CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Caleb Boyce is a seventh-grader at Montgomery Central Middle School. He’s an honor roll student and an alumni of NASA space camp.
But the 12-year-old has two other important jobs: Mowing lawns and using a 3D printer to create prosthetic hands for amputees.
Caleb is member of e-NABLE, a community of people from all over the world who are using their 3D printers to create free prosthetics for those who need them.
“I want to build at least three hands this summer,” he said.
Getting started
Caleb was introduced to 3D printing when he was just 7, and at 10 years old he received his first 3D printer as a Christmas gift. Caleb’s first prints included an X-wing starfighter from Star Wars, a Boba Fett character, and a replica of the Eiffel Tower.
Sadly, that printer broke, so Caleb did yard work with his dad, Christopher Boyce, to earn enough money to buy a new one.
3D printed hands are helpful in a number of ways, both economically and personally. A normal prosthetic hand can cost $5,000 to $100,000 explained Caleb, while a 3D printed hand costs only about $50 to make and is completely free through e-NABLE.
“They help people who don’t have health insurance, and it also provides an opportunity for growing kids who might need a new hand every six to 12 months,” Caleb said. “It also helps kids overcome their fear of being different, and it gives people a functional hand that enables them to do things that they couldn’t do without it.”
Using instructions and patterns from e-NABLE, Caleb was able to create his first hand. The hands attach to a person’s wrist, which allows for movements in the hand to grasp things such as a water bottle or bike handles. However, the hands should be seen more as a tool rather than a fully prosthetic device.
Expanding the idea
Caleb hopes to create a chapter in Montgomery County for e-NABLE and continue to grow membership for the club, which currently has two other members. An e-NABLE chapter requires a group of people with a leader over the age of 18, and the creation and submission of a test hand for approval. Once these steps are completed, Caleb can set up his chapter Facebook and start freely making hands for those in need.
“I also have to teach 3D printing to new members and learn as we go. Eventually, I want to establish our chapter’s very own maker’s space where we can come together with multiple printers so we can help as many people as possible,” Caleb said.
Typically, a 3D printed hand can take a day or longer to create, so a maker’s space would allow for Caleb to print multiple hands in a day.
Lawn care business
Currently, Caleb funds his projects by doing yard work and helping his parents around the house with chores. In March 2023, he started doing yard work jobs for neighbors, and in May, he started his own business, 4:12 Lawn Care. “It’ called 4:12 Lawn Care because of 1 Timothy 4:12,” Caleb said. “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and purity.”
So far, Caleb has 11 clients and six repeat customers. “Many people were motivated to hire me because of my mission, and I hope I set an example for other kids,” he said.
Since March, he has earned over $1,300. The profits have helped him pay for a portion of a new printer with hopes to purchase a higher-quality 3D printer and create the designated maker’s space.
Those wanting to support Caleb or in need of lawn service can reach out to Caleb on his Facebook.
