From Puzzle Enthusiast to Puzzle Entrepreneur: Leisure Luke’s CNC Journey with Makera Carvera

Introduction: Precision Meets Creativity

When you combine an engineer’s precision, a designer’s love for high-quality materials, and a solver’s mind, you get something delightfully unexpected: Leisure Luke. Founded in 2021 in Minneapolis, Leisure Luke is a small business dedicated to designing and handcrafting mechanical puzzle boxes—and sharing the joys of CNC machining and 3D printing with a growing online community.

Luke, based in Minnesota, USA, began as a hobbyist crafting puzzle boxes and mechanical creations through 3D printing. However, as his designs grew more complex and his standards for quality increased, he quickly reached the limitations of plastic. CNC machining, particularly with the Makera Carvera, emerged as the perfect solution to bridge the gap between prototypes and heirloom-quality collectable puzzle boxes.

Discovering Carvera: Compact and Capable

Luke first discovered Makera and the Carvera through a simple Google search. "The YouTube videos from early testers and their initial impressions are what convinced me to buy," he notes. Purchased in August 2023, the Carvera became an essential addition to Luke’s home workshop due to its compact size, fully enclosed design, built-in vacuum, automatic tool changer, and notably quiet operation.

“It had everything I needed in one unit,” Luke says. “And it was quiet and small enough to run safely in my home.”

From Aerospace Engineering to Puzzle Box Mastery

With a background in Aerospace Engineering and currently working as a Digital Product Manager, Luke spends his spare time developing intricate 3D printable puzzle boxes. His puzzle designs quickly gained popularity, motivating him to elevate his creations by incorporating durable materials such as wood, acrylic, and metal.

"My puzzle boxes have become very popular, allowing me to take my creations to the next level! That's where the Makera Carvera steps in," Luke explains. "The Carvera is one of the tools that is allowing me to take my hobby to the next level and start my own business as a full-time puzzle box maker."

Flagship Puzzle Box: The Spyglass

Luke’s current flagship puzzle, Spyglass, is an intricate mechanical puzzle box offering solvers a sequential discovery experience. Players peer through a tiny viewfinder to unlock hidden steps, exploring global landmarks along the way. Spyglass has undergone over twenty prototype iterations, initially relying solely on 3D printing. With the Carvera, Luke transitioned to machining luxury woods like walnut and hard maple, introducing CNC-milled details previously unattainable.

“I wanted to make better, longer-lasting, higher-end puzzle boxes out of better materials. I love designing, but 3D printers are all plastic. To make long-lasting, high-quality puzzle boxes, you have to use wood, acrylics, metals, and materials that can all be CNCed.”

The Carvera’s 4th axis module proved transformative, enabling Luke to create precise cylindrical tubes and complex HDPE components critical to the puzzle’s mechanism.

“For my next run of puzzle boxes, the Makera will make 1800 HDPE parts and 1800 milled acrylic tubes with the 4th axis. The Carvera also makes dozens of prototypes, each with 25 parts milled from both sides.”

Ease of Learning and Workflow Improvement

Transitioning into CNC machining could have been intimidating, but the Carvera simplified Luke’s learning process. Its intuitive design, built-in probe, laser margin scan, and seamless integration with Fusion 360 allowed rapid prototyping directly from his home office, significantly reducing mistakes and accelerating his mastery of CNC techniques.

“The convenience is the best thing about this machine for me. Learning how to CNC on this machine was hugely important. Had I gone with a bigger machine right away, I would've spent a lot more time and frustration on the learning curve. The Makera is forgiving. The probe and laser margin scan have saved me from a lot of silly alignment mistakes and allowed me to dial things in before making any cuts. The Fusion 360 integrations have made it easy to use my normal design software to do all the CAM profiling. Just being able to start and watch the cuts in my office has enabled fast learning. It's invaluable.”

Sharing the Journey: Leisure Luke on YouTube

Luke actively shares his CNC journey through tutorials, project insights, and behind-the-scenes content on his YouTube channel, Leisure Luke. His transparent sharing helps bridge the knowledge gap for aspiring makers, demystifying the complexities of CNC machining.

“The learning curve for CAM profiling was steep,” Luke admits, “but Carvera made it manageable. The hold-down table is super beginner-friendly, and the reasonably priced Makera and mills allowed me to experiment without being too afraid of breaking things.”

His top tip for new CNC users?

“Practice makes perfect. There's not a world of online help out there like there is for 3D printing. Instead, you'll rely on the videos, tutorials, and literature that are created by CNC companies like Makera. Use the simulation tool paths! Most of my broken bits could have been prevented by reviewing the tool paths beforehand. Unlike 3D printing, it took years to really feel confident. It takes a real study to be efficient, and expect dozens of mistakes. Even the Carvera is a small industrial machine, and safety should be treated as such.”

Expanding Creative Horizons

With his successful puzzle designs and a growing online following, Luke continues exploring new materials and advanced techniques. Future projects include experimenting with carbon fiber sheets and diverse hardwoods, pushing puzzle mechanics to new heights.

“No matter where Leisure Luke goes next, the Carvera will be right there in the workshop, turning clever ideas into finely crafted, tactile puzzles that challenge and delight.”

Conclusion: A Creative Partnership with Makera

Luke’s partnership with Makera illustrates the transformative potential of desktop CNC technology. From puzzle enthusiast to entrepreneur, the Makera Carvera remains a cornerstone of Luke’s creative process, enabling precision, versatility, and innovation in his handcrafted puzzle designs. As Luke continues innovating, Makera proudly supports his vision, bringing imaginative concepts to life.