Introduction: How to Use Carvey Machine With Easel Software

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This overview will take you through how to use the Carvey woodcarving machine with Easel software. Easel is accessible online at easel.inventables.com.

Materials you will need are-

  • A small sheet of plywood no bigger than 12 x 8 inches.
  • A laptop computer
  • A Carvey Machine
  • A 1/8 inch bit for Carvey machine
  • A ruler to measure the length and width of plywood
  • A caliper to measure the thickness of the wood

Step 1: Choose Your Piece of Wood

For my carving I used Birch Plywood. The carvey machine can only fit a piece of wood that has 12 x 8 inch dimensions or smaller. Measure your piece of wood with a ruler for length and width, and a caliper for the thickness of the wood. Insert the dimensions into the Easel Software and insert the type of wood. Make sure that the machine listed under "Machine" is "Carvey" otherwise it won't work. Note that on the left side of your screen you can edit and make changes to the project, and on the right side of the screen you can see virtually how your piece of wood will look in the end.

Step 2: Create Program Designs in Easel

At the top of the screen you can select various different shapes to put into your design. You can select a text box and type so that you are able to carve text into your creation. Many icons are also available to carve in the software. You are also able to upload images from the web using the import button, and then by selecting "Image Trace" within the drop-down. Then push "upload" and drag-and-drop your saved image into the window. It will upload and you can size the image how you want it to be on the piece of wood within the software. You can also size the shapes, icons, and text that you insert. You can choose whether the cut will fill the area, cut on the outline, or cut inside or outside the outline. The carve time is shorter if you set the thickness of the cut to a lesser level. As you are working on the design you can see how it is going to turn out by looking at the right side.

Step 3: Get Ready to Carve

Unscrew the black clamp, which also functions as a sensor, in the bottom left corner and line up the piece of wood with the sensor. Screw the top of the sensor back on and screw down the two other metal figures that hold the piece of wood down. Make sure they are not in the future path of the carver bit. Close the lid of the machine. Connect your computer to the Carvey machine. Make sure the easel software is set to Carvey under the machine tab. Once you have gone through the verification steps you can click Carve... in the top right corner of your screen.

Step 4: Carving Process

Make sure the lid is closed again. The bit will lower and touch the metal circle on the black sensor. It is now calibrated and ready to start carving. The bit will carve out the design slowly but steadily. You can see time remaining and percentage done on your screen where the Carve button was in the top right corner.

Step 5: Finishing Up

Open up the Carvey machine and vacuum off the loose sawdust particles. You should now be able to tell how it turned out! Unscrew the black sensor and other attaching pieces and take your finished creation out. Vacuum out the inside of the machine. If your wood turned out a little bit rough, you can choose to sand it down and make it more smooth. Unplug your computer. You are finished!