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Beginner questions, straight answers
Everything first-time makers ask before (and right after) their first build.
What can I actually make with these?
Clocks for your wall, boxes for your desk, lithophane photo gifts that glow, keychains, signs, jigsaw puzzles, bird houses. Anything you can laser-cut or 3D-print from an SVG or STL file.
What are SVG and STL files?
They're the two standard build-file formats. An SVG is a 2D drawing a laser cutter follows (lines to cut, areas to engrave). An STL is a 3D model a printer builds layer by layer. Every Designer Bee project exports one or the other, ready to use.
What happens after I download my file?
The file makes one stop in your machine's own free software: SVGs open in laser software like LightBurn or the Glowforge app, STLs open in a slicer like Bambu Studio or Cura. You pick your material there and run the job. We wrote a plain-language walkthrough of exactly this step.
Do I need to own a machine?
No. Hundreds of US public libraries run free makerspaces with laser cutters and 3D printers — you walk in with a library card and your file, and staff help you run the machine. Our makerspace map finds one near you.
What machines work?
Any laser cutter that reads SVG (Glowforge, xTool, Ortur, Epilog, and more) and any 3D printer that reads STL (Bambu, Prusa, Ender, and more). You don't need an expensive setup.
What material should I buy?
For laser projects: 3mm plywood or MDF. For 3D printing: plain PLA filament, in white or natural if you're making a lithophane. Both are the cheapest, most forgiving options — perfect for a first build.
Do I need to know how to design?
Nope. That's the whole point. Every project starts with presets. If you can move a slider, you can make stuff.
Is it really free? What's the catch?
Yes, free. No catch, no account, no upsells. Built by one person who likes helping makers get started.
Is my photo uploaded somewhere?
No. Everything runs in your browser — photos and designs never leave your device. Designer Bee keeps only anonymous usage stats, like which settings get exported.
Can I sell what I make?
Yes. The designs are yours. Designer Bee is just a tool — like Inkscape or Fusion — and what you make with it belongs to you.