Carving an LED Chess Set on a 3018 CNC

Paul Kelsall’s passion for woodworking and machining began in his early years, fueled by his love for model airplanes. With a strong engineering background, Paul thrives on solving challenging problems and pushing the boundaries of his CNC machine. This drive led him to embark on his latest project, where he defied limits and embraced the art of 4-sided CNC carving.

Explore the fascinating process as Paul Kelsall takes us through the extraordinary journey of designing and carving an Egyptian-style chess set on a 3018 CNC machine. Using Carveco Maker software, Paul expertly transforms raw pine into elegantly carved chess pieces, while the LED-lit board adds a touch of enchantment to every move.

“You get the ‘Paste 3D Model Dialog’ window come up and this is where all the magic happens. – Once I’d worked out how to manipulate the 3D STL file within the window, it became easier the more that I did.”

Paul Kelsall
A carved wooden queen chess piece with an Egyptian theme
A carved wooden king chess piece with an Egyptian theme
A carved wooden pawn chess piece with an Egyptian theme
A carved wooden knight chess piece with an Egyptian theme

Throughout the project, Paul sought guidance from the community-run Facebook group, where fellow enthusiasts provided invaluable advice. The supportive Carveco community played a crucial role in his journey, as he discovered solutions to challenges and refined his techniques.

Paul’s proactive approach of reaching out, asking questions, and connecting with like-minded makers enabled him to gather a wealth of tips and tricks, ultimately streamlining his workflow and overcoming any obstacles he encountered.

An Egyptian themed chess set carved out of pine wood with Carveco Maker. The board is lit with LED lights in each square.

“There was a fair bit of help that I needed to find out how to do things and the Carveco forum was excellent.”

Paul Kelsall

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