Uploaded October 2019 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
A few years ago, I had the brilliant idea to make a CNC etch-a-sketch. To my chagrin, many people had already done it and showcased their projects on YouTube. While reviewing their designs I realized that there were two issues: 1) most CNC etch-a-sketches were very complicated and used very expensive parts. 2) unless connected to CAM software, the pictures were not very impressive.
I decided to improve on other’s designs by making a low-cost etch-a-sketch machine (about $30 worth of parts). I also decided it would be awesome to take an existing digital photograph and develop my own personal CAM software to convert that image into a continuous line that could be drawn on the etch-a-sketch. This is where things got a bit more complicated… but in the end I was able to develop some Arduino and LabView code that ended up working pretty well. This video takes the etch-a-sketch animator to the next level. Let me know what you think in the comments.
The following are affiliate links for products I used in this video. Using these links will not affect the price for your purchase but may result in a small commission for me, allowing me to keep making helpful and entertaining videos.
Etch-a-Sketch by Ohio Art
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575537470&toolid=10001&campid=5338595299&customid=&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FEtch-A-Sketch-Classic-Red%2F401826518626%3Fhash%3Ditem5d8eba1662%253Ag%253ArU0AAOSwa%257EldOYec%26LH_ItemCondition%3D1000
Easydriver
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_id=114&ipn=icep&toolid=20004&campid=5338595299&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F3-PCS-EasyDriver-V4-4-Shield-Stepper-Motor-Driver-A3967-Arduino-Ships-from-USA%2F151823146931%3Fepid%3D1456212151%26hash%3Ditem23595d5fb3%3Ag%3ADOgAAOSwpDdVfFMY%3Asc%3AUSPSFirstClass!84015!US!-1
Nema 17 Stepper Motor
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575537470&toolid=10001&campid=5338595299&customid=&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp2334524.m570.l1313.TR4.TRC1.A0.H0.XNema%2B17%2BStepper%2BMotor.TRS0%26_nkw%3DNema%2B17%2BStepper%2BMotor%26_sacat%3D0%26LH_TitleDesc%3D0%26_osacat%3D0%26_odkw%3DNema%2B17%2BBi-polar%2BStepper%2BMotor
Arduino Nano
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575537470&toolid=10001&campid=5338595299&customid=&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp2380057.m570.l1312.R1.TR10.TRC1.A0.H0.Xardui.TRS1%26_nkw%3Darduino%2Bnano%26_sacat%3D0
Shaft Couplers
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_id=114&ipn=icep&toolid=20004&campid=5338595299&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F5mm-5mm-Flexible-Coupler-for-RepRap-3D-Printer-CNC-Stepper-Motor-Shaft-Coupling%2F141843551632%3Fepid%3D23003647630%26hash%3Ditem210688d590%3Ag%3APB8AAOSwAKxWX99-
Shout-out to happy.little.etch, lily-liver, etchedintime, Pikajane, and Howard Lee who can make great etch-a-sketch art without the machine!
A few years ago, I had the brilliant idea to make a CNC etch-a-sketch. To my chagrin, many people had already done it and showcased their projects on YouTube. While reviewing their designs I realized that there were two issues: 1) most CNC etch-a-sketches were very complicated and used very expensive parts. 2) unless connected to CAM software, the pictures were not very impressive.
I decided to improve on other’s designs by making a low-cost etch-a-sketch machine (about $30 worth of parts). I also decided it would be awesome to take an existing digital photograph and develop my own personal CAM software to convert that image into a continuous line that could be drawn on the etch-a-sketch. This is where things got a bit more complicated… but in the end I was able to develop some Arduino and LabView code that ended up working pretty well. This video takes the etch-a-sketch animator to the next level. Let me know what you think in the comments.
The following are affiliate links for products I used in this video. Using these links will not affect the price for your purchase but may result in a small commission for me, allowing me to keep making helpful and entertaining videos.
Etch-a-Sketch by Ohio Art
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575537470&toolid=10001&campid=5338595299&customid=&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FEtch-A-Sketch-Classic-Red%2F401826518626%3Fhash%3Ditem5d8eba1662%253Ag%253ArU0AAOSwa%257EldOYec%26LH_ItemCondition%3D1000
Easydriver
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_id=114&ipn=icep&toolid=20004&campid=5338595299&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F3-PCS-EasyDriver-V4-4-Shield-Stepper-Motor-Driver-A3967-Arduino-Ships-from-USA%2F151823146931%3Fepid%3D1456212151%26hash%3Ditem23595d5fb3%3Ag%3ADOgAAOSwpDdVfFMY%3Asc%3AUSPSFirstClass!84015!US!-1
Nema 17 Stepper Motor
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575537470&toolid=10001&campid=5338595299&customid=&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp2334524.m570.l1313.TR4.TRC1.A0.H0.XNema%2B17%2BStepper%2BMotor.TRS0%26_nkw%3DNema%2B17%2BStepper%2BMotor%26_sacat%3D0%26LH_TitleDesc%3D0%26_osacat%3D0%26_odkw%3DNema%2B17%2BBi-polar%2BStepper%2BMotor
Arduino Nano
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575537470&toolid=10001&campid=5338595299&customid=&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp2380057.m570.l1312.R1.TR10.TRC1.A0.H0.Xardui.TRS1%26_nkw%3Darduino%2Bnano%26_sacat%3D0
Shaft Couplers
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_id=114&ipn=icep&toolid=20004&campid=5338595299&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F5mm-5mm-Flexible-Coupler-for-RepRap-3D-Printer-CNC-Stepper-Motor-Shaft-Coupling%2F141843551632%3Fepid%3D23003647630%26hash%3Ditem210688d590%3Ag%3APB8AAOSwAKxWX99-
Shout-out to happy.little.etch, lily-liver, etchedintime, Pikajane, and Howard Lee who can make great etch-a-sketch art without the machine!
