It's really really cool. I knew it was cool but I didn't know how cool.
The project ideas are endless.
It's not as intimidating as you might think.
Carving is subtractive, 3D printing is additive.
CNC stands for - computer numerical control.
MDF stands for - Medium Density Fiberboard and can have formaldehyde in it!
You NEED a ShopVac. We bought the Micro one which is super cute and cheap and easy to use. However, it has a bag that needs emptied frequently and that gets old quick and the bags don't hold up real well, so you have to buy new ones. We will probably upgrade our shop vac to a larger size with no bag.
Those bits will cut you up! I had countless scratches/cuts on my knuckles. Be careful.
It doesn't like to connect sometimes. Green carve button means it's connected, but sometimes you click on that green baby and it stays at 0% for an eternity and nothing is carved. Typical troubleshooting will help (try a new usb port, shutdown, restart, the software, the carvey, the computer) but we needed some new driver downloads.
Calling Inventables was the best! They answered right away (based in Chicago so business hours there may be different for you) and got down to business. They remoted in to my computer, assessed the problem, and fixed it immediately! Plus, they were super nice!
After each carve, the Easel software will ask you how it turned out. If it didn't turn out, you can email Inventables. I did not get any response to my many emails that I sent out. Calling was key.
It can carve so many different materials!
The Forum is super active and helpful. I posted the following question and had an awesome response within fifteen minutes!
Hello! I am a high school teacher trying to get the Carvey prepared for students and staff to use. What is the best material for starting out? Where can cheap materials be purchased? Thanks in advance for any advice!
Insulation foam from a home center is incredibly cheap, and useful for trying out toolpaths if nothing else. https://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Insulation-Rigid-Insulation/N-5yc1vZbaxx
HDPE cutting boards can be affordable (or if one can get large sheets from a home center, e.g., https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/panel-products/specialty-panels/plastic/1-4-x-4-x-8-hdpe-panel/p-1444424094192-c-14048.htm ) or cutting boards from a restaurant supply store: http://www.therestaurantstore.com/
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