into position and remove any excess glue before it dries.

Assemble the main panels, sides, and base by aligning the matching slots and joints. Check that the structure sits straight and securely, then allow the glued sections to set before using the finished pen holder.