Numbered Die

The following information is a single lesson in a larger Tinkercad project. Check out this and more projects on Tinkercad.

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Lesson Overview:

Now we're going to make a special die!

Games! Games are played with rules. Making rules is part of the fun, but making the pieces and parts of a game is where the game can really take shape.

One nearly universal element of gaming is chance. Whether it's a deck of cards, a bumper of a pin-ball machine, or a pair of dice, randomness is how we test our skills at coping with unpredictable circumstance!

In this project, you will create a numbered die using pre-existing shapes.

Your game, your rules, your chance to learn how to quickly and easily add an element of chance to your own game!

Instructions

1. Continue to the next step.

A die may look like a cube, but if you want it to roll well, you'll need to make sure the corners are rounded.

It's possible to round the corners on a cube in Tinkercad but we've made it easy and have a pre-made dice-shape in the shapes menu.

Instructions

1. Click on the star-shaped shortcut above the shapes menu and drag a dice shape to the workplane.
2. Continue to the next step.

A die isn't a die without symbols to choose from, so let's add some numbers to your die.

Instructions

1. Click on the number shapes shortcut menu and drag out the numbers one through six to the workplane.
2. Continue to the next step.

Though the numbers will fit within the faces of the die, they are much too tall. We need to resize them so they fit properly.

After we resize the numbers, we will need to cut the numbers out of the die so they can be seen.

Instructions

1. Select all the numbers.
2. Drag the Z axis scaling handle down until all of the shapes are 2mm tall.
3. In the Inspector window, click the Hole button.
4. Continue to the next step

Now we just need to combine the numbers with the sides.

Before we can do that, we need to reorient the number so it is readable from the face we'll be aligning it to.

Instructions

1. Rotate the number one shape 90° around its X axis.
2. Continue to the next step.

Now we're going to use Tinkercad's Align tool to align the number shape to its face.

Instructions

1. Select both the number one and the die and click align from the adjust menu.
2. Click the center handles along both the X and Z axes, and the lower limit along the Y axis.
3. Group the number one shape and the die.
4. Continue to the next step.

As you might have guessed, adding the rest of the sides follows exactly the same process as the previous step. Let's get it done!!

Instructions

1. Rotate the number two shape 90° around its X and and Z axes.
2. Select both the number two and the die and click align from the adjust menu,
3. Click the center handles along both the Y and Z axes, and the lower limit along the X axis.
4. Group the number two shape and the die.
5. Continue to the next step.

Just to make sure you know what you're doing, we are going to practice a bit more. We are going to show you how to do one more side and then you are on your own to create the remaining three.

Instructions

1. Select both the number three and the die and click align from the adjust menu.
2. Click the center handles along both the X and Y axes, and the upper limit along the Z axis.
3. Group the number three shape and the die.
4. Continue to the next shape.

Now that you're an expert, it's up to you to complete the remaining three sides of your die. If you need help, you can always go back a step or two for the answer. Good luck!

Instructions

1. Rotate the number so that it is parallel to the face.
2. Use the align tool to embed the number in the center of its face.
3. Group the number and the die shape.
4. Continue to the next step

This die does have wide overhangs, which can be difficult for some 3-D printers. However, the overhang is less than 2 mm which most printers can print without supports. First try printing this die without supports. If it doesn't work, then turn on supports in your 3D printing software and try again.

Instructions

1. Rotate the number so that it is parallel to the face.
2. Use the align tool to embed the number in the center of its face.
3. Group the number and the die shape.
4. Continue to the next step.

In the next lesson you will learn to make a special ring!

Next Lesson: Create Your Own Monogrammed Ring