One of my favorite dice-rolling games, and perhaps my all-time favorite press-your-luck game, is called Can’t Stop. In this game, you roll four six-sided dice and pair the results to dictate how you can move down numbered tracks. After each roll, you have to decide if you will stop, saving your progress, or if you will continue and risk losing your progress this turn if on your next role no legal pairing can be made. To help with the unending dice rolling in this game, I designed a dice tower themed for Can’t Stop.
Can't Stop Dice Tower
My dice tower was designed using SolidWorks. I used parametric modeling and a single equation file for all the parts to speed up the design process and make it easier to make changes to dimensions later. All parts of the dice tower are made from 1/8” red acrylic, and they have slots and tabs designed so that the parts press together without glue.
After exporting my designs, accounting for the kerf, I cut out my parts on the laser cutter.
I had the laser raster etch through the paper that covers the acrylic stock such that the remaining paper would act as a stencil. My strategy was to paint the whole face white and then, after the paint dries, remove the protective paper. That way, only the etches parts will be painted while the rest will remain red.
I am not the world’s best painter, so for this task, I asked for help from an expert. He used some white acrylic paint, waited for it to dry, and then pulled the paper off, revealing the final result. After completing the assembly, we were ready to use the dice tower to play Can’t Stop!
