A picture of the carving machine

Carving Machine

To comply with Governor Pritzker's stay-at-home order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we are not accepting any Carveyprint requests at this time.

Make beautiful, durable, and functional objects from wood, metal, and plastic with our Carvey desktop CNC machine. Many DIYers and crafters use it to engrave, etch, inscribe, and carve designs. We offer 3D carving services and classes to provide opportunities for our members to experiment and learn. The 3D carving CNC machine was donated by the Indian Prairie Public Library Foundation & Friends. This is an IPPL cardholder exclusive.

Get started

  • Create your own design using Easel, free online software or get design ideas from the Inventables Project page.
  • You can carve anything except for offensive materials and weapons. See our policy.

Get inspired with these print jobs

A personalized cutting board.

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A personalized bottle holder made from scratch.

File & Printing Specifications 

  • Max Size: Maximum: 12 in. x 8 in. x 1 in. high
  • Material Types: Birch plywood and two-color HDPE plastic. 
  • Material Costs: $3 cost is added to your library card and due upon pick-up.
  • Other Materials: You may supply any of these acceptable materials as long as they are new.
  • Submissions: One completed request at a time (includes pick-up of the item) 

Design Tips

  • Set your material and material dimensions before designing.
  • Select your bit setting: We have 1/8, 1/16, and 1/32 bits. You should use the biggest bit possible to create your design.
  • Set your cut depth: the bigger the number, the deeper the cut. Simulate your design before submitting it. Orange paths mean the carving bit is too big to carve out that section of the design. Resize the design, or change to a smaller bit.
  • Fonts: We recommend using Track or OCR. They are clear and readable at large and small sizes. Other fonts can be too intricate for small sizes.