They might be cheaper than ever and small enough to fit on a desktop, but 3D printers still haven't really captured the public's imagination. This device is looking to change that.
It's a 3D carving machine, so it works a little differently to a 3D printer. But the end result is the same: a product that you design and build yourself.
Here's how it works. First, design your object. Carvey comes with Easel, which is a piece of design software that runs in your browser. You can either design your own object, import a design, or pick one from the library of projects that other users have uploaded.
Next, pick a material. You can preview your object in dozens of materials, then pick the one that suits it best. Examples include hardwoods like walnut, maple and mahogany, softwoods like pine and balsa, cork, plywoods and MDF, soft metals, circuit boards, and plastics. You won't have to worry about all the technical knowhow, as the machine takes care of all that.
Then just connect Carvey to your computer via and USB and click Carve. And that's it.
At the moment, the Easel software doesn't support true 3D objects. So while you can make objects like sunglasses, jewellery, amplifiers and speakers, some will require you to use a different piece of software.
Nevertheless, it's a great idea, and could be a real boon to home manufacturing. It costs $1,999 (£1,247) for an early order, and should ship in Autumn next year. It's completely destroyed its funding goal of $50,000, raising $448,462 on Kickstarter. And there are still 27 days to go.
Read more: Sculptify David makes 3D printing more affordable
