For this project, we in ENGI 210 are expected to learn how to use the Carvey by Inventables and its online software Easel. The goal of this project is to carve 2 identical nouns with 2 different cutting depths. I decided to carve out the QuestBridge logo and go for the intermediate project, where I also cutout the outline of the shape. I would make the inner circles in the flower the deepest depth at 1/4″, and everything else would be carved at 1/8″.
I first started by finding a negative of the logo on google images so that the uncut layer could be painted black and the inner layer would be white, or simply the color of the wood. After finding the negative, I copied it over to Adobe Illustrator and quickly image traced it using default settings. I deleted the coarse outer edges and the letters to clean up the logo. The outer edges wouldn’t be cut if I didn’t replace it with a separate circle anyway, as I found out while trying to cut logo for the first time. I exported the image as an svg file and opened it in Easel. The design saved in Easel, so I could quickly go to the Carvey’s computer.
I then painted a piece of MDF of size 10.28″ x 7.125″ x 0.76″ so that the top layer was black like the logo. Ideally, the carved pieces of wood would appear white and the black would remain on the uncarved parts of the logo, so it would look like the contrast was already there.
From there, I positioned the design so as to not interfere with the clamps. I decided to cut only the first one at first to see how it would go. I decided to go with a 2 fan 1/16″ upcut drill bit to carve out the design, and to cut out the design I would switch to a 1 fan 1/8″ upcut drill bit to cut out the logo, because the 1/16″ drill bit wasn’t long enough to cut through the .76″ wood.
After the first carve, I noticed that some of the designs were lost despite them appearing in the preview window. I later found out that this was due to Easel having 2 bits available to use when I first started, one for Roughing carves and the other for detail carves. When I carved the first design, it only did the roughing carves, which means it wouldn’t have as much detail as the detail carves but would carve out more wood. I figured it out after starting my next carve, because I deleted the second bit option and the second piece cut out correctly. After my second carve, I unfortunately had to rerun my first carve so that they would both look identical.
After carving the logos out, I found out the Carvey didn’t keep the surface next to the carves very clean, meaning that the paint next the carves would usually get chipped off. This meant I ultimately had to repaint the outermost layer. I snapped the logos out of the tabs holding them (which were needed because the wood would spin around during the cut and possibly cause some damage if not secured) and used a file to clean off the tabs. I used some sandpaper to clear out some of the rough edges inside the carve in preparation for painting.
At this point I decided to paint the inside of the logo white to make it look even more authentic. I first started by painting the outer layer of the logo black again, but immediately regret it when I started painting the inner layer. For some reason, I decided to paint using black and white acrylic paint. Due to the space in the inner layer being small, the paint would usually spill over to the top, especially around corners. I especially found it difficult to paint the smaller areas in the inner layer because I didn’t have a small brush available to me at the time, so I had to paint with a popsicle stick in order to fit in the limited space. In retrospect, it would have better if I spray painted the carved layers of the logo white and then used the sponge to simply pat the black paint onto the topmost layer. Instead, I needlessly painted multiple times. Oh well.
As for cost of the project:
- Carvey cost $2500 when it was available
- $100 for wood and the additional tools required for the Carvey such as a fan, vacuum, and drill bits
- The acrylic paints and brushes and sponge are around $12
- The time cost was a good 4 hours due to needless repetition, costing $29 at minimum wage
In total costing $2641 for making these two Questbridge logos.
