The Hive 3D Printer: Custom Aluminum Plates with Carvera Air CNC

Do you ever look at a project and think, “I could probably make that myself”? In this episode, I put the Carvera Air CNC to work cutting custom aluminum plates for the Hive 3D printer. From material prep to CAM setup and machining, I’ll show you the full process of turning raw aluminum into precision parts. What you’ll see in this video: • Cutting oversized aluminum down to size • Nesting multiple parts to minimize material waste • CAM setup, preview, and toolpaths • Clamping and machining on the Carvera Air • Fixing tab issues and troubleshooting along the way • Post-processing: cutting tabs, sanding, and cleaning chips • The final reveal: four custom Hive 3D printer plates Cost & Time Breakdown: • Aluminum plate: $20 CAD, with ~half actually used • CNC time: ~1 hr 15 min machining + ~20 min post-processing • Learning value: priceless — if you own a CNC, projects like this are a must-try! Coming Next: In the next video, I’ll be assembling the Y-axis with these plates and some new custom parts.