Our free Ferris wheel photo frame laser cutter project gives you the cutting patterns to build a rotating display for six photographs from flat sheet material. Download the DXF, SVG, CDR, DWG and PDF drawings together to make this wooden photo display for your personal creative projects.
We wanted to give photographs a place in an object that invites movement. A fixed frame holds one moment in view, but memories rarely stay still in our minds. One photograph brings another to mind, and familiar faces connect different times in our lives. The Ferris wheel gave us a way to express that connection: turn the wheel by hand, and a different picture comes into view.
A Wooden Ferris Wheel for Family Photographs
The six hanging photo frames take the place of the cabins on a Ferris wheel. Arranged around the two side wheels, they turn a familiar amusement-park shape into a display for people, places and moments you want to keep nearby.
We chose this form for its playful character and its association with childhood enjoyment. Placing photographs in those little cabins makes the display feel personal. Family portraits, pictures of friends or photographs from a shared holiday can each occupy a place around the wheel.
The heart-shaped cutouts in the side wheels develop that idea further. They connect the movement and amusement-park character with affection and family bonds. The openings also let you see parts of the photographs through the sides, so the decorative wheels remain connected to the pictures they surround.
On a shelf, desk or side table, the frame offers a way to display several photographs together. You can arrange them around one occasion or bring different memories into the same object. Turning the wheel gives your hands a small role in revisiting them, rather than leaving every picture in a fixed position.
How the Hanging Photo Frames Stay Upright
The two side wheels rotate together around the central axle, supported by upright pieces connected to the base. Each photo frame hangs from pivot pins near its upper edge and can turn independently of the wheel.
This separate movement is what keeps the photographs upright. As you turn the wheel, the hanging frames change position around its circumference without turning upside down with it. The arrangement follows the idea of Ferris wheel cabins: the wheel moves, while each suspended frame keeps its upright orientation.
In this laser cutter project, an open front frame and a solid backing panel form each photo holder. The remaining flat pieces form the wheels, supports, axle connections and small retainers that bring the assembly together.
The drawings use nominal 3 mm geometry. Prepare the joints for your actual sheet thickness and cutting conditions. If you resize the design, the slots and mating features change size too, so they must still correspond to the material you intend to use.
- Total pieces to cut: 39.
- Nominal sheet thickness: 3 mm.
- Assembled dimensions: approximately 318 mm wide × 213 mm deep × 377 mm high, including the base, in the supplied assembly position.
- Photo capacity: six hanging frames.
Download the Free Ferris Wheel Photo Frame Laser Cut Files
Visit the download page to get the Ferris wheel photo frame drawings in DXF, SVG, CDR, DWG and PDF formats together in one ZIP. Choose the format supported by your laser-cutting workflow and prepare the parts for your own rotating photo display.
The dimensions of this Ferris wheel photo frame laser cutter project:
- Width: 31.8 cm (12.52 inches)
- Depth: 21.3 cm (8.39 inches)
- Height, including the base: 37.7 cm (14.84 inches)
- Nominal material thickness: 3 mm (0.12 inches)
