CarveWright is the ultimate prop making tool. Paired with a 3D printer in this project, this lighted mage staff was a total hit.
Download the files I used to make this project and follow the steps below to make your own.
Design. Carve. Print. Make.
The staff head was designed and modeled in CarveWright’s Designer 4 in a couple of hours. The general shapes were drawn and it was given dimension by a couple clicks with the modeling suite tools.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-modeling-1024x732.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1)
I carved two so they could be glued together to make both sides.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-carving-1024x694.jpg?resize=1024%2C694&ssl=1)
I found a crystal STL on Thingiverse and used my new AnyCubic Photon MONO resin printer to quickly shape it in a transparent blue.
![3D Printing a Crystal](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/crystall-print-2-1024x543.jpg?resize=1024%2C543&ssl=1)
I needed to fabricate a couple of other pieces before I could begin assembly. I went to Home Depot and found some pipe and PVC fittings that made a nice looking staff. Then I traced the shape of staff head onto some plexiglass and cut it out in pieces. One for each side.
![plexi and pipes](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-plexi-and-pipes-1024x853.jpg?resize=1024%2C853&ssl=1)
Working the Pieces
First, I did some filling and sanding to my pieces until they were smooth and could get a final coat of Rustoleum Hammered metal spray paint.
![Staff carving](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-filling-sanding-1024x596.jpg?resize=1024%2C596&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-sanding-mop-1024x595.jpg?resize=1024%2C595&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-painting-1024x482.jpg?resize=1024%2C482&ssl=1)
Then some details were brushed in using acrylics paints.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-painting-details-1024x575.jpg?resize=1024%2C575&ssl=1)
Assembly
With the pieces prepared, I could begin assembly. I started with glueing the plexi pieces to the back on one half of the staff head using E6000.
![Glue plexi](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-glue-plexi-jpg-1024x689.jpg?resize=1024%2C689&ssl=1)
Then, I shaped the setting for the crystal and a plexi shard for a glue mount.
![fitting the crystal](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-fit-crystal-1024x654.jpg?resize=1024%2C654&ssl=1)
Next, the LED electronics were inserted.
The parts were pulled from a couple of cheap flashlights I had lying around.
![cheap LED flashlights](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-flashlights-1024x768.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
The large LED’s were place inside the crystal and the strip was placed in between the plexi pieces to side light them.
![electronics](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-electronics-1024x572.jpg?resize=1024%2C572&ssl=1)
Then the wiring was run down through the top PVC pieces and the assembly was glued together.
![Assembled](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-assembled-1-1024x768.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-batterypack-1016x1024.jpg?resize=1016%2C1024&ssl=1)
Then it was tested to make sure everything still worked before attaching to the staff.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-crystal-lighted-1024x663.jpg?resize=1024%2C663&ssl=1)
Speaking of the staff, I decorated it with brass tape and a leather wrapped handle.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-handlewrap-768x1024.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
Then, the top simply screwed on and it was ready for the customer to see it.
Finished
![client instpection](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-seth-admiring-1024x797.jpg?resize=1024%2C797&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-full-768x1024.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
I think he liked it.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-seth-1-768x1024.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/245963688_10110906745840868_5340169254077971124_n.jpg?resize=720%2C960&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/246024653_10110906744942668_6952338177443691542_n-1.jpg?resize=960%2C720&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-ashley-768x1024.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/246190045_10110906744598358_446152715510171627_n.jpg?resize=773%2C960&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/staff-closeup-1-1024x768.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.carvewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Mage-Seth-1024x562.jpg?resize=1024%2C562&ssl=1)