5 Ways to Use a 3D Carving Machine in the Classroom

We love the tabletop 3D carving machines, like the Carvey from Inventables, because they are fun and easy to use.

The Carvey can make projects faster than a 3D printer with less expensive materials, making it a great introductory machine for your new lab or a great addition to a lab full of 3D printers and CNC machines so that students have something new to work with.

Inventables has a wealth of project ideas, but these are a few of our favorite projects for the classroom.

Gear Camel

All you need is the Carving Material Starter Kit and 1 class period to teach your students how to make this fun gear camel. Download the design files here so that you can spend this lesson focused on showing students how to use the equipment.

Custom Stamps

Making custom stamps is always an exciting project for students. Here’s what you need to complete this project:

Tools

• Fishtail Milling Bits: 1/16″ and 1/32″ will allow you to make very detailed stamps.
• Saw: Some form of saw for cutting the stamp out after you’ve carved them. This can be done with the x-carve but I would recommend changing bits before you carve through all that material.
• Brush: If using acrylic paints.

Materials

• Mounted Linoleum
• Craft Paint or Stamp Pad
• Something to Stamp!

View the full tutorial here.

Custom Notepads

What better way to encourage notetaking in class than with a personalized notepad? For this project you will need:

Materials

• 8″×12″×1/2″ birch plywood
• 1/2″ thick stack of computer paper trimmed to 8 1/2″x 6 1/2″
• (2) 1 1/2″ Binding Posts 1/4″ in diameter
• 10″ strip of leather (anything between 1/2″ and 1 1/2″ wide should work)

Tools

• Drill press
• 1/4″ drill bit
• sanding paper

View the full tutorial here.

Locker Organizer

What a fun way for students to stay organized and make something special for themselves with this mountable locker organizer with a mirror and pegboard style grid. You will need:

Materials

• Black HDPE Sheet (Thickness: 1/2 in, Dimensions: 8 in × 12 in, Type: Single color, Color: Black)
• Clear Acrylic Sheet (Dimensions: 8 in × 12 in, Type: Extruded, Thickness: 1/8 in, Opacity: Transparent, Color: White, Surface Finish: Glossy, Form: Transparent, Cut Tolerance: +/- 1/8 in, Thickness Tolerance: +/- 8%)

If you want to extend this project further, ask students to design accessories that can be printed on your 3D printer! View the full tutorial here.

Connect Four Game

This project is more advanced and gets students using a variety of equipment in your woodshop (drill press, table saw, miter slide, Carvey 3D carving machine).

Four-in-a-row is one of those games that you play with just about any age child, and they can play competitively. This version is simple to make, and pretty portable too!

Materials

• Fluorescent Blue Acrylic Sheet (Color: Blue, Dimensions: 8 in × 12 in, Opacity: Fluorescent, Surface Finish: Glossy, Thickness: 1/4 in, Cut Tolerance: +/- 1/8 in, Thickness Tolerance: +/- 8%)
• Fluorescent Orange Acrylic Sheet (Color: Orange, Cut Tolerance: +/- 1/8 in, Dimensions: 8 in × 12 in, Inventory: in stock, Opacity: Fluorescent, Surface Finish: Glossy, Thickness: 1/4 in, Thickness Tolerance: +/- 8%)
• (3) 6″ × 12″ × 1/8″ Red Oak
• CA Glue
• wood glue
• rare earth magnets
• Darbin Orvar finishes

Tools

• Table Saw
• Miter Saw
• 6″ flexible metal ruler

View the full tutorial here.