So, you need some dice for a party or game, why not go the extra mile and step it up a bit?

In this Instructable I will outline how to make dice that are both functional and beautiful. They can be made in just a c ouple hours and with very few tools.

Step 1: Materials

So you don't need much to make dice, and depending on your design you may only need one or two tools.

Tools:
- Scapel or box knife
- Sand paper
- Saw

These are pretty bare bone.
If you have them; routers, laser cutters, wood burners and dremels will not only speed things up but also give you more control, that being said I mostly used my exacto blade to complete this project and mine turned out just fine.

Materials:
- Wood
- Stain (optional)
- Wood Putty(optional)

Step 2: Cut Your Cube

The first thing you need to do is chop your wood, so you can get a square cube.

Measure out 1.5" for large dice( or 0.5" for regular) on each face, making 90 degree cuts untill all faces are equal.

Once you've done that, sand down those faces flat untill they've reached an acceptable smoothness.
remember to sand with the grain

Step 3: Stain and Mark

To ensure longevity it's best to use some sort of stain or sealer, simply apply a thin coat and allow it to set.

Once that's happened you need to mark your numbers, or if your doing simple dots drilling those out now.

I took sketched numbers and stretched the paper over the face and stab along their outlines.

Step 4: Get Carving

Now is the time to sit and Carve.

lightly score from dot to dot until you've got a good groove started, then really lay into it and get a deep cut.

Then cut into that groove at a 45 degree angle untill your whle number is nice and recessed.

The end grain is the worst part, you'll either find you're in a stripe thats gummy or rock hard, the best way to carve it is to go slowly and one layer at a time. it's easy to slip so consider yourself warned.

Keep moving forward face by face untill you've finished them all, congrats the hard part is over.

Step 5: Smooth and Fill

Sand those numbers untill they're close to smooth and make sure those outlines are nice and crisp

Lastly take some wood putty and mash it into the spaces, scrape clean with a straightedge and palm it smooth.

once this cures, and you clean up the excess putty, you are finished.