3D Modeling a Simple DIY Kids Desk in SelfCAD
Designing a diy desk for your child is not rocket science. But what if it’s done with 3D modeling and 3D printing technologies? Using these technologies might sometime sound difficult as they are not common. But once you are able to design it, it will be gratifying and to your kids.
3D designing is the creation of real-world objects in digital form that can represent the object in 3 Dimensions. 3D Modeling is carried out with a specialized software. The software is the essential requirement while carrying out the 3D Design process.
There are various 3D modeling software that you can use to 3D design furniture. In this article, we are going to use SelfCAD as it’s a program designed for both beginners and even professionals in 3D designing. You don’t need to have experience in 3D modeling to use the program.
Once you design the object with 3D Modeling, you can then use a 3D printer if you own one to print your design.
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in!
About DIY Kids' Desks: Kids Desk is a type of furniture that helps kids arrange their things properly. DIY Kids Desk is made of a variety of materials, especially wood and plastic. In this detailed tutorial, we are going to learn how one can create the DIY desk in a CAD software. In addition to learning how to 3D design the DIY kids' desk, you will also get to understand the various tools and features of SelfCAD as well. Don’t get discouraged by the steps involved; they are there to simplify the design procedure.
Let's get started!
Step 1: Create feet of DIY Kids Desk
We are designing a DIY Kids Desk. We are going to start with creating the feet.
Activate Cube: Select cube from 3D shape category from the toolbar or use a shortcut (P+C). Now you can see the parameters panel. Here select the sizes of diy desk feet as you want. Cube is the most common 3D-Shape that is used and modified according to the required object design.
We set the Width to 10, Height to 70, Depth to 10, position X to 5, position Z to -5.
Finalize the Cube.
We have got the shape of a foot.
Step 2: Making the Feet edges smooth
We will work on the edges. Click on activate edge selection or use shortcut (Ctrl+2). Edge selection makes it easy to select just the edges. Click on the highlighted region to select it. Select Fillet from the modifying tool or use the shortcut (M+F). Set both intensities to 2 and Level at 5.
Intensity can be changed to a greater extent while level doesn’t make that much change, but of course, it does.
Finalize the Fillet.
In short, with Fillet, we have smoothened the edges of the foot.
Step 3: Copy the desk foot
Now we will copy this foot. Click on the copy tool to copy the selected object or use a shortcut (Ctrl+C). With copy, indeed, we can create the copies, but with the help of Move, we can define the distance to keep the feet. Next, click on the Move tool or use shortcut (M). Now set the parameters: Set x to 95 and close the transformation panel.
Step 4: Create the Base of Diy Desk
Activate Cube: Select cube from 3D shape category from the toolbar or use a shortcut (P+C). Now you can see the parameters panel. We set the Width to 90, Height to 70, Depth to 80, position X to 50, position Z to -50. We have taken the height the same as feet because we created a base, not the platform. Also, the length of the cube is such that the ends are the center of the feet.
Finalize the Cube.
Step 5: Hollowing the Cube
Next, we will activate face selection. Select activate face selection or use shortcut (Ctrl+1). Click on the highlighted region to select it. Face selection enables you to select just the face, not the object.
Activate Inset: Inset tool is like Extrusion. The inset helps to create the internal faces instead of extending the object. Select Inset from the Modify Tool or use shortcut (M+I). Set the parameter amount as 2. Finalize the Inset.
Step 6: Activate Extrusion
Activate Extrusion Tool: Select Extrusion from the Modify tool or use Shortcut (M+E). Set amount at -88 and finalize the extrusion. Extrusion enables extruding the object, face, thickness, or height.
Here we got the hollow cube.
Step 7: Activate face selection of edges
Here we are activating the face selection. For these, click on the region to deselect it or click on the grid.
Next, click on the cube’s base and click on the copy button or use shortcut (Ctrl+C).
We successfully created the Polygon.
Step 8: Create Drawers
Select Add Thickness Tool from the Modify category on the toolbar or use shortcut (M+A). Set thickness to 22. Finalize the Add Thickness.
Step 9: Create Hollow Drawer
Click on the regions to select it. Activate Inset: Select Inset from Modify category of Toolbar or use shortcut (M+I). Set Inset amount to 2. Finalize the Inset.
Step 10: Activate Extrusion
Select the extrusion from modify or use the shortcut (M+E). Set Extrusion amount to -20. Finalize the Extrusion.
With this, we have extruded the selected face. This looks like a base drawer.
Click on highlighted regions to deselect it or click on the grid to deselect it.
Step 11: Create Handle for Drawer
Activate Torus: Choose Torus from the 3D shape category from the toolbar or use a shortcut (P+T). With torus, we are creating the handle of the base drawer.
Set Ring Radius to 7, Tube Radius to 2, Tubular Segment to 12, Arc to 180, Position X to 100, Position Y to 12, Position Z to -50, Rotation Y to 90.
Finalize the Torus.
Click on highlighted regions on the selection cube or use a shortcut (Ctrl+0) to turn off the region selection. Click on mesh_8 to select it.
Activate Stitch & Scoop tool. Click on stitch & scoop or use shortcut (B). Click on Union or use the shortcut (B+U). Finalize the Union.
Step 12: Creating another drawer
With the above step, we have created a Union of drawers. Now we will copy this drawer. Click on Copy Button or use the shortcut (Ctrl+C). Next, click on Move from Toolbar or use shortcut (M). Set y to 24 and close the Transformation panel.
Click on Copy Button or use the shortcut (Ctrl+C). Next, click on Move from Toolbar or use shortcut (M). Set y to 46 and close the Transformation panel.
Step 13: Select and copy Objects
Click on mesh_4(1), mesh_4 to select it. Click on union_1(2) to deselect it. With this, we will copy the drawer handle that we have created for the base drawer. Click on Copy Button or use the shortcut (Ctrl+C). Next, click on Move from Toolbar or use shortcut (M). Set z to -195 and close the Transformation panel.
Step 14: Create the DIY Desk Platform
Activate Cube: Select cube from 3D shape category from the toolbar or use a shortcut (P+C). Now you can see the parameters panel. We set the Height to 10, Depth to 200, position X to 50, Position Y to 70, Position Z to -100.
Finalize the Cube.
Click on activate edge selection or use shortcut (Ctrl+2). Click on the highlighted region to select it. Select from the modifying tool or use the shortcut (M+F). Set both intensities to 2 and Level at 5. Finalize the Fillet.
Next, with a color picker now we can color the object. You can select the color from the panel or use a picker to choose the shade.
While coloring every object, you need to select from the right panel and then select the color.
Conclusion
That’s how easy it is to 3D design a table. You can use the same strategy to design any furniture of your choice. You can decide to print if you own a 3D printer or outsource it when you have finished the design process. Your design is not printable as it is. You need to convert it to a format that a 3D printer can understand. To do this, you can select the 3D Print tool, and it will direct you to the slicer, which you can use to generate the G-Code that contains the instructions on how the design will be printed.
So, you’ve learned how to design and create simple 3D furniture for kids using sophisticated yet user-friendly software. Try it out yourself. Kindly contact us if you have any doubts or clarifications. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Enjoy powerful modeling, rendering, and 3D printing tools without the steep learning curve.
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