I’m entering the final stages of assembly but stamps are going to be the first “gate” they have to pass. Most likely I’ll have them do a reduction block print with each color stage being it’s own Xcarve stamp and a registration frame. Next we will do some computer modeling and slicer programs to make wooden sculptures or possibly a band saw style box. I bought the bits for 2.5D carving and ultimately that’s the goal. If a kid gets super into it I’ll teach them to flip and do 3d
Fine arts is a little weird for me to write since we don’t have the CAD/CAM as part of our standard curriculum. So it’s a struggle to find accessible ways to teach them modeling. I do have some good info on copyrights for the career tech teachers on the thread. If you guys aren’t working with your art department to put the kids models in to art contests and stuff you should be! Following copyright isn’t that much extra work and payoff is big. For example the water department here gives out $400 to first place
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Our Enrichment class just finished their 3rd quarter “Solutionary” project. 2 of the students brought their prototypes all the way from drawings to 3D carved models. There were 4 others that could have taken their cardboard prototypes further if they had more time.
This quarter our 3rd graders will soon be dipping their toes into Easel and the X-Carve to create their signs for mini societies. I am excited to see a whole class working on the machine!
At the same time I am collaborating with the 4th grade teachers and the Art teacher to carve stamps to use for their print making unit.
Looking forward to hearing from others!!
Greg
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I try to get the kids (middle school) to undertake projects that challenge their skills across academic disciplines. Currently I have a 7th grader who is designing a clock to be carved into a round cut from a tree trunk. This will be a wedding present for a relative.
Designing the clock required the student to meet with a math teacher to figure out how to calculate the locations (cartesian coordinates) for the numerals around the face of the clock. We developed an approach using trigonometry and then the student made the cognitive leap to discover that once the coordinates for 1:00 and 2:00 in quadrant one have been calculated by any method, it is a simple process of arithmetic to determine the coordinates for 4:00, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 11. For a 7th grader to take the initiative to learn trigonometry in order to create a wedding present is pretty cool I think.
Working with freshly cut rounds also presents some challenges, and of course the chainsaw doesn’t exactly leave a smooth surface. So the process of making the clocks requires using the x-carve to plane the end grain, developing a consistent clamping method to hold the irregular rounds on the spoil board.
Turns out that I have access to a ready supply of 10-14" rounds 1-2" thick, so rustic, x-carved clocks will become a part of my curriculum for next year.
I will expand on this student’s work to create a clock building unit. In addition to adding curriculum on horology and trigonometry, I will need to create some clamping jigs and fixtures to speed up some of the processes.
I think the process will start with the cutting of a pocket for the clock mechanism from a raw, green round. I’ll then use the pocket as a clamping recess and create a specialized fixture that will bolt to the spoil board and hold the round steady for further processing. Then carving will involve a three step process…planing the round, roughing in shapes and designs, and then v-carving the details.
How are you drying the wood that has been freshly cut?
Actually, all I have done about drying is to tell the kids about the issues of working with green wood, explaining what I think will happen and let them see the results, which is lots of shrinking, warping, cracking, and splitting.
We learned that we need to surface and then carve as quickly as possible. The clock we just finished, literally while I was responding to your comment, shrunk enough between surfacing it over the lunch hour and carving it at 2:00, that it loosened in the clamps.
I’ve got the germ of an idea, involving a vacuum pump, a big old pressure canner and a some thinned out acrylic resin. I’m thinking float the log round in a pan of resin inside the pressure canner, draw a vacuum in the canner, and maybe the resin will displace the water as the latter is vaporized and pulled out by the vacuum. Could work…could blow the place up too. More research is required.
Dry the wood in an oven first
If the pieces are small enough to fit in a microwave you can put them in there. Put the in a brown paper bag and dry them about 10 to 15 seconds at a time. If you dry them to fast they will split. If you can not use them right away coat the cut sides with log wax and it will seal them and hold them until you get to them.
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Good ideas. Just understand that when I say fresh cut, I mean freshly cut from a log, not that the tree was healthy and living a couple of days ago. This is old beetle kill, left standing because it wasn’t worth logging off even for free. Case hardened outside, soaking inside and so far out of equilibrium, that even a really skilled dryer-operator with a commercial kiln would struggle to get salable quality. I got a few usable rounds but they mostly split as they came off the log, or were split by the time I got them back to town.
Mainly I wanted to showcase the “X-carve persuades kid that he needs to learn trig.” aspect.
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Sounds like an awesome project. I would have loved this type of experience and learning opportunity this young. Keep up the good work with your students.
