Computerization at WOODWEB's Knowledge Base

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Introduction to CNC

This conversation, triggered by a simple open question, amounts to a nice overview of the decisions and experiences involved in transitioning a shop to CNC production. October 20, 2013

CNC Versus Traditional Machinery for a Start-Up Shop

Here's a long, detailed, and thoughtful discussion about the ideal equipment investment for starting a cabinet shop, focusing on whether to jump into CNC right from the get-go. October 18, 2011

Equipment For New Cabinet Business

Equipment and other advice for a beginning businessman. August 26, 2004

Upgrading Office Computers

Business owners suggest ways to improve the speed and power of your office computers, without switching platforms. April 19, 2015

Selecting the Right CAM System

A CAM systems administrator outlines the top considerations involved in choosing computer-aided manufacturing software. August 16, 2005

Season's Greetings

A holiday card LISP routine. July 21, 2006

CNC Versus Conventional Equipment for Entry Door Construction

Woodworkers wax poetic as they discuss the practical considerations, the historical ramifications, and the spiritual significance of evolving technology in the field of door construction. January 23, 2014

CAD/CAM Software for the Large Shop

A 100-employee cabinet and woodwork business considers whether to move to Microvellum. November 30, 2009

Machining Polypropylene on the CNC Without Melting

Cutting polypropylene and similar soft plastics on the CNC is tricky. To avoid melting the plastic, you need the right bits, RPM, and feed speeds. Here is more info. November 29, 2014

Improving Bit Life and Performance Cutting Melamine on the CNC

This discussion of bit choices and characteristics also delves into how you can fine-tune your operational settings to suit the machine as well as the material and the tooling. March 13, 2014

AutoCAD Drawings, Step by Step

Efficient development of shop drawings. April 18, 2004

Advice on Choosing a CNC Router

Here are some detailed thoughts on matching a new piece of CNC equipment to your needs and your budget. October 26, 2011

High-End Versus Low-End CNC Routers

Pros discuss the cost versus capability tradeoffs when considering a CNC investment. November 8, 2008

Coding Curves along the Z-Axis on a CNC

Three-dimensional coding is a special challenge. Here, CNC owners discuss how to achieve curves along the third dimension. October 26, 2013

User views on cabinet software

Cabinet makers share their opinions and experiences with the major software packages and vendors. September 26, 2000

Sanding Problem with Hemisphere Mouldings

A woodworker asks for advice about sanding a complex moulding that's coming off the CNC with a rough surface. But the answer turns out to lie with improving the CNC side of things. September 17, 2014

Troubleshooting Hinge Hole Blowout

CNC owners try to help a colleague with a quality problem: blown-out hinge holes. March 12, 2015

Software Tools for One-Off Custom Creative Designs

This conversation about how to design and prototype unusual three-dimensional models for advertising gets interesting when people start to post examples. (Plus, it has beer.) November 29, 2014

Four Case Histories for Smart Specifying

December 4, 2001

Cabinet Software and Drafting Software

A young shop owner wonders how to step up from a cabinet software package to a full-fledged drafting program, mostly in order to be able to modify architects' drawings. A long, informative discussion ensues about the relationship between drafting programs and cabinetmaking CNC software, and the rela ......

Holding Down Small Parts on a CNC

Making vacuum work: details on gasket, pod, and custom spoilboard techniques for holding small workpieces down on a CNC table. February 1, 2015

Shopping for a CNC for the Small Shop

CNC for the small shop has come a long way in recent years, as this conversation demonstrates. There are many excellent options on the market, and many factors to consider. January 3, 2012

Tooling and Settings for Machining Laminated Particle Board on the CNC

Advice on bit selection, feed speeds, RPMs, and other parameters for working with laminated or melamine-surfaced MDF panels on a CNC router. January 4, 2014

Whether to Invest in a CNC Machine

Should a part-time woodworker with a small shop make the jump to CNC? April 18, 2015

Microvellum Users Assess New Version

An extensive and detailed look at the powerful drawing-to-cutlist integrated application's traits and quirks. August 29, 2005

Five-piece doors on CNC

Doing raised-panel work on a CNC router. November 26, 2001

Cutting Complex Shapes in 1/2-inch MDO

A long thread of advice and discussion for an unusual CNC project. December 6, 2006

CNC Safety Choice: Pressure Mat or Laser Sensors?

CNC owners weigh the pros and cons of various operator safety shutoff systems. January 4, 2014

The CAD Learning Curve, Version Upgrades, and Paper Drafting

Here's an interesting discussion of the learning process for design draftsmen and the influence of technology on the process of getting a vision down on paper. May 28, 2010

G Code Trick

Writing code that repeats itself at different xy locations. June 4, 2004

Two Workers on One CNC?

Is two men on a CNC machine one man too many? Here's a long, informative discussion on improving labor productivity with CNC equipment. October 25, 2007

Complex Three-Dimensional Design Drafting

CAD users brainstorm about design tools and workflow for dreaming up one-of-a-kind giant works of art. March 12, 2015

Shop Drawing Time per Job

How long does it take to prepare shop drawings for a cabinet job? Here's a thorough and detailed discussion of that question. November 15, 2011

The Importance of G-Code

Does a machine operator need to know G-code? Or are modern machines smart so we don't have to be? Opposing sides raise some dust in this thread from the CNC forum. August 30, 2005

CAD on the Macintosh Platform

New machines and emulation software have expanded the cross-platform options. April 21, 2007

Should the Shop Owner Master the CNC?

August 19, 2013

Making Code from Sloppy Drawings

The frustrations of messy drawings, and a parallel discussion of CNC theory vs. reality in terms of function. December 9, 2004

Troubleshooting CNC Crash Issues

This thread never gets to the bottom of the problem, but the conversation about why a CNC is repeatedly crashing does shed a lot of light on programming and mechanical issues with CNC control.May 26, 2011

Door and Window Building: CNC Versus Traditional Machinery

Here's a thoughtful and sophisticated conversation about the proper place of CNC equipment and traditional shapers, mortisers, etc., in custom door and window production. October 3, 2011

Choosing a CNC Router

This long and detailed thread covers a lot of subjects relating to the pros and cons of various CNC characteristics and capabilities. October 19, 2014

Stupid Woodworker Tricks

With a nod toward David Letterman, pros discuss their least-best moments. January 24, 2005

Whether to Invest in a CNC Router

Here's a long, thoughtful, and detailed thread comparing the advantages of a CNC router to other efficient setups, and considering whether buying a CNC is a good move for a small shop facing cut-rate competition. September 30, 2010

Value Added of a CAD Artist

Cabinetmakers and draftsmen consider: is it worth the time and effort to make careful, detailed shop drawings? January 3, 2014

Shifting from CAM to CAD

Scaling drawings for machining. (CAD Forum) May 17, 2003

Nested Base Versus Beam Saw and PTP

A closet system fabricator and installer describes his journey through various shop equipment situations. May 26, 2014

Cabinet Shop Growing Pains

A cabinet shop owner gets advice on expanding his production volume while integrating some complex new software into his workflow. July 12, 2008

Troubleshooting Tearout on End Grain

A furnituremaker gets advice on avoiding tearout when machining Maple end grain with a roundover bit. October 19, 2014

Linking Spindle RPM to Travel Speed

CNC owners discuss the feasibility of tweaking their control systems to couple bit speed with gantry travel velocity. July 16, 2008

Building Your Own CNC Controller

Thoughts on the hardware and software challenges involved in custom-building a controller for an older CNC machine. March 28, 2015

Machinery Choices for Slab Door Production

A discussion of which machinery will best optimize productivity: a beam saw, a panel saw, or a CNC? May 15, 2014

Hand-Coding G Code for a Curved Handrail

Lacking software to automate the job, a CNC operator wrote the code for a complex handrail job on a 5-axis CNC router himself. Here's an extended discussion, with photos, including input from people who prefer the automated route. July 29, 2012

Bit Choice and Feed Rate for Cutting Small Parts

The machine never reaches full speed when cutting lots of small parts, so adjust accordingly. October 20, 2013

Calibrating Wood Thickness for CNC Part Production

A CNC shop needs help figuring out how to achieve consistent thickness on stock before sending it to the CNC for cutting into small parts. The discussion ranges over belt sander accuracy, planer choices, onion-skinning techniques, and more. April 21, 2008

Is It Worth Learning CAD?

This isn't one of those "which cabinet drawing app is best?" threads. This is a discussion of the difficulty of learning AutoCad, versus the relative ease of use but lesser flexibility of the cabinet-specific alternatives. June 4, 2012

The Value of Interfaces

A user discovers the power of interfaces and others join in the conversation. February 25, 2005

Cabinet Software and Photo-Realistic Rendering

This thread on a timeworn topic (choosing cabinet design software) has an extra feature: some examples of super-realistic rendering. January 13, 2009

Drafting Hours per Dollar of Cabinet Product

CAD pros kick around some ballpark draftsman productivity numbers, and discuss the factors that affect efficiency. August 8, 2008

Shopping for CAD Software

Some insightful commentary on choosing the right software (if any) for the kind of cabinet work you do. October 15, 2009

Managing Long CNC Carving Operations

Thoughts on how to handle situations when a complicated carving process may run for more hours than your shop is usually open. December 14, 2009

Cleaning Out a CNC Auto-Lube System

A shop owner gets help figuring out how to get the auto-lube system on an old, poorly-maintained Biesse Rover up and running again.August 22, 2013

Is a Drill Block Worth It on a CNC Machine?

Including a drilling capability on the CNC can save time and reduce material handling requirements. But depending on your volume, it might not be a cost-effective choice. October 26, 2011

Tooling for Shaping Solid Wood Panel Edges on the CNC

A CNC owner gets advice on tool selection and CNC operation for profiling the curved edges of a 2.5-inch-thick solid wood countertop.March 13, 2014

Considering CNC

Another long thread about the realities of adding a CNC to an already well-equipped shop. April 8, 2008

CAD-to-Production Options

Some insights into the ever-changing world of drafting and machining software integration as of Spring, 2007. October 3, 2007

Using Spreadsheets in a Woodworking Business

Business owners describe how spreadsheets can help a woodworking shop get things done. April 6, 2007

Custom Architectural Woodwork on the CNC

A request for ideas for making some custom quarter-round mouldings turns into an extended discussion of custom techniques and the value of hand labor versus computerized production. February 19, 2008

CNC tooling: What's the best?

Solving the problems of worn-out router bits and torn-out melamine. January 3, 2001

Parametric Drawings

Can parametric design simplify change orders? May 19, 2004

Capabilities of a Point-to-Point Router

If you're buying older used equipment, be aware of its limitations and its condition. August 17, 2006

Drafting Doors in CAD

Methods of drafting doors are discussed, in search of the most efficient. December 26, 2004

CNC configuration

Building a CNC router. May 1, 2003

Nesting Bleeder Board Material

CNC users dissect the options. January 24, 2005

Tabbing Versus Onion-Skinning for Small Parts

CNC owners discuss various strategies for maintaining vacuum while you cut out small parts. October 26, 2013

Bevel Cuts for Slope-Sided Boxes

Here's a long discussion of a tricky compound-angle problem: how to calculate the bevel cuts for a box with sides of different slopes. October 8, 2005

Making Submittal Shop Drawings for Architects

Cabinetmakers discuss what shop drawings are good for in commercial work, and how to create them efficiently. October 15, 2009

Going from handcrafted to CNC

Discussion of P2Ps, dedicated boring, edgebanders and other equipment, software and processes. August 29, 2001

Does Outsourcing Cabinet Parts Make Sense for a Small Shop?

Cabinetmakers discuss the pros and cons of having parts cut by another shop. January 26, 2008

Determining CNC feeds and speeds

Where to begin in a world with no standards. June 19, 2003

Software to Produce Shop Drawings

Is a 3-D drafting and design application worth it for someone who wants to move from hand-drawn to CAD-produced shop drawings? March 5, 2007

Configuration for Cowards

Basics of configuration December 5, 2001

Optimizing CNC Joinery for Assembly Productivity

Matching your joinery and assembly methods to your equipment can simplify your operations and boost efficiency. March 12, 2015

Fabricating Radius and Curved Mouldings

Here's a detailed discussion comparing two approaches to creating curved and arched mouldings: the CNC route, or the dedicated moulder and shaper setup (which may involve templates). July 13, 2010

The Take on Tooling

Advances in tooling technology are helping to change the face of the cabinet and furniture industry. This reprint from Fine Woodworking magazine rounds up the latest news on progress in tooling manufacture, and outlines how improved cutters are bringing diverse new capabilities to CNC-equipped shops ......

Drawing Units and Precision

Deciding on the level of precision needed for cabinet and millwork design. October 20, 2004

Adding a Rotary Indexer to a CNC Router

Detailed thoughts on installing a "fourth axis," similar to a lathe, onto a CNC, to hold and rotate blanks for machining complex pieces. June 29, 2007

Labor and Cost for a Complex Wood Window

The fine woodwork for a custom decorative window can be painstaking and slow. Here are some detailed thoughts on methods and the time involved (including an interesting description of doing the work with a CNC).June 12, 2013

Cutting StarBoard on the CNC

Advice on feed rates, RPMs, and bit choices for cutting StarBoard high density polyethylene on the CNC. December 28, 2014

Choosing CAD/CAM for Complex Carved Custom Furniture

What programs could handle the drawing and machine control requirements for reproducing an intricate, highly decorated, hand-carved piece of custom furniture? April 19, 2011

CNC Code -- Causing a Line to Be Ignored

Code which will exclude a line from the program. June 4, 2004

CNC tooling slippage

Could it be the collects, the cleaning, the cones... what? July 9, 2002

Software and Learning Curves for CNC Carving

Finding the carving software is the easy part. Understanding its power and its limitations takes time. January 25, 2013

Dust Contamination of CNC Cooling Equipment

A word of warning: Cooling fans or air conditioners attached to your CNC can fill with dust and catch fire. December 28, 2014

CNC Choices: Hardware Versus User Interface

Some of the most powerful equipment has hard-to-use controller software. What does that mean for the buyer and operator? April 29, 2012

"Dovetail" Drawer-Box Joinery on a CNC

Strictly speaking, this joint may not be a true dovetail. But it functions the same way, and can be efficiently cut as nested parts on CNC equipment. May 7, 2007

Excessive Bit Wear when Cutting HPL

A quarter-inch-diameter bit is too small for working with high-pressure laminate, CNC owners advise. January 4, 2014

Marketing Cabinet Design Work

Ideas for marketing drawing services to shops in need. July 28, 2004

Flat-Table CNC Versus Pod and Rail or Beam Saw

What starts out as a question about energy usage of various equipment turns into a detailed discussion comparing CNC equipment with other choices in terms of efficiency and output. January 23, 2012

Shop-Built CNC Vacuum Table

A detailed discussion of how to fabricate a vacuum table for an older CNC. December 9, 2008

Macro to Note Dimensions in CAD

Ace coders fine-tune a macro for noting dimensions in architectural style. March 17, 2005

Finding Software for Design and Visualization

It's hard to find one application that will quickly create design visualizations for a customer during a sales meeting, but also generate good designs suitable for construction in the shop. This thread offers some insight into software capabilities and some nice example drawings. December 28, 2010 ......

Pod and Rail Versus Flat-Table CNC Routers

A long and thoughtful look at what flavor of CNC will best suit a particular woodshop's needs. December 8, 2010

Outsourcing Shop Drawings

It's a challenge to obtain drawings out-of-house that satisfy a CNC operation's need for precision and completeness. October 3, 2007

Maximizing Efficiency with CNC Cabinet Production

A CNC-equipped cabinetmaker explains how he squeezes the most productive value out of his equipment. September 8, 2007

Parametric Code Examples for CNC

CNC beginner gets help on coding parametric data. March 17, 2005

CNC Efficiency Versus Other Machinery

Will a CNC speed up your operation? That depends in part on what you're producing. July 8, 2014

Shopping for CNC

A woodworker gets advice on how best to "try before you buy." September 27, 2009

Learning from Software Purchasing Mistakes

Woodworkers, designers, and shop owners discuss the lessons learned from sinking money (and time) into the "wrong" CAD program. October 15, 2009

How Powerful a Vacuum Does a CNC Router Need?

A discussion of vacuum pumps, regenerative blowers, and spoilboard techniques for maintaining a strong hold-down vacuum. March 27, 2008

Production Management Software for a Woodshop

Once you have your paper systems straight, what can a computer software package do for your materials and time tracking, labor productivity evaluations, et cetera? April 20, 2008

Chip Load and Tool Diameter

Experts and operators discuss the relationship between bit size, chip load, RPMs, and feed speed when machining various materials on a CNC router. August 29, 2006

CNC Router Productivity

Shop owners evaluate the productivity advantage of CNC equipment, and discuss ways to adapt shop methods and processes to the machine's capabilities. October 2, 2007

CNC Router Versus Vertical Panel Saw

Which to invest in? It all depends on the shop's needs and the business plan. January 8, 2007

Engraving a Book Cover in Wood: CNC or Laser?

A very unusual project proposal (thousands of book covers engraved in plywood) leads into a discussion of laser engraving versus CNC engraving. August 16, 2012

Figuring Out Woodshop Power Requirements

Amps, volts, watts, horsepower, and all that jazz: here's an instructive thread on how to figure out if a building's power supply will support your plans for shop equipment. July 9, 2007

Life Expectancy of Bearings in Spindles

Here is a long discussion of CNC spindle life, cooling methods, and maintenance. February 17, 2012

Standard Layer Setups in AutoCAD

A consistent SOP for organizing the layers in your CAD files can help keep your work organized. Here, several pros show how they routinely manage layers. January 14, 2008

Slow-Opening CNC Program Files

CNC owners troubleshoot a case of excessive lag time when opening program files. January 14, 2008

Machinery and Methods for Creating Complex Stair Rail Shapes

Here's a long and detailed thread with photos about the production choices for crafting complex custom railing shapes. June 8, 2011

Outsourcing Drafting Work

Contracting outside your company for CAD drawings creates a management challenge. Here's a discussion of how to handle the complications. December 14, 2009

Chinese Plywood

Cabinetmakers complain about the quality of hardwood plywood imported from China. April 13, 2012

Learning CAD: Is It Worth It?

Craftsmen discuss the value of learning CAD design, and provide tips on tackling the learning curve. June 24, 2006

Bit Deflection with 3/8-Inch Bits

Tiny "nibs" at the entry and exit points of cuts: what's the problem? Could the bits be deflecting, or is there some other cause? October 1, 2010

Cabinet design techniques

A survey of cabinetmakers' design techniques, from pencil and rule to CAD. September 6, 2000

Cabinet Machining and Assembly Options in a CNC Shop

Accuracy and efficiency are the goals. How you get there can vary, depending on your machinery choices. December 7, 2008

Achieving functional kitchen design

When it comes to the kitchens you build, should you design them yourself or hire an expert? December 6, 2000

Moving to CNC: Worth the Investment?

A small-shop owner is considering whether to invest in a CNC router. In this thread, experienced pros help him evaluate his options. July 24, 2005

Detailing Issues with Cabinet Drawing Programs

No drawing program handles parts detailing perfectly; systems have to compensate for the software's limitations. November 12, 2005

Troubleshooting a C Marker Trip Problem

A Thermwood CNC owner gets help tracking an error message to the hardware issue that triggered it. January 4, 2014

3D Versus 2D Drafting

The pros and cons of three-dimensional CAD drawing versus working in two dimensions. June 26, 2006

What Opportunities Does a CNC Router Open Up?

A shop owner who is considering an entry-level CNC investment learns about how the machine's versatility might help his business diversify. May 15, 2014

Making the Best of an Underpowered Vacuum

A better vacuum pump isn't in the budget, so a CNC owner asks for advice on improving hold-down performance with spoilboard improvements and other workarounds. November 5, 2013

Melamine Tooling Issue: Grooves Worn Where Tool Contacts Paper

New scratch-resistant melamine facings have created a localized wear problem in tools used to cut the material. Here's an extended discussion. January 19, 2011

Flattening a Long Plank: Planer Versus CNC

CNC wins the argument, but we have fun getting there. December 6, 2012

Boosting Air Pressure at the CNC router

A discussion of various solutions for a localized problem with occasional drops in pneumatic pressure. June 17, 2009

Ways to Machine Radiused Casings

Woodworkers discuss various methods of making curved mouldings, including CNC and moulder techniques as well as ways to join segments. December 2, 2006

Compensating for Material Thickness Variations

Thickness differences between pieces can cause trouble when machining parts out of sheet goods. But a savvy operator can work around the problem. August 29, 2006

CNC pod table

Homemade pods and more. (CNC Forum) March 23, 2003

Converting lines to polylines

Step by step CAD instructions. December 17, 2003

Expected Service Life for a CNC Spindle

How long should a CNC spindle last before it needs replacing? That depends on many operating conditions, including tool sharpness, type of cooling system, and ramping parameters. August 24, 2008

CAD "Stretch" Function Shortcut

Saving generic shapes, then pasting and re-sizing them, can cut down on drafting labor time. September 24, 2006

Square Hole Production

Woodworkers brainstorm about how to machine decorative square holes in a wood faceplate. May 8, 2012

Edge Quality Issues with CNC Nested-Based Router Cuts

Here's a look at the quality-control problem of fuzzy cut edges in panels cut by a CNC router. December 3, 2010

Aerotech Router Bit Wear & Tear

Is the Aerotech dust-vacuum CNC attachment heavy enough to increase spindle wear? January 2, 2012

Creating Curves on CNC Equipment

Instructions for cutting curved shapes can be hand-programmed, but it makes more sense to draw in CAD and import the shapes to the CNC controller. October 26, 2005

Layer Names and Line Defaults

Organizing and simplifying layers in CAD. May 19, 2004

Vacuum Pump Performance, Pump Size, and Altitude

Here's some in-depth and thoughtful discussion of vacuum pump capacity and the factors that influence pump effectiveness. January 7, 2010

Managing Your Plans and Sections in AutoCAD

Thoughts on how to organize CAD drawings for simple workflow, clear visualization, and avoiding confusion and errors. June 17, 2010

Outsourcing Design Work – Why or Why Not?

A CAD artist who wants to draw for others on a contract basis gets feedback about the usefulness and value of that proposed service. February 8, 2008

"Pecking Not Allowed" Error Message in CNC Code

The up-and-down motion designed to clear chips from a drill gullet is ruled out with some tool selections on a CNC. November 29, 2014

Shop-Built Vacuum Pod Solutions

Here's a detailed discussion of making your own vacuum hold-down pods, with a side discussion on laser positioning and router control. February 19, 2013

Text Labeling on the Dimension Line in CAD

Here are several suggested ways to use text boxes for calling out dimensions in an AutoCAD document, and some cautions on what could go wrong. October 12, 2007

Sharpening Technology and Methods for CNC Tooling

Sharpening spiral cutters for CNC equipment is a very complex undertaking. Here is a detailed discussion with full explanations.July 29, 2012

Selecting a CAD Program

The up and down sides of various CAD choices. June 28, 2005

Performance of Resharpened Bits

CNC router bits should take several resharpenings before performance drops off. October 18, 2005

Creating Generic, Quickly Re-Sizeable Parts in AutoCAD

Here's advice on creating one simple file for, say, a door, that you can re-size as needed with a few commands or clicks. June 17, 2010

Dovetail Drawers on a CNC Router

A wide-ranging discussion about cutting dovetail drawer joints on a CNC. November 8, 2008

Phase Converters for CNC-Equipped Shops

If you need 3-phase power for a CNC machine as well as other equipment, you should consider your phase converter choice carefully. The wrong setup could damage your equipment. July 9, 2007

CNC Router Bits for Solid Wood

If the operation heats up the bits, high speed steel may last as long as carbide. December 2, 2011

Parametric Programming Versus CAD and CAM Toolpath Creation

A request for help in defining a shape mathematically for machine code leads into a discussion of situations where hand-coding and math are better than working in higher-level drawing and toolpath programs. February 19, 2013

Layout Printing Bottleneck

Printing multiple layouts can choke a computer and plotter's capacity. Here, CAD users suggest workarounds involving the batch plot utility, lisp programming, and other sly tricks. May 16, 2005

CAM Toolpaths for Sweeping Out a Bowl Shape

A CNC operator gets advice on programming his machine to scoop out a bowl in a butcher-block top. August 3, 2009

Hold-Down Solutions for Cutting Small Circular Parts

Here are some creative approaches to holding down the work when cutting out a multitude of small circles on the CNC. August 16, 2009

Understanding Vacuum Hold-Down

When shopping for a vacuum pump for a CNC, it's helpful to know how vacuum works. February 13, 2009

CNC for Veneer Marquetry

Is there CNC equipment that can do fine work with very thin veneer stock? Here's an in-depth discussion. January 3, 2012

CNC Machine Build Quality

A shop owner's considering a CNC purchase wonders why one machine weighs more than a similar competitor. But as he learns, quality construction depends on more than weight. October 18, 2005

Measuring Router Bit Diameter

Advice on how to verify whether tooling diameter is correct within proper tolerances. January 12, 2015

Outsourcing drawings

Positive and negative experiences from those who have hired the job out. October 30, 2002

CNC Equipment, Beam Saws, and Cabinet Shop Effiiency

Cabinetmakers discuss one shop owner's real experience, as compared to the promised efficiency boost of his new CNC. October 14, 2009

Machining Matching Male and Female Ellipses

There's many a slip twixt the cup and the ellipse. Here's a long and informative thread on the problem created when trying to program CNC equipment to cut two similar ellipse shapes of slightly different sizes. October 12, 2007

Buying Second-Hand CNC Equipment

People who have been there and done that describe the trouble they've been through with used CNC gear — and the payoff. March 21, 2006

Tool Diameter Measurement Precision

What tolerances are involved in mating a shaft to a cutting tool? January 12, 2015

Maintaining the Direction of Routs on Mirrored Parts

Here's a discussion of the control code that can prevent a CNC controller from introducing climb cuts where you don't want them when cutting out mirrored parts. December 31, 2012

Chuck Adapter Collets for Very Small-Diameter Bits

A CNC can drill a 1/16th-inch pilot hole, but you may need a custom-made adapter for chucking the bit. November 29, 2014

Beaded face frames on CNC

Developing the right CNC setup for beaded face frames. February 13, 2001

Using DXF Files as CNC Control Input

The latest generation of CNC control software can accept some AutoCAD-generated DXF-format files directly and use them to cut parts, without the need for secondary processing by a post-processor. January 27, 2008

Two CNCs, or One CNC Paired with a Beam Saw?

Your machinery choice depends on what you're making. Here are some thoughts about the options. March 22, 2013

Parametric AutoCAD drawings

Setting up parametric AutoCAD drawings to accompany CNC programs. November 22, 2003

CNC-Routing Aluminum

Advice on material selection, tooling up and operating technique for cutting aluminum on CNC equipment. June 26, 2006

Repairing a Rusty Spindle Taper on a CNC Machine

Cleaning off rust is doable, but more severe pitting could cause trouble. September 23, 2013

Shopping for a New CNC

Think carefully about what capabilities you do and don't need, and take a close look at the vendor's tech support system. October 13, 2008

CNC Design and Control Software for Boat Interiors

Advice on using Rhino software for curved work on boats (particularly the interiors). October 19, 2014

Calibrating a CNC Spindle

Tips on how to adjust a CNC spindle for accuracy. August 29, 2014

Vacuum Techniques for Holding Hardwood Parts

Here's a collection of power-user tips for setting up your vacuum table to hardwood stock down to the CNC table when machining. October 16, 2012

How to Machine Trapezoidal 3D Chair Feet

Suggestions for how a simple three-dimensional shape can be fabricated in quantity from wood. February 1, 2015

Drafting Spirals in AutoCAD LT

An early learner's question about AutoCAD LT: how to approach the problem of drafting a three-dimensional spiral shape. July 29, 2012

Synchronizing and Backing Up Multiple Computers

How do you keep an office computer, home computer, and smart phone synchronized, backed up, and secure?July 28, 2012

Creating a Custom Stair Handrail Volute

Advanced discussion of how to draw and machine a one-of-a-kind volute. June 17, 2009

Converting Splines to Lines and Arcs

CNC control software can understand lines and arcs, but not splines. Here's advice on how to convert information into useable form. June 28, 2010

Shopping for a CNC Router

Solid generic advice on getting the right machine for what you do at the right price. July 13, 2010

Math Question: Dimensioning Angles

Cabinetmakers chime in on methods for determining the size of an angled plane. February 8, 2005

Fabricating Pyramid-Shaped Raised Panels

Advice and thoughts on how to machine a raised door panel that looks like a very low pitched hip roof. November 5, 2013

Wrapping a Cone with Crown Moulding

Practical math and hands-on approaches to a tricky crown moulding problem. February 28, 2012

Troubleshooting "Banana Cut" Problems with Melamine

Humidity issues cause some panels to curve or bow when cut. Here, CNC operators discuss possible solutions. December 6, 2006

Z axis oscillation code

Programming the Z-axis of a router to use more of the cutting length of the tools. February 19, 2002

Countersinking Confirmats in Melamine

Troubleshooting a problem with getting cabinet assembly screws driven flush. September 28, 2009

Blind Dado Joinery Versus Dowels or Confirmats

A cabinetmaker asks whether he should switch to blind dado construction to eliminate a boring and screwing step. April 24, 2014

Is a Vacuum Bed Necessary?

CNC owners discuss the types of work that benefit from vacuum-table equipment, and describe other methods for holding parts down. November 8, 2007

Tips for Cutting Acrylic Parts on the CNC

Detailed, specific advice and explanations for cutting sheet acrylic on CNC equipment. April 21, 2011

Buying CNC Equipment for Woodcarving

A woodworker gets advice on the pitfalls awaiting the unwary buyer of CNC gear. July 21, 2006

Customized Vacuum Setups for Small Parts

This long thread offers detailed suggestions for holding down small parts on the CNC machine. January 14, 2008

The Importance of Tuning Up CNC Equipment

Low end or high end machines, performance and accuracy depend largely on "polishing" the setup. December 10, 2007

Speeding Up Production Cutting Plywood Parts

Thoughts on ways to make production faster on a CNC — and on the limits to that. June 22, 2010

Troubleshooting a Tool-Change Software Hang

Manually changing a tool can make some CNC machines stop working because of a software issue. Here's how to troubleshoot and fix. March 4, 2009

Estimating and Measuring Tool Deflection

Troubleshooting slop in the cut, a CNC owner wonders: How much do toolbits actually bend? Hey. You do the math. February 19, 2013

Hold-Down Problems with Small, Thin, Porous Parts

CNC pros suggest a range of solutions for holding down small parts during machining. August 3, 2009

Rounding Over Part Edges on a CNC

A long discussion of how to set up a CNC router to round over furniture part edges after cutting the shape. September 15, 2011

Standardizing and Updating Title Blocks in CAD

Here's a detailed discussion of how to get everyone in the office set up to use the same automatically-updating title blocks in AutoCAD. December 27, 2008

Hold-Down Problems with Small Parts and Pre-Finished Plywood

Troubleshooting difficulties keeping small parts still while cutting pre-finished plywood. March 26, 2009

Managing Computer Obsolescence with Old CNC Equipment

Microsoft has stopped supporting the Windows XP operating system, but some CNC equipment still relies on it. What are the practical workarounds for machine owners? April 18, 2015

Is a Drill Block Worth the Investment?

CNC owners discuss how a drill block can improve production, and whether that benefit justifies the up-front cost.March 13, 2014

CNC feed rates for melamine

Concerns on purchasing a CNC router and software for cutting melamine. August 12, 2001

Efficiency with CAD Software

Making time with CAD in a cabinet business requires matching your software tools to your company's needs. October 15, 2009

Shopping for Entry-Level CNC Equipment

Advice on finding good CNC machinery for a small shop at an entry-level price point. January 14, 2009

Doweling on a Point-to-Point CNC

CNC routers can be tweaked for accurate dowel boring, but a dedicated boring machine is a better way to go. August 8, 2008

Dedicated and Gasketed Spoilboards

Advice on spoilboard refinements for holding down small parts during CNC machining operations. August 17, 2006

To nest or not to nest?

Is nesting appropriate for all shops? June 4, 2003

Is CNC Phone Support Free?

CNC manufacturers are typically generous with phone support, but tough economic times may threaten that. August 3, 2009

Holding Down Solid Wood Parts on a CNC Router Table

Holding small pieces down with a CNC vacuum table is one of the trickiest aspects of CNC work. Here is some detailed advice. May 7, 2007

Tool Control Tolerances for Routing a Hole

CNC pros try to figure out why a CNC router is making lockset holes out of round. The culprit may be a problem with tool compensation in the lead-in and lead-out routine. September 24, 2006

Printing and Viewing Blueprints for Bidding

Cabinetmakers discuss the nuts and bolts of working with digital blueprints, including a look at software that helps with takeoffs and estimating. April 19, 2015

Feed Rate and Cut Depth for Melamine on the CNC Router

A discussion of CNC settings that work well for machining cabinet parts from 3/4-inch melamine. June 23, 2014

Line Boring Efficiency and CNC Equipment Speeds

Is a faster or heavier machine really worth it for boring lots of holes? February 19, 2013

Snapping to Perpendicular in AutoCad

Savvy drafters know half a dozen ways to get square. June 28, 2005

CNC Choices and Blind Dado Versus Dowel Cabinet Construction

This wide-ranging discussion centers on CNC machinery capabilities in relation to different methods of building cabinets. November 25, 2005

Troubleshooting Fuzzy Cut Edges on Plywood with CNC

Suggestions for programming tricks, climb cutting, bit choices, and sanding attachments for a CNC user who's getting fuzzy edges. August 22, 2013

Understanding CNC Vacuum Needs

Detailed info on how vacuum equipment works, how much you need, and why. May 28, 2010

Beading Face Frames on a CNC Router

Here's how one shop machines the joints for cabinet face frames using CNC equipment. January 21, 2007

AlphaCAM nesting problem

Should the postprocessor be modified? March 23, 2002

Deleting Blocks and Layers

Why won't these stubborn ACAD elements go away? December 9, 2004

Cutting Speed when Milling Aluminum on the CNC

Advice on bit choice and operating settings to make good time when machining aluminum plate on the CNC. May 27, 2014

CNC Bit Life in Baltic Birch

Baltic birch plywood has hard glue lines and is rough on CNC tooling. Here's a multitude of advice on appropriate tooling and techniques that could help your bits last longer. June 30, 2007

Titleblock in CAD

How-to instructions for setting up a titleblock for your template. July 24, 2002

CNC Dowel Hole Drilling Accuracy

Pros help a programmer troubleshoot inconsistencies in dowel hole placement. October 1, 2005

Full-Service Software for Store Fixture Manufacturer

Will one application do 2D, 3D, customer drawings, shop drawings, and CadCAM? June 29, 2005

Upgrading the Controller on an Older CNC Device

It's hard to upgrade old equipment to a new computer, but here are some suggested workarounds for getting the most out of an outmoded setup. January 4, 2014

Fishtail problems with CNC router

Could it be the CAM package or controller? February 19, 2002

Troubleshooting Router Errors -- Hardware or Software?

A CNC tech thought his machine's bad behavior was caused by mechanical adjustment problems, but it turned out to be bad numbers in the controller. Lesson learned. April 10, 2008

Router Bit Accuracy

Router bit dimension variations may be one limit on CNC machining accuracy. Here are thoughts on why bits may not be consistent sizes, and what operators can or should do to compensate. May 27, 2008

CNC Productivity and the Purchasing Decision

A discussion of machine output versus shop needs, the outsourcing option, and the planning and preparation recommended before purchasing a CNC router. August 29, 2006

Scaling Plots in AutoCad Paperspace

It's a simple trick using viewports. October 1, 2005

Should a Small Cabinet Shop Switch to CNC Equipment?

Do too many people invest in CNC routers for emotional reasons, asks a small shop owner? In response, CNC users try to zero in on a rational basis for the choice. November 25, 2005

HPL Inlay Production Tips

This thread on routing inlay patterns in high-pressure laminate includes a good lesson about Cutter Radius Compensation, which lets the operator make allowances for tool wear without re-coding the program. October 3, 2011

Shopping for a CNC Machine for Window and Door Construction

Accuracy and hold-down effectivess are key attributes for good mortise and tenon machinining in solid wood. June 29, 2009

Remote Control Cutoff for CNC Equipment

Ideas for solving a unique problem: shutting off a CNC router while programming and observing the machine remotely. August 21, 2006

Routing Deeper than a Tool's Allowed "Usable Length"

Creative programming lets a CNC user rout progressively deeper into thick material, working around software restrictions on a given tool's maximum depth of cut. August 29, 2006

Vacuum Lifters for Melamine Sheets

Advice on shopping for shop equipment that takes the heavy lifting out of loading melamine onto the CNC table. July 15, 2014

Panel Positioning for Machining on Both Faces

Advice on maintaining precision when machining both faces of panel stock on a CNC router. April 17, 2009

Diamond Tooling Versus Carbide

Diamond bits are not best for every situation. Among other factors, they usually require slower feed rates. January 2, 2012

Custom Software for Wood Man Doors

A custom builder's looking for a versatile design and drafting package for original wood door designs. But is it worth it? September 1, 2010

Moving to Metric

Tips on making the transition as smooth as possible. September 9, 2004

Tool Touch-Off

CNC operators discuss their preferred methods for touching off tools. November 12, 2005

Screwing Down a Spoilboard

Here's a detailed discussion of whether, and how, to screw a spoilboard down to a phenolic CNC table when vacuum isn't doing the job. November 27, 2012

Assigning Layers to Line Types in CAD

Useful sample code for automatically grouping lines into particular layers by line type. October 3, 2007

Scarf Joinery on a CNC Router

CNC pros show how they machine scarf joints for continuous pieces like stair stringers and yacht hull planking. December 27, 2008

Backing Up Critical Computer Files

Backup is important. (Backup is important.) Here, CAD pros explain simple, effective, and thorough backup methods. September 24, 2006

Outsourcing Cabinet Carcase Parts to CNC Shops

Here are some detailed thoughts on how to interface with a CNC-equipped shot to get custom cabinet parts made to order. April 20, 2008

CNC Routing From PDF

Definition of a tap file, and whether or not PDFs provide precision. August 17, 2004

CNC Rated Horsepower and Real Capacity

Here's a good discussion of what horsepower ratings mean in the real world. January 2, 2012

Troubleshooting a Morbidelli Tolerance Error

When the controller reports a tolerance error, the cause is probably mechanical. Pros get the details and probe the mystery. July 1, 2005

CAD/CAM Basics for Beginners

Here's a rudimentary explanation of how CAD/CAM processes work, for the benefit of a furniture designer who wants his design produced on a CNC device. March 28, 2010

CNC Collet and Chuck Choices

CNC pros compare the advantages of different tool-gripping technology. November 26, 2007

Pricing For Small Orders

When you make your living with volume production, how do you cope with occasional one-off requests? January 26, 2008

Measuring Resharpened Tools

Tips and tricks for finding the true measurements of CNC cutter bits after sharpening. December 6, 2006

Modeling Compound-Curved Casing

CAD users puzzle out how to render a complex curved moulding shape. March 26, 2008

CNC-Based Workflow Concepts

A shop owner who's investing in a new CNC router gets advice on re-organizing the rest of his shop to take best advantage of the new equipment. March 28, 2010

Improving Spoilboard Vacuum

Advice on ways to improve your spoilboard for better vacuum and better hold-down of parts. January 7, 2010

Whether to Buy A Larger-Table CNC

Small table sizes can be limiting. Here, CNC owners offer various reasons for investing in a 5x12 table. March 4, 2009

Giving Vendors Feedback

A discussion of whether and when to tell tooling vendors that you found a better price elsewhere. September 8, 2007

Programming CNC Equipment from Templates

Advice on "teaching" a CNC to cut out the shape that corresponds to a site-made countertop template. July 29, 2007

How to Learn CAD

Old hands describe pathways to CAD proficiency. February 13, 2006

Hold-Down Problem when Profiling MDF Panels

MDF panels may bow or warp when large amounts of skin are removed from one face. Here's how to deal with the problem. June 5, 2006

Exporting CAD Files for a CNC Controller

Creating CAD files that a CNC controller will recognize can be a very complex puzzle. Here's one example, with a few lessons learned. June 30, 2007

Small parts on P2P

Using a spoilboard to solve problems of no suction with small parts. March 20, 2001

Sizing Up SketchUp

Cabinetmakers discuss what Google SketchUp can and can't do. June 4, 2012

Cutting Rosettes with a CNC Router

Hold-down is the big challenge. Here are a half dozen suggested solutions. October 8, 2005

Phase Converter for CNC Equipment

Advice on power conversion equipment for powering a CNC router. October 9, 2006

Big Monitors for On-Screen Estimating

A discussion of the hardware and software upgrades involved in switching to all-digital (paperless) estimating and takeoffs. April 27, 2011

Router Overheating

Woodworkers discuss how hot router bits and collets should be expected to get during normal operation, and what might cause them to overheat. September 7, 2006

Getting to Know Aggregate Tools

A newcomer to CNC asks for a basic explanation of what aggregates are and how they work — and gets one. April 10, 2008

Routers

Basic descriptions of various types of routers commonly found in wood shops, including CNC router equipment. November 13, 2008

Climb Cutting Versus Conventional Cutting

Here's a close look at the difference between climb-cutting and conventional cutting on the CNC, with explanations of how each method affects the quality of cut. October 3, 2011

Suitable Bits for Cutting Thick Solid Hardwood

High speed steel (HSS) outperforms carbide in solid wood because of heat issues. But HSS is getting hard to find. How about a carbide spiral fluted hogger instead? January 3, 2012

Purchasing a CNC Router: New Versus Used

CNC users debate the pros and cons of investing in used machines. December 10, 2007

Whether to Dimension in Model Space or in Paper Space

It seems to be a matter of personal preference. November 23, 2008

AutoCAD Dimension Lines

Cleaning up extension lines. December 26, 2004

Troubleshooting Bit Breakage in Hardwood

Pros investigate a bit breakage problem. This time, it seems the downshear bit was packing chips into the work. June 17, 2009

Touching Off Tools: Spoilboard or Material?

CNC owners discuss whether to zero their tools to the spoilboard, or to the material they are machining. July 8, 2014

CNC Real World Accuracy

What are realistic practical targets for CNC machining precision and consistency? September 27, 2009

Exporting CAD-Drawn Curves to CNC Software

Considerations on the problem of getting CNC software to understand curved paths (ellipses, splines, arcs, and so forth). July 29, 2007

Auto-Updating Title Blocks

Xrefs, rtext, or a viewport? There's more than one way to handle title block data. February 25, 2005

Spindle Fan Failure Headaches

Spindle cooling fans can be a weak point on CNC equipment, causing expensive and time-consuming breakdowns. Here, pros commiserate and offer advice. January 27, 2008

Consistent curves

How to create a long, accurate curve. May 15, 2002

Fragile Points on Textured MDF

High-density fiberboard may be better than medium-density fiberboard for sculpting a contoured surface. September 28, 2009

CAD for Cabinet Layouts

Cabinetmakers discuss drafting alternatives for visualizing cabinet designs. August 24, 2008

Efficiency of nested-based manufacturing

How much time can be saved? January 16, 2002

Recovering Lost Data from Hard Drive Crashes

If the hard disk is physically intact, the odds are good that your data is still there. April 21, 2007

Cost of Developing Custom Applications

Business aspects of code written to order. April 11, 2005

Troubleshooting a Sticky Tool Holder

CNC pros try to find the source of a tool-changing problem. March 25, 2007

Should engineers do parts drawings?

Product engineers can draw impressive sketches. But should they be expected to write code? November 15, 2000

Blind Dado Versus Confirmat Construction with a Nested-Base CNC Setup

Cabinetmakers describe their experiences with different assembly methods in CNC cabinet production. December 10, 2007

Making Crown Moulding on a CNC Router

Tips and tricks from those who have tried it. October 8, 2005

Troubleshooting a "Lip" on the Finish Cut after Onion-Skinning

A CNC owner learns how to get a clean cut on his final pass with onion-skin cutting of parts. March 28, 2010

CNC Shop Fire Risk

Hot bits, sawdust, and vacuum airflow add up to a potential for fire, as these stories attest. September 28, 2009

Cutting Sheet Aluminum on a CNC Router

Aluminum plate can be machined on CNC equipment designed for wood. Here, pros discuss the considerations involved (and the alternatives). March 21, 2006

Universal spoil boards

Making universal spoil boards for different machines. January 15, 2003

Setting Up CNC Equipment

Advice on managing the setup and shakedown process for a new CNC router. May 28, 2010

Holding Down and Machining Curved Material

Advice on rigging up clamps or vacuum jigs to hold down arched sheet material for CNC machining. March 4, 2009

CNC Circle-Cutting Accuracy in Solid Wood

CNC pros help troubleshoot when a CNC router cuts circles that look more like ellipses. August 21, 2006

Help With Plotting in AutoCAD

Advice for plotting a building floor plan. February 25, 2005

Through Drilling on PTP or CNC Equipment

Advice on clean hole-drilling for panels that will be exposed on both faces. June 29, 2009

Basic CNC Setup and Maintenance

Leveling, tuning, and caring for a new CNC. April 21, 2011

Commissioning CNC Equipment

What does it take to get a newly purchased CNC machine up and running? May 14, 2006

Time Needed to Produce Cabinets with a CNC Router

Cabinetmakers compare notes on the machine time and assembly time to make cabinets with a CNC, as opposed to working with a beam saw and line boring machine.May 27, 2014

Considering a CNC Router Purchase

A four-man shop wants to bring its CNC work in-house, and gets advice on evaluating equipment options. November 12, 2005

Payback Period for an Investment in CNC Equipment

CNC owners discuss how quickly new machinery can be expected to pay for itself. May 14, 2006

Unmanned CNC

Can you safely allow a CNC router to run unattended? August 22, 2013

Using Algebra Functions in CNC Woodworking

A discussion of how algebraic functions can be useful in CNC work, along with some specific mathematical code expressions. June 17, 2009

How do you do it? -- CNC Programming

Programmers share their methods. August 17, 2004

What Size CNC Table Should I Have?

Larger tables offer versatility and material savings for a moderate increase in the investment. February 19, 2011

CNC Accuracy - Simple CNC Test Routines

How to run a used CNC through its paces to check on the accuracy and repeatability of its cuts and controls. September 3, 2010

Creating Custom Curved Moulding Profiles with a CNC Router

Any good CNC router can create mouldings, using either a ball-end cutter or a custom-ground bit. In this thread, pros provide a few pointers on the process. November 25, 2005

Flame-Polishing Acrylic Edges

A router may leave scalloped chatter marks on the edge of acrylic pieces, no matter what bit you choose. But a quickly-applied hot blue flame can leave the edge glass-smooth. June 26, 2006

Smart Shopping for a Cabinet Drafting Program

Always interrupt the canned sales demo and ask the salesperson to draw something unique from scratch. January 13, 2009

Checking Tolerances on a CNC Router

When parts are coming out slightly undersized, start with a few basic troubleshooting checks. October 20, 2013

Equipment to Make Carved Mouldings

Is it worth it to buy a CNC or a specialized carving machine for making egg-and-dart mouldings or other carved moulding details? March 26, 2009

True Cost of an Entry-Level CNC Machine

Don't forget the extra "little" costs that can add up: accessories, re-wiring, downtime, et cetera. October 3, 2007

Nested Base Production without Tool Changing

Tool changers add a lot of versatility. But are they a necessity? Maybe not. March 22, 2013

CNC Stair-Building Capabilities

A CNC can speed up complex stair-part fabrication, and also improve accuracy. September 28, 2009

CNC Equipment for MDF Door Production

Advice on choosing the right CNC setup for milling doors from MDF. October 9, 2006

Spoilboard Material and Vacuum Strength

Variability in MDF material may result in problems with consistent vacuum hold-down. Here's advice on how to compensate. September 8, 2007

Dust Control Blower Mod for CNC

Here's a look at a shop-rigged dust control modification to a Holz-Her CNC: a blower that drives fine MDF dust out of the cut grooves so that the dust collector can grab it.October 16, 2012

CAD Precision Snafu

A furnituremaker describes how a little imprecision in drawing corrections messed up his dimensions. (News flash — kids these days can fix your foul-ups. Film at 11.) April 19, 2011

Nested Base Output - Nested Base Router Workflow and Productivity

Advice on organizing the loading, cutting, offloading, and labeling process to maximize the number of sheets processed in a day. February 2, 2011

Shop Productivity With a New CNC

It seems more efficient to go on cutting parts manually than to program the CNC... what's missing? October 5, 2004

CNC Versus Panel Saw Accuracy

CNC equipment has a reputation for superior accuracy. Here, cabinetmakers discuss the reasons it may be so. March 25, 2007

Supporting Traveling Dust Collection Ducts

Here's a good look at several shop-rigged solutions for bringing dust collection ducting to CNC equipment under low ceilings, with freedom to match the equipment's travel. August 15, 2011

S.O.P. for Outsourcing Shop Drawings

A "rush order" for outside shop drawings can be a recipe for confusion. A shop drawing pro offers tips for clear communication. July 22, 2005

Running eCabinets on a Mac

A Mac can run eCabinets software within a virtual Windows machine, with the occasional hiccup. July 25, 2010

"Climb Cutting" and Bit Rotation

A basic introduction to bit rotation, feed direction, and the meaning of left-handedness and right-handedness in CNC work, with some tips on controlling cutter rotation and feed direction. February 8, 2008

Routing Flutes Across a Board: CNC Versus Jig Rig

This thread has some practical suggestions for routing flutes across the width of a board, and some good arguments for farming the job out to a shop with a CNC. August 5, 2010

Whether And When To Purge Drawings

Cleaning out the clutter cuts file size and processor time. April 11, 2005

Positive Tech Support Experiences

Mission-critical high-tech CNC gear is as good as the company that backs it up with parts, service, and support. March 26, 2009

CNC Spindle Rotation

Here's a discussion of router spindle control and the reasons to use "conventional" or "climb" cutting paths. January 19, 2012

Machinery Dilemma: CNC or Beam Saw?

Which machine is right for a given shop? The answer depends on both the volume and the variability of the work.

Making Custom Molds for Storing Objects

Thoughts on two ways to make form-fitting pockets: moldable materials, or CAD/CNC imaging. March 28, 2015

CNC Decimal-Point Quirk

CNC controllers may occasionally ignore instructions when the numbers do not include a decimal point. March 28, 2008

Tearing Apart an HSD Spindle for Maintenance

Is it worth doing your own spindle bearing replacements? June 17, 2009

Why Use a CNC for Drilling Dowel Holes?

Flexibility, accuracy, and speed — the advantages are pretty obvious. August 14, 2007

Cutting Stacked Sheets of Quarter-Inch Material

A roller hold-down system is a big help for machining stacks of material. But can that capability be added to an existing machine? January 19, 2011

CNC-Machining Curved Parts from Hard Wood

Advice on bit choice, feed speeds, RPMs, and pre-roughing blanks. May 22, 2006

Drafting Program Add-Ons for Dimensional Data Output

Three-dimensional AutoCAD by itself won't supply dimensional data, but other programs are able to extract and output that for purposes of production. October 12, 2007

Spoilboard Choices

CNC owners discuss the options for spoilboard material and dimensions. October 1, 2005

Clean Plywood Edge Cuts

Bit choice, feed speed, RPMs, and other factors that affect how cleanly CNC equipment will cut routers. June 5, 2006

CAD Apps for the Mac Platform?

There are a few, but... August 29, 2005

Shop Drawing Submittals in Metric

When converting to 32mm construction, should all drawings be done in metric as well? April 18, 2004

Routing Through an Edgebanded Edge

Tips and techniques for routing into an edgebanded panel edge without tearing the edgebanding loose. February 17, 2006

"Named Views" for Organizing AutoCAD Layers

A tip for managing what does and does not display when your AutoCAD drawings involve multiple layouts. September 27, 2009

Solutions for a Curling Spoilboard

You can flip the spoilboard when it curls and flycut the other side, or you can fasten it down at the perimeter with nylon screws. March 28, 2010

CNC Machinery for Solid Wood Joinery Versus Panel Processing

A discussion of CNC machine characteristics as they relate to the type of woodworking being considered. August 3, 2009

Troubleshooting Fuzzy Edges on CNC-Made Moldings

Advice on reducing surface roughness and fuzz when machining complicated molding details in Poplar. July 15, 2014

CAD/CAM Software for Curved CNC Work

This discussion of software for curved CNC work includes some interesting photos of unique examples. January 28, 2009

Spoil Board Thickness

A discussion of the fine points of choosing a spoil board material and thickness. January 19, 2011

CNC Carving Capabilities

A discussion of custom carving and entry-level CNC equipment. December 14, 2009

Crashing the CNC Machine

Accidents will happen, but damaged CNC tables can be repaired with epoxy, and new pods can be machined on the device. March 1, 2006

What Tools Will My New CNC Replace?

A cabinetmaker contemplates buying a CNC, and thinks about how to make room for it on his floor. November 26, 2007

Why CNC Routers Crash

CNC owners list the programming errors, operator errors, and other snafus that can crash your CNC router. May 14, 2006

Aluminum Versus Phenolic CNC Tables

Table material is not a high-priority issue, but here's a look at the pros and cons. March 12, 2015

Vacuum Capacity, Spoilboards, and Hold-down Effectiveness

A nested CNC owner wonders if his vacuum pump has enough horsepower. Others chime in with observations about spoilboards, gaskets, and assessing vacuum pump performance. February 13, 2006

CNC Routers Versus Jobs for People

Despite employees' fears, a new CNC will not replace people — it will make their lives better. June 11, 2010

Machining Solid Surface Material on the CNC

Advice on bits and feed speeds for milling solid surfacing. September 18, 2014

Learning AutoCAD to Draw Moulding and Knife Profiles

A complete beginner gets encouragement and advice from the CAD forum pros on getting started with AutoCAD. December 27, 2008

Power Cost for CNC Machining

Juice to run the machinery is a small percentage of CNC operating cost, but it's not zero. October 14, 2010

To Nest or not to Nest?

A spirited discussion on which is more productive: nest-cutting parts with a CNC router, or using a beam saw and point-to-point machining center. June 30, 2005

Digitizing board recommendations

Digitizing drawings that are larger than the tablet. July 24, 2002

Converting AutoCad to PDF

Designer hits glitches making PDF files from AutoCad, and colleagues suggest a few options. July 22, 2005

Building Your Own CNC Machine

It won't be a top-end machine — but if you build one, you'll learn a lot. November 27, 2012

Drilling Problem

Participants help troubleshoot a "boring" challenge. February 25, 2005

Windows-based CAD on a Macintosh

It's not hard to get Windows and Windows-based programs, including CAD, on a new Macintosh computer. November 23, 2008

Engraving a 3-D Rope Pattern with a CNC Router

Suggestions and advice for programming a CNC router to carve a circular braided rope pattern. January 28, 2009

Making Templates from Existing Mouldings

Moulding shop pros discuss how to scan and import profiles of existing mouldings in order to make exact drawings or manufacture new knives. November 10, 2006

Melamine Chipping and Drill Bit Selection

Chipping problems encountered while drilling shelf holes on CNC equipment could be fixed by changing to carbide bits, or could be related to panel quality. March 26, 2009

Shop-Rigging a Small Vacuum Table for a Pod-and-Rail CNC

Advice, thoughts, and examples of vacuum-table retrofits for CNC equipment. December 31, 2012

Dust Protection for a CNC Computer

CNC owners discuss how to keep the computers that control the machine cool and dust-free. April 18, 2006

Kerfing Plywood for Bending with a CNC Router

A CNC router can kerf out 3/4-inch plywood to make it bendable, but it takes a little tweaking to get there. August 12, 2007

Changing Splines to Polylines

Easy AutoCAD tips for a quick change. December 26, 2004

Converting a Point to Point CNC into a Flat Table

Here's a discussion of the practicalities involved in modifying a pod-and-rail point-to-point CNC with the vacuum and spoilboard flat table required for cutting parts out of large sheets of material. December 28, 2010

CNC Dust Collection Connections

Dust collector hose joints that move a lot are subject to wear and failure. Here's some insight into the problem. April 21, 2007

Tool Change Calibration Methods

From fully automated to eyeball-and-caliper manual adjustment, there's more than one way to get tools dialed in. January 19, 2012

Spreadsheet to G-Code?

Yes, there are ways to rig a spreadsheet application to generate simple G-code for controlling CNC equipment. It's an interesting approach, but has practical limitations. May 23, 2007

Troubleshooting a Loss of Vacuum

First you need to figure out whether the problem is the pump, or some other issue. July 8, 2014

CNC Routing on Thick Hardwood Stock

A CNC operator gets detailed advice on bit selection and machining technique for cutting curves into 1.5-inch thick Walnut for a bar top.July 29, 2012

Feed Speeds and RPMs for Cuts in Thick Hardwood

Adjusting bit speed and travel may help reduce a screaming sound that happens when machining solid wood on a CNC router. November 26, 2007

Cleaning Up Objects So They Will Sweep or Extrude

Polylines that intersect or overlap themselves will not sweep or extrude in AutoCAD. Here are some ways to clean those bad objects up so they will function properly for you. June 8, 2008

Getting Initial Vacuum

CNC operator with a spoilboard installed has trouble getting the machine to suck plywood down when first placed for cutting. Pros offer advice. September 24, 2006

Vacuum Sizing Issues

This discussion of vacuum pump needs includes a nice explanation of the principles of vacuum pressure, and some tips on ganging multiple pumps to the same hold-down table. May 4, 2011

Backup and Restore Issues with CNC SRAM

Troubleshooting a combined hardware and data transfer issue in a CNC controller chipset. February 28, 2012

Vacuum Fixturing - Part 1 of 3

Tom Galzin, a principal of New CNC Router, provides a technical description of vacuum hold-down equipment and explains how it works. (Part One) June 1, 2012

CNC Routing Chipboard with Two Passes

Here's a discussion of the fine points of onion-skin techniques for cutting small parts. December 2, 2011

Software for Nested Parts Production

Users discuss the virtues of ASpan, AlphaCam, and AlphaDoor. August 30, 2005

Troubleshooting HSK Spindle Release Issues

Dust and dirt can cause problems with HSK spindles. Here's how to fix them. September 30, 2010

V-Grooving in High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

Advice on tool choice and toolpaths to cut clean grooves in HDPE material with minimal melting and re-welding problems. August 31, 2009

Extending Bit Life in Laminates

Some HPL laminate panels are extremely rough on CNC tooling. Here are suggestions for choosing bits that will last longer. January 31, 2012

Powering a CNC Router Using a Phase Converter

It works fine, say those who are doing it — but there are a few details to consider. November 12, 2005

CNC Machine Vibration in 3D Path Cutting

Machine controllers may introduce vibration when cutting complex three-dimensional curves. The problem may improve if you lower the acceleration settings. March 12, 2009

CNC Sign Making as a Side Business

For a well-equipped CNC shop, routing wood signs for signmakers who mostly do other types of sign is a viable business niche. March 11, 2009

Managers Meddling with CAD

Besides the waste of time, it's risky to let non-tech personnel play around with important CAD files. September 24, 2006

Buying Used CNC Equipment

Is a good deal on used iron worth the potential headaches? Pros share opinions and experiences. August 30, 2005

LCD Monitor and CAD

CAD users generally consider the switch to an LCD monitor to be a worthwhile upgrade. Just make sure the rest of your system is ready for it. March 25, 2007

Machine Design For Complex Carving

It's hard to do, and might not pay off. April 10, 2005

Bar Codin' Blues

A Visual Basic script can generate bar codes for inputting CNC instructions. April 10, 2005

CNC Vacuum Problem

The power you need in a vacuum for hold-down purposes varies depending on your CNC table setup. November 26, 2007

CNC-Lathe Hybrids

It's tricky, but yes — a four-axis CNC can be rigged to operate as a lathe for detailing cylindrical wood elements. August 3, 2009

CNC Collet Maintenance and Repair

Collets should not wear out or fail for many years unless something is wrong. Here's advice on keeping the collets in good shape. April 19, 2011

Troubleshooting Vacuum Pressure

Advice on locating the air leak in a CNC vacuum hold-down system, starting with the pumps and moving on to connections and spoilboards. February 16, 2014

CNC Crash-and-Burn Stories

CNC routers can start fires when things get out of control. Here are some photos and some stories. January 19, 2012

Routing an Irregular Outline

Woodworkers compare a pin router to a CNC as the device for cutting the outline of a map or other irregular object. February 19, 2013

MDF Spoilboard Effect on Vacuum Performance

Variations in panel porosity can affect the suction through your spoilboard, but other things could also be happening. July 29, 2012

CNC Dust Collection Improvements

CNC owners discuss ways to boost the effectiveness of CNC dust collection and keep the table and shop clean. March 12, 2009

Supporting the Dust Collection Hose for a CNC Router

Ideas for sliding support to suspend the vacuum hose in a way that lets it freely follow the CNC machine's travel. November 8, 2007

Variables in Parametric Programming

Forum participants guide a user through programming customization techniques for an Andi CNC with a Fanuc 18I controller. January 24, 2005

Adjusting to AutoCAD 2009

If you preferred the way the old version's interface looked, here are some quick tweaks to take you back to the future. January 28, 2009

Vacuum Pod Tips

Techniques for achieving good hold-down for machining small parts on CNC equipment. December 6, 2006

Troubleshooting Slipping Router Bits

A thread from the CNC forum discusses the factors that could be causing router bits to slip off the collet on a CNC router. March 21, 2006

CAD Programs for 3D Rendering

Users discuss the rendering capabilities of various CAD programs, and show examples. August 29, 2005

Cleaning Up Imported Drawing Files

CAD users sometimes have to comb various garbage out of imported files to get rid of problems. September 27, 2009

Converting Bitmap Images to CNC-Machinable Files

Advice and show-and-tell examples of machining curves when starting with a simple drawing to import. September 15, 2011

Machining Scallops or Flutes into MDF Panels

With CNC equipment, you can machine any kind of regular or irregular scallops, waves, or flutes into MDF — but it can be pricey, and makes a lot of dust. January 26, 2008

MDF Doors: One-Piece Versus Two-Piece

This discussion about fabricating MDF doors includes a closer look at why MDF warps, and about the difference between premium and commodity-grade material. July 13, 2010

Machining PVC Foam with a CNC Router

Advice on feed rates, cutter choice, and RPMs when cutting sheet PVC foam on CNC equipment. March 21, 2006

Protecting the Pods During Cuts

Some point-to-point equipment leaves hold-down pods exposed to damage during cutting. Here are ideas for minimizing the problem. February 8, 2008

Hand-Coding to Engage CNC Vacuum

In case the operator forgets to turn on the vacuum, you can code to have the machine do it automatically. November 11, 2006

Bit Selection for a CNC Router

A shop owner gets advice on what bits he'll need for his new CNC router, along with tips on bit care and re-sharpening. August 30, 2005

Making MDF Doors on the CNC

Good quality MDF is one key to success when machining raised-panel door shapes onto MDF. September 18, 2012

Compensating for Bit Shape when Touching Off

When you "touch off" brad point or V-shaped drill bits, but you want the bit to drill all the way through the material, how do you adjust your settings or programs? June 8, 2008

Sliding Table Versus Gantry

Pros discuss which type of CNC equipment is better, units with a sliding table or units with a moving gantry. July 21, 2006

Making Your Own Vacuum Pods

Lots of CNC owners have successfully machined or molded their own hold-down pods. Here are some detailed explanations and photos. October 26, 2011

Stiffening a CNC Rake

A technician comes up with a shop modification to stiffen the rake attachment on an SCM Pratix CNC machine. February 15, 2015

Cautionary Tale: Backups and Computer Malware

A shop owner describes how his data survived a virus attack that wiped out two computer hard drives and erased a backup disk (one backup version miraculously survived). April 21, 2011

Cutting MDF on a CNC

MDF is rough on bits. Here's a discussion on bit choices and operating techniques. January 13, 2009

CAD software for architectural millwork

Choosing the right CAD package for angle calculations and complex displays. January 3, 2001

Exporting Custom Toolbars to Different Computers

You can invest a lot of time in creating a custom AutoCAD toolbar. How do you share it with office-mates? May 16, 2005

Onion Skinning and Thickness Planing/Sanding

For accuracy and consistency, what's practical and economical: a belt sander, a planer, or a fly-cutter on the CNC? April 21, 2011

Troubleshooting Inconsistent Z Axis Cut Depths on a CNC Router

Advice on looking for machine problems that could cause a CNC to lose accuracy and precision on the vertical axis. April 27, 2011

Stringing Together Multiple Controller Macros for Sequenced Operations

Programming tips for creating a main G-code and multiple subroutines to manage a series of different nested operations on one panel after another. March 4, 2009

Bit Diameter Auto-Measurement

A CNC owner seeks technology to speed up calibration of his equipment when switching among numerous tools with varying diameters. April 17, 2009

CNC Table Size: 4x8 Versus 4x10

CNC shop owners consider the costs and advantages of investing in equipment with a larger table. August 8, 2008

Machining Small Wood Items Without Sanding on the CNC

Can a CNC router make small pieces out of solid wood that don't require sanding for a smooth finish? November 8, 2007

Flush Dowel Joints Using a CNC

Edge doweling accurate enough to allow flush joining of panels edge to edge is problematic on CNC equipment. November 10, 2006

Troubleshooting Tool Marks in MDF

A CNC process leaves circular tool marks in an MDF substrate that telegraph through the pressed finish lamination. Unfortunately, this may just be in the nature of the materials. August 29, 2005

Efficient Face-Frame Shop Process

Thoughts on making face-frame beaded inset-door cabinets efficiently, relying mainly on a CNC router. October 27, 2008

Sizing CNC Vacuum Pumps

Advice on sizing the vacuum pump to the CNC and its usual tasks. November 24, 2008

Cutting Solid Phenolic with CNC Equipment

Pros discuss bit choice, feed rates, RPMs, and more. October 26, 2005

Converting Splines to Arcs in CAD

Skilled users describe ways to turn an AutoCAD spline into a set of arcs or line segments that CAM software can process. February 13, 2006

How to Change a Collet

Some collets are unusually sticky and stubborn. Here is how to reason with them. April 30, 2009

Coding a Dimension Layer Shortcut

Users share keystroke code to set dimension layers in AutoCAD. September 24, 2006

Keeping CNC Tables Clean

CNC owners describe onion-skinning, second passes, and other inventive methods to manage dust in router operations. December 8, 2010

Liquid Ring or Rotary Screw Vacuum Pump?

Vacuum pump types compared. May 16, 2005

Spoilboard Resurfacing

Basic spoilboard tips. January 28, 2009

Collet Torquing, Collet Maintenance, and Bit Breakage

Fine points relating to collets and bits. June 17, 2009

Value of Laser Projection Systems

If improved accuracy setting small parts will help you, a laser guide system for your CNC might be a good long-run investment. September 24, 2006

Hoses Failing on A Second-Hand CNC

An incorrect choice of lubricant may have caused hose failure on this previously-owned machine. April 15, 2013

Which software?

Ideas on reasonably priced, comprehensive computer applications for cabinetmakers. February 13, 2001

Smooth Surfacing of MDF Using CNC Equipment

Material choice and cutterhead selection affect the smoothness of a CNC-profiled MDF surface. CNC sanding is also possible. May 16, 2005

Preventing a Tool Holder from Sticking

Some tool holders stick and make a "popping" sound. The solution: frequent cleaning. December 6, 2006

Holding Small Cut-Outs in Place

Tiny cut-out pieces created when profiling CNC grill-work can pop out, land on the panel, and cause trouble. Here are some tips on keeping those small pieces in place or controlling where they end up. June 30, 2007

Boring Into Laminate on Plywood

Drilling into laminate-covered plywood poses a special challenge for a CNC router. Here are some tips on bit choice and machine settings. May 27, 2008

Custom Door Profile: Custom Cutter Versus CNC Solution

While searching for a particular profile cutterhead for his shaper, a cabinetmaker learns about a possible way to get what he needs from a CNC-equipped shop. April 29, 2013

Problems Holding Down Thin Sheet Stock

Suggestions for vacuum hold-down solutions when cutting small parts out of thin stock on the CNC router. October 1, 2010

Dust Collection for MDF Dust

Advice on controlling fine dust produced while machining MDF on a CNC. January 14, 2013

Returning Bad Parts when Having a CNC Machine Repaired

Miscommunication about who is responsible for getting bad parts back to the factory can create issues for CNC owner and manufacturer. January 27, 2008

P2P Origin Placement

Best postitioning for running gables on a point-to-point router. March 14, 2004

Upcut, Downcut Or Compression Tools

Which is better? It depends on the use (and your technique). April 10, 2005

Bit Life in Melamine

Bits wearing out too fast? Consider the tips in this thread from the CNC forum. November 12, 2005

PVC Machining Tips

Advice on bit choice, speeds, and RPMs for cutting PVC sheet goods with a small, low-powered CNC router. December 8, 2010

Supporting the Dust Collection Hose for a CNC Router

Here are some proven solutions (with photos) for supporting the dust collection ducting for a CNC router, while allowing the hose to move freely. December 29, 2008

Purchasing a Five-Axis CNC Machine

Advice on shopping for 5-axis CNC machinery and software. March 1, 2006

CNC Vacuum Pump Placement

Placing the pump at a distance, or even outside, helps keep the noise down. October 3, 2007

First CNC for Furniture Production

While considering his options for a first CNC, an owner asks colleagues for their recommendations. February 25, 2005

Hold-Down and Cooling Problems Cutting Metal

Cooling solutions tend to make the table slippery and interfere with vacuum holding ability. Here are some tips for working with metal on the CNC. April 16, 2009

Shaper Heads on CNC Machines

A "shaper aggregate" offers a whole new way to do curved mouldings. Here's some introductory info on the technology. August 14, 2007

Estimating drafting time

Charging for time spent on job drawings. January 3, 2003

How Useful are Zones on a CNC Machine?

An owner shopping for a CNC wonders whether he needs to be able to zone the machine's hold-down and operations capability. March 13, 2014

ACAD OSNAP Help

Troubleshooting the loss of OSNAP settings in ACAD 2002. February 25, 2005

Cutting Aluminum on a CNC Router

Basic CNC tips for working with sheet aluminum. December 27, 2006

CNC Dust Brush Issues

Brush strips around CNC routers may pick up sawdust and chips and drop them during tool changes. Here, equipment owners discuss alternative dust skirt materials. October 1, 2005

Cross-Training: Cabinetmaker to CNC Operator/Programmer

An experienced cabinetmaker asks what he needs to learn to get up to speed on CNC equipment. September 28, 2009

CNC Router for Guitar Parts

A newcomer to automation gets basic advice about using CNC to make guitar necks and bodies. August 30, 2005

Speeding Up CNC Feed Rates Around Corners

Advice on how to safely tweak the cutterhead feed speed up when routing corners, to prevent burning. September 27, 2008

CNC Spindle Maintenance and Repair

Careless servicing can cost in terms of equipment life. Here's a useful example and a discussion of smart maintenance practices. April 17, 2009

Stick Fonts for CAD/CAM Work

A conversation about finding simple fonts for use in part marking with CAD/CAM work. September 23, 2013

Vacuum Panel Lifter

Here's some basic info on vacuum panel lifters — how they work, setup, and use. April 21, 2011

Tooling for Machining Richlite

Advice on CNC tooling that can cope with Richlite, a paper-based fiber composite material. January 21, 2010

Selling Used CAD or CNC Software

You can transfer a software license to another buyer, but there are formalities involved. November 23, 2008

Phase Converter for a 20-HP CNC

Machine owners share experiences with finding ways to supply three-phase power in sufficient quantity and quality. June 17, 2010

Using Spreadsheets to Standardize Cabinet Part Specification

You can make an Excel spreadsheet to automate and standardize your process of specifying cabinet part dimensions. August 5, 2010

Vacuum and Spoilboard Issues with Small Plexiglass Pieces

Spoilboard and hold-down suggestions for cutting plastic on the CNC. September 28, 2009

Troubleshooting Melamine Chip-Out Around Bore Holes

Drill bit type and drilling speed control can reduce chipout on two-sided melamine panels, and there are also touch-up solutions for minor chipping problems. February 26, 2007

Communicating via email

Buying and Selling Wood on the Internet: Part 1. January 3, 2002

CNC Bit Choice and Dust Collection

Will an upshear bit improve dust collection effectiveness on a CNC? November 26, 2007

Precision in the Onion-Skin Cleanup Cut Pass

Advice on how to prevent a tiny "lip" from being left on wood edges after the final pass when onion-skinning parts. October 16, 2012

Fiddling with the Lead Screw Nut on a Ball-Screw CNC

Long description of troubleshooting and improvised repairs for a worn CNC part. September 15, 2011

Troubleshooting Breakage of Bits

CNC operators help a colleague figure out why his 1/4-inch bits keep breaking in 3/4-inch-thick hardwood. August 29, 2006

Smallest Practical Bits for CNC Cutting Work

CNC owners discuss how small a bit can be and still perform cutting tasks well. September 25, 2014

Alternatives to spoil boards

Looking for a new option for a CMS router. October 2, 2001

Troubleshooting a Noisy Spindle

CNC router spindles are rebuildable, but the noise problem could have other sources. April 6, 2007

Bit Choice for Routing Hardwoods with CNC

Experienced hands provide tooling advice. August 30, 2005

Doweling Machine Choice: CNC or Not?

When is it worth having CNC capability in doweling operations? December 2, 2011

Noisy Vacuum Pump

Is loud operation a trouble sign with a vacuum pump? May 6, 2009

Whether to Buy a 5-Axis CNC for Windows and Stairs

Is the versatility of 5-axis equipment worth the extra cost? June 29, 2009

Holding Down Nested Plywood Parts

Vacuum alone may not hold parts in place well enough, but there are many ways to get around the problem. Here's an assortment of tips and techniques. July 24, 2005

CAD Drawing Output to PDF

There are many ways to create PDF files from CAD files, both built-in and third-party add-ons. June 17, 2010

Miter-Fold Techniques

A few tips and tricks for effective miter-folding. April 17, 2009

Homing a CNC Tool Changer

A brief description of the procedure for homing the tool changer in a CNC that has been shut down for too long and forgotten its settings. June 30, 2014

Changing Tool Radius Settings in a CNC Controller

Advice on hand-coding some tool settings in a CNC controller. September 27, 2008

After-Market Tool Holder Parts for CNC Equipment

CNC owners discuss where to find minor accessories for their CNC gear — and how to fabricate their own parts from plastic, on the CNC itself. March 3, 2009

Working with Sheet Aluminum on a CNC Router

Advice, tips, and cautions on running aluminum on your CNC equipment. September 27, 2008

Diamond Versus Carbide: Tool Life and Production Trade-Off

Diamond bits last longer, but need to run slower than carbide because of overheating problems. December 2, 2011

Thrown CNC Tool -- What Happened?

When a tool slips out of the collet while the machine's running, it's dangerous. Here, pros troubleshoot a case. November 26, 2007

Vacuum Pump Exhaust Setups

Thoughts on how to exhaust a vacuum pump outside the shop, in order to reduce heat buildup. December 2, 2011

Cutting Flutes Without Burning the Wood

A discussion of tooling choices and cut path adjustments that may help avoid creating burn marks when machining flutes into solid wood. June 17, 2013

Troubleshooting Inaccurate Cutting with Dual Tables

Mechanical backlash or a control problem could be causing performance flaws in a dual-table CNC setup. Here are tips of finding the source of trouble. May 16, 2005

Drawing Nested Ellipses in CAD

but not both. Ace CAD drafters share quick ellipse tips. June 28, 2005

Vacuum Horsepower and Table Size

Rough ideas about vacuum pump sizing and setup for CNC hold-down purposes. April 21, 2011

Boring Block Bit Set-Up

Advice on setting up a CNC drill bank for good boring performance. October 12, 2007

Two-Head CNC Router Choices

Several suppliers make CNC routers with two independently operating heads and advanced control capabilities. January 14, 2008

Buying used CNC and tech support

How much help can you expect from the manufacturer or distributor? January 28, 2002

Bit Slippage in Tough Material

A CNC owner who's making stair stringers from laminated veneer lumber (LVL) gets advice on good practice for inserting and tightening the bits. September 8, 2007

Router Bits Versus Drill Bits for Boring with a CNC Router

It's best to use drill bits for boring holes, especially if you have to bore a lot of them. August 5, 2010

CNC Tool Choice to Limit Laminate Chipping

Lots of CNC users experience chipping problems when machining laminated panels. Here's a discussion. June 28, 2010

Bit Choice and Dust Control when Cutting MDF

Tips on how to keep dust from packing into the cutlines when machining MDF on a CNC router. February 28, 2012

Avoiding Blowout Cutting Hardwood on CNC

Multiple passes, with climb cutting, seems to do the trick. February 20, 2008

Will a Nested CNC Eliminate the Need for a Slider?

Most cabinetmakers agree that a shop with a CNC still needs a table saw sometimes. December 11, 2012

Machining Hinge Mortises in Veneered Doors with CNC

How do you avoid blowing out the veneer? There's more than one way to do it. August 30, 2005

Replacing a CNC Ball Screw

When a CNC's ball screw fails, you can get an aftermarket part custom-built — but is it worth the hassle? June 30, 2007

What does Visual Basic do?

An explanation of how Microsoft's Visual Basic for Applications works. June 13, 2001

Limitations of an Older Used CNC Router

A woodworker ponders purchasing some old iron and silicon. June 17, 2009

Vacuum Table Pump Options

A description of vacuum pump types and some advice on the limitations of cheap alternatives. June 26, 2006

Drag-and-Drop Hole Boring Patterns in CAD

Here are some slick tricks for storing hole spacings in an AutoCAD library for quick 32-mm cabinet part design. October 25, 2007

CNC Router or Machining Center?

For complex work on small parts, a pod and rail machine works best. A router table setup is better for cabinet production. But hybrid machines exist that offer the best of both worlds. March 6, 2006

Securing a Narrow Part to the CNC Table

A CNC operator learns how to hold down the blank for a narrow curved part. June 5, 2006

When a Spindle Won't Let Go

Tool spindles can be finicky, and sometimes fail to release a tool properly. Here's one example, and a discussion of what could be causing the trouble. January 27, 2008

Making Small Parts with a CNC Router

A CNC beginner gets advice on various ways to hold the work in place. August 8, 2005

Finishing Dimpled MDF

A three-dimensional dimpled pattern made on a CNC in MDF needs a metallic finish. It's not going to be easy.

Cold-Related CNC Air Pressure Problems

Below-freezing temperatures can create problems with pneumatic air supply. June 17, 2009

Methods for radius layout

Alternatives to using a trammel for laying out an arc. September 19, 2001

Replacing Electronics for Big Iron

Here's a tip: shop around for parts or components before you buy a whole new touch screen, display, controller, or similar electronic element for shop machinery. You could save a bundle. January 2, 2012

Troubleshooting A Drilling Inconsistency

Professionals diagnose a case of inaccurate drilling. April 10, 2005

Cutting Stacked Sheets on the CNC

Suggestions for how to hold thin sheets of material down while cutting multiple sheets in one pass. August 24, 2008

Feed Rates and Speeds for Scribing Metal-and-Plastic Composite

CNC owners offer advice for engraving letters in an unusual composite panel (metal laminated to plastic). December 31, 2012

Troubleshooting Chatter Marks

Imperfect cuts are traced to alignment and bit issues. December 10, 2007

Creating and Using a Master Materials List

Here's how to maintain a master materials list in AutoCad. May 16, 2005

Squaring Up Inside Corners of Panel Routs

Advice on machining square inside corners for cut-outs in pre-laminated panels. November 13, 2009

Cabinet Back Strategies for CNC

A discussion with drawings of ways to machine cabinet backs and sides for convenient and strong assembly. May 15, 2011

Locating the CNC on the Shop Floor

Loading, unloading, workflow, and air supply are considerations when fitting a new CNC into the shop. August 21, 2012

Square Corner Problem with CNC

The owner of a Shoda router with a Fanuc control asks for advice on making true square corners while maintaining fast operation of the equipment. December 31, 2012

Simple Radial-Ray Wood Carving Toolpaths

A CNC owner gets tips on creating the toolpaths to reproduce a set of simple sunburst decorative carvings. January 21, 2010

"Step" or "Jump" Defect on Curves with CNC

CNC owners discuss why curves cut on a CNC router may not be smooth. January 28, 2009

Cutting Sheet Aluminum on the CNC

Advice on bits, cut directions, and lubricating coolant for machining aluminum. September 28, 2009

Vacuum and Part Size

A question about how to relate vacuum requirements to minimum part size. January 2, 2012

Do I Need a Five-Axis CNC Router?

A discussion of the rare situations that make 5-axis capabilities a necessity. October 28, 2008

Pump Capacity Requirements for Vacuum-Table Work

Necessary pump size varies depending on many factors. November 12, 2005

Vacuum Fixturing - Part 2 of 3

Flow and pressure are the key parameters in choosing a vacuum pump for a hold-down system. The two qualities are inversely related. (Part Two of a technical explanation by Tom Galzin of New CNC.) June 1, 2012

Tool Choice and Settings for Crisp Laminate Cuts

CNC operators discuss carbide versus diamond tooling, feed rates, and bit speeds to get good cut quality when machining laminate. August 24, 2008

Best Tool Head for Cutting Grooves?

A saw blade or a router bit could give the best results, depending on the situation. December 10, 2007

Dealing with CNC Off-Fall

CNCs can rapidly create a huge pile of odd-shaped scrap. Here's how shop owners manage the mess. August 19, 2008

Creating the Flat View of a Cone Surface Segment

Here's the math and the AutoCAD technique for removing the skin from a cone. February 26, 2007

1/8" Router Bit Feeds and Speeds

The critical factor with a slender bit is depth of cut: too deep, and it will snap. January 2, 2012

Fabricating MDF Doors on the CNC

You can make MDF doors quickly with specialized tooling, or slowly with generic tooling. March 9, 2008

Miter Fold Feed Rates

Tips on grooving MDF with the CNC router for miter fold box corner construction. December 29, 2008

Melamine Chipping

Is it the bits, the feed rate, the material? Pros troubleshoot a case of melamine chipping on a new CNC unit. June 30, 2005

Holding Veneer Flat on a CNC Table

A CNC operator finds that veneer tends to "bubble up" off the vacuum spoilboard in random spots. Here, he gets advice on holding the material down so he can cut inlay pieces out of it. June 30, 2007

Air Nozzle Control Work-Arounds for CNC Routers

Some CNC control systems have code to switch blower-nozzle air on and off, and some don't. If yours doesn't, a simple hardware tweak might help. July 16, 2008

Working Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic on a CNC

Tips and cautions for machining FRP on the CNC. Choose bits carefully and beware of the dust. October 25, 2007

Computer purchase recommendations

Choosing the right computer system to run CAD and more. January 3, 2001

Laser Alternatives

A discussion of laser layout equipment, software, and a low-tech shop-rigged alternative. July 2, 2005

Keeping Parts Dust-Free in CNC Production

Tips for keeping parts clean as they come off the CNC. October 27, 2008

Uneven Wear on CNC Racks and Gears

Here's a thoughtful look at the causes of various wear patterns on CNC equipment, and appropriate maintenance measures. June 17, 2009

Troubleshooting CNC Vacuum Pump Problems

CNC owners discuss a grab bag of possible vacuum pump issues. November 23, 2008

Moving in the Z Axis when Machining Melamine

CNC owners consider whether it's worth moving the tool in the Y axis while cutting, in order to extend bit life. August 14, 2007

Holding Down 1/4-Inch Materials on a Vacuum Table

Thin panels can be hard to hold down, especially at the edges. Here's some advice. September 3, 2010

Carbide Cutters Wearing Out in Melamine

CNC users troubleshoot a case of short bit life in melamine. December 14, 2005

CNC Contour Milling and Bit Breakage

Complex milling with lots of direction changes requires some adjustment of bit speeds in order to keep the cutters cool. August 24, 2008

Flat Table Versus Pod and Rail CNC Machines

How to choose the right CNC setup for making furniture parts. February 20, 2011

CNC Production Rates

A discussion of ballpark numbers: How many sheets will a CNC router cut in a day, and how many before you need a new bit? June 30, 2007

Material for Vacuum Pods or Cups

CNC owners discuss the materials they use to machine their own vacuum pods. August 3, 2009

Tool Holder and Collet Maintenance

How often should you clean or replace CNC tools and collets? December 27, 2007

Working with Drawings Generated by Older Versions

To preserve compatibility, use "external reference" (XREF) to maintain the original file in its original state. June 8, 2008

Eliminating Hand Sanding in Pocket CNC Routs

The right tool, ramping in, and a light finish pass can eliminate most tool scratches in decorative routs. October 3, 2007

Router Bits for Three-Dimensional CNC Carving

Advice on tooling for a woodworker who's breaking into 3D CNC carving work. July 29, 2012

Machining a Giant Chess Set on CNC

A CNC owner shows off an unusual custom project: Carving giant chess pieces based on 3D scans of small pieces. October 15, 2009

Reducing Tool Wear with Laminated Sheet Goods

Bits wear out quickly when machining laminate. Here's advice on achieving longer tool life. April 21, 2007

Why CNC Sometimes Cuts a Line Instead of an Arc

A variety of input flaws can cause equipment to take a shortcut between the end points of what should be an arc. March 1, 2006

Creating Wavy Surface Patterns in Plywood with CNC Equipment

Tips on how tooling and programming to get that desert-sand-dune look on a sheet of plywood. September 8, 2007

Sticky Tool Holder Syndrome

Cleaning, maintenance and adjustment ideas to stop tool holders from sticking during CNC operation. February 13, 2009

Feed Rate and RPM for Bamboo on the CNC

Struggling to eliminate chatter when cutting bamboo, a CNC operator gets advice on tooling and settings, as well as on specifying tool paths. April 17, 2009

CNC Table Base Sizes

Three out of three doctors agree — bigger is better. Choose 5x12 over 5x8 or 5x10, and you'll be glad you did before too long. July 29, 2007

Using Boring Tools with a CNC Router Collet

Boring tools can be adapted to a CNC router for use at slower RPMs. October 3, 2007

Specifying Router Bit Offsets in Alphacam

Tips on tweaking the router bit settings for cutting closed and open curves. October 14, 2010

Improving Relief Cut Quality

Advice on bits, RPMs, and more for getting clean, sharp cuts in complex relief surfaces. March 1, 2006

Ghosts in the Machine

Mysterious leftover objects created by text masking can stick around and contaminate CAD template files. May 16, 2005

Pin Indexing for Two-Sided Drilling

Here are some ideas for quick, accurate positioning of panels when you need to drill holes from both sides. October 26, 2012

Bit Life in High Pressure Laminate

How many sheets should you be able to cut before a bit wears out? Comparing carbide with diamond, and a discussion of feed rates and settings. July 3, 2005

CNC Vacuum Pump Sizing and Elevation

Altitude affects the efficacy of a vacuum pump for CNC hold-down applications. Here's some info on how to make the adjustment. May 16, 2005

Grinding Down Bits when Only the Tip is Worn

ztp If you're cutting solid hardwood in many shallow passes, you may be able to re-grind bits and use them for longer.January 31, 2012

Small Pilot Bits for the CNC

There are several workable options for pre-drilling for #8 screws with CNC equipment. December 10, 2007

Biesse Rover 30 Error: No Band Sensor Up

Maintenance advice for managing a minor problem with sensors on a CNC. July 29, 2012

Chip Load and Cutterhead Characteristics

Different CNC tool designs call for different chip loadings. May 16, 2005

PTP vs. CNC: What's the difference?

Technical differences and applications of point-to-point and CNC routers. December 12, 2000

Engraving Single-Line Fonts

Work-around options for simple font routing. October 3, 2007

Tool Choice for Half-Inch Acrylic

Advice on selecting bits that will do clean work machining thick acrylic on the CNC router. April 17, 2009

Grinding Moulder Knives with a CNC

Good info on the advantages and limitations of CNC-based knife-grinding setups. October 3, 2009

CNC Compressed Air Needs

CNC owners discuss compressor, tank, and pipe setups for good performance. October 13, 2008

Dowel Hole Layout for CNC Boring

A CNC gives you flexibility in dowel-hole spacing. So what do you choose? March 9, 2008

More CNC Basics for Aluminum

Basic advice on cutting aluminum on CNC equipment. December 27, 2006

What's High Speed for a Top-Quality CNC?

What kind of RPM and feed speed represents top-flight performance for modern CNC equipment? February 20, 2011

Making Pocket Holes with a CNC Router

Depending on the job, setting up the CNC device to rout and drill pocket holes may be faster than using a dedicated pocket-hole machine or jig. July 24, 2005

Complex Drawings in Solid Works

To avoid trouble, relate all your parts to one reference point and avoid "in context references." January 28, 2009

Scrubbing "Fingerprints" from a CAD File

Once a "fingerprint" watermark finds its way into your CAD file folder, lots of drawings may get infected by the stamp. Here's help deleting that mess from your situation. February 19, 2011

Vacuum Relief Valves

To save wear and tear on pumps, relieving vacuum during idle time is a good idea. May 15, 2012

Cutting Stainless Steel with a CNC Router

Short answer: bad idea. February 23, 2008

Resolution in 3D CNC Carving

Tips on how to improve the rendering of fine detail in three-dimensional woodcarving using a CNC router. August 29, 2006

Measuring Irregular Areas in AutoCAD

AutoCAD offers a variety of ways to find the area of drawn shapes. September 1, 2010

Material Choices for Shop-Made Vacuum Pods

CNC owners discuss the options for making your own vacuum pods. July 2, 2008

Spoilboard Tips

Advice on how deep to cut into the spoil board, and when to discard the sheet. August 17, 2006

CNC Routing: Minutes per Sheet

Tracking the time it takes to cut out cabinet parts on a CNC router. August 17, 2006

Boring MDF Without Blowout

Bit speed, bit material and bit geometry could all be factors if MDF blows out as the drill bit exits the material. November 25, 2005

Machining Curves in Hardwood

Quick advice about tool choices and tool paths when machining solid Oak on the CNC router. April 30, 2009

Machining Brass with CNC Equipment

Advice on lubrication and cooling when working with sheet brass on a CNC router. June 30, 2007

Consistent Dado Joints with Inconsistent Material

Thickness variations in sheet goods make for loose dado joints. Here's how to adjust your CNC settings to deal with the problem. March 27, 2008

Cutting Sheet Aluminum without Breaking Bits

Bit type and size, feed rate, spindle RPMs, and cooling are the key parameters for success with machining aluminum on a CNC. Here's advice. June 28, 2013

CNC or Conventional Equipment?

Cabinetmakers discuss the value and usefulness of CNC equipment and other alternatives. December 14, 2005

Improving Particleboard Cut Quality with a CNC Router

Edge tears or voids may be unpreventable, given typical particleboard quality. June 30, 2007

How Much Vacuum Can the Pump Tolerate?

Pumps come with protective controls to keep them from being damaged by overwork. Here is some related advice on maintaining adequate hold-down of small parts. October 16, 2012

Feed Speeds, RPMs, and Bit Life

"Make chips, not dust" — chips take heat off the tool, so to make bits last, set feed rates and RPMs to cut large chips. May 23, 2007

Locking Exported Drawing Files

Advice on how to transmit CAD drawings so that the viewer cannot alter the files. February 12, 2010

Trueing a CNC Spindle

Instructions on how to "tram" or "sweep" a CNC spindle that has gotten out of plumb. January 25, 2013

Estimating and purchasing software

Recommended reading and computer software for estimating architectural woodwork. February 7, 2001

3/8" Versus 1/2" Compression Bits

The smaller-diameter bits reduce waste, but may deflect in thick material. September 30, 2010

Troubleshooting an Uneven Spoilboard

A CNC owner has trouble getting a uniform flat surface on his spoilboard. December 11, 2012

Troubleshooting Wheel Mouse Problems with AutoCad

Fixing a few settings might work, or you might need a whole new mouse. October 1, 2005

CNC vs P2P

Defining the difference between P2P and CNC. June 13, 2001

Choosing CNC Lubricant and Maintaining Oiling Systems

Here's advice on choosing the proper lubricant so your oiling lines won't clog, and on unclogging the lines if need be. September 8, 2014

CNC Software and True-Type Fonts

A discussion of compatibiity between font software encoding and CNC machinery characteristics. July 29, 2007

Radius of an arc

Formulas for determining the radius of an arc, or "eyebrow"

"Parametrics": Defined and explained

An explanation of parametrics in CNC machinery programming. June 13, 2001

Machining Metal Laminate on the CNC

Advise on choosing bits and setting toolpaths to achieve clean cuts in metal laminates. March 3, 2010

Tool Speeds and Fire

Thoughts on how to prevent the tool overheating that could set your material (and your shop) on fire. October 15, 2009

Engraving Aluminum in a CNC Router

Compared to machining wood, working with aluminum calls for different tooling, speeds, and cooling methods. July 29, 2012

CNC Heat Issues: Vacuum Pumps and Electronics

Yes, CNC vacuums throw off heat, and yes, CNC electronics do better if kept cool. May 28, 2010

Vacuum Holding Power and Material Thickness

Is vacuum hold-down less effective when you're machining thinner sheet goods? May 15, 2012

Realistic 3D Drawings of Cabinet Doors Using CAD

How to go about getting a realistic three-dimensional image of a cabinet door with depth and texture, in AutoCAD. May 7, 2007

Design Drafting for a Tudor Arch

Looking like a flattened Gothic arch, a Tudor arch involves a complex interaction of four radius centers. Here's some help with designing one. October 11, 2007

Calibrating Depths when Changing Tool Bits

When you replace an old dull bit with a sharp new fresh bit, how do you compensate for the difference in length of the tool? May 13, 2013

Limits to Vacuum When Routing Small Parts

A newcomer asks what size parts he should expect his vacuum table to manage. Experienced hands discuss his problem. July 2, 2005

Hold-Downs for Machining Small Hardwood Pieces

CNC operators suggest various ways to hold boards down for machining flutes and other profiles. June 26, 2006

Full-Scale Printing Workarounds for CAD

Advice about how to export from AutoCAD to an accurate output file at full scale for a large-format printer or print shop. August 21, 2012

More on Improving Dust Collection on a CNC Router

Ways to modify and tweak your CNC device for better dust collection. October 9, 2006

Software for Making MDF Doors on a CNC

A shop owner gets a few suggestions for door fabricating software to go with his new CNC. April 18, 2015

Starter CNC for a Guitar Maker

A guitar maker gets advice on an entry-level CNC setup that will let him make time with artistic electric bodies. August 24, 2008

Keeping the CNC Operator Busy

Productivity tips for operators while nested part runs are in progress. March 17, 2005

Snapping Tangent Lines to an Arc

Tips and tricks for making lines snap to curves (or vice versa). May 16, 2005

3d Cnc

Programming 3D work on a CNC. August 26, 2004

Maintaining Vacuum on CNC Equipment

Considering pipe sizes, pump setup, and a vacuum reservoir tank. June 30, 2005

Troubleshooting Bit Breakage

Many different things could cause a bit to break inside the collet. July 21, 2006

Bit Size for CNC Cut-Out Operations

Are there reasons for preferring a 1/2-inch, 3/8-inch, or even 1/4-inch bit for cutting out parts on a CNC router? June 26, 2006

Cutting Techniques for PVC Board

A fabricating shop has problems working with expanded PVC foam board. Colleagues share advice on cutter choice, feed rate, and more. July 11, 2005

Cutting Aluminum Composite Sheets

Advice on bit choice and techniques for machining aluminum composite panels on CNC equipment. February 17, 2012

Breaking router bits

Why are bits breaking while cutting exterior-grade MDF? November 26, 2001

Machining Fire-Retardant MDF

Fire-retardant-treated MDF is much tougher on tools than ordinary MDF. Here's some info and some suggestions for tooling. November 15, 2010

Cold CNC Machine Won't Run

When a CNC device generates a "too cold" error message after spending the night in an unheated shop, pay attention. March 6, 2006

Machine Malfunction Traced to Small Mammalian Life-Forms

Worth a read for fun: A supposed sensor fault in a CNC device turned out to be caused by an atypical interaction with some rodent incisors.October 26, 2011

Cut MDF in One Pass, or Several?

A single pass is faster, but if you have time there might be reasons to make multiple passes. April 20, 2008

Countersink Drilling with CNC Equipment

A custom-made one-piece step drill bit is your best bet for countersinking success. May 16, 2005

Sealing MDF Spoilboard Edges

Quick and effective ways to seal spoilboard edges. December 28, 2014

Importing PDF Files into AutoCAD

Tips on bringing a PDF image into AutoCAD for use in your drawings. April 16, 2010

Plywood Offcut Organizing Systems

Plywood scraps aren't waste if you use 'em — but keeping them saved and sorted is a challenge. There are basic and advanced systems for doing that. January 27, 2008

Compression Bit Size: What's Best

Half-inch bits run faster, but the 3/8-inch size wastes less. April 10, 2005

What Transducers Do

On CNC equipment, transducers are used to record actual machine motion for feedback to the controller, improving accuracy and preventing error. July 21, 2006

Bit Selection for Contouring a Wood Chair Seat

Choose a bit radius that approximates the curve you need to create. July 25, 2010

Bits for Machining Solid Wood

CNC pros discuss bits for solid wood machining that will get the job done and last a long time in service. August 14, 2009

Flattening a Tapered Elliptical Part

An elliptical desk meets a brick wall, and software wizards get their heads around a very tricky dimensional problem. October 1, 2005

Cutting Miters on the CNC

Advice on bits and methods for cutting miters and miter-folds on CNC routers. October 14, 2010

G codes and plot codes

The differences between and attributes of each. August 13, 2002

V-Grooving for a Miter-Fold on a CNC

Cutting a V-groove with a CNC's rotary bit has inherent limitations because of bit speed. But there are solutions. March 25, 2007

Vacuum Hold-Down with Rough Materials

Advice on how to achieve a strong working vacuum when holding down rough sheet stock on a CNC router table. April 29, 2006

Troubleshooting Pneumatic Valve Leaks

Advice on valve maintenance and repair procedures. September 3, 2010

Maintaining CNC Lube Systems

Oil lines and valves need inspection and occasionally have to be replaced. February 12, 2010

Tooling for MDF Doors on CNC

Getting set up to profile one-piece raised-panel MDF doors on a CNC shouldn't break the bank. December 11, 2012

Remembering Dick Neveu

Fond remembrances of the late Dick Neveu from fellow Cabinet Vision users. August 14, 2007

Buying Used PTP Equipment

Reliability and service can be issues, say those who've done it. August 30, 2005

Training draftsmen for woodworking

Can an engineer learn the nuances of drawing millwork in CAD? March 20, 2001

Full-Sized Templates From CAD Files

With a few simple software tricks, you can produce working print files suitable for a large-scale plotter. November 12, 2005

CNC Tool Overheating and Fire Risk

Tips on CNC feed rates and rpm's to reduce the risk of ignition in composite panels. November 23, 2008

Title Block and Filename Conventions

If you want to stay organized, it helps to have a system for naming CAD files and structuring title blocks. October 26, 2005

Digitizing a Paper Template

With the right equipment, you can input a physical template as a computer file suitable for CAD work or CNC fabrication. March 9, 2008

Refurbishing Old Tool Holders

Rusted or corroded spindles on a CNC tool holder can be chrome-plated and reground. April 29, 2006

Converting AutoCAD to metric measure

Setting up AutoCAD for metric, instead of imperial, measure. February 28, 2001

Phase Converters for Powering CNC Routers

CNC owners report good success with using phase converters to provide three-phase power to their equipment. November 14, 2009

Troubleshooting CNC Controller Errors

When a CNC device makes an unexplained move or cut, how can you isolate the source of the glitch? September 3, 2010

Attaching a Pointer Laser to a CNC Router

Tips and cautions for equipping a CNC with indicator lights for accurate setup and layout. September 1, 2010

Cutting Rough and Finish Profiles using Alphacam

Figuring out the Alphacam settings to cut smooth curves in multiple passes. October 14, 2010

Spoilboard Advice for Routing CDX Plywood

Holding down CDX plywood requires a strong vacuum and a good spoilboard, because of the plywood's voids and warping. August 17, 2006

CNC Modification: Remote Control Cooling

Informative video: a CNC owner adds an air blasting hose and nozzle with remote control to his equipment. September 25, 2014

Third-Party Alternatives to Adobe Acrobat

Advice on PDF creation and editing software, beyond the Adobe products. June 11, 2010

Machine Cutting Out of Square

A CNC router that cuts out of square may need one of several mechanical adjustments. September 3, 2010

Routing Laminated Strand Lumber Material

LSL material can be very tough on CNC router bits. But solid carbide reputedly holds up well. April 21, 2008

CNC Tooling for Large Solid Wood Parts

Step-cutting with a relatively light bit can break the tool. Instead, rough out with a large, slow helix bit and come back for a light finish pass. September 24, 2006

CAD Forum -- Specifying Arc Length

There are several ways to specify an arc in AutoCAD, knowing just the length of the arc and the radius. September 24, 2006

Planing and Smoothing with CNC Equipment

Fly cutters and spiral heads can smooth surfaces. Some foreign shops have also developed planer-head CNC tooling. May 16, 2005

Cutting Bamboo Plywood with a CNC Router

Bamboo can be hard on the equipment. Here's some advice about bit choice, feed speed, and RPMs. November 11, 2006

Troubleshooting Melamine Chipping on CNC Equipment

Maintenance steps, different bit choice, or RPM and feed speed modifications should correct a chipping problem. September 7, 2006

Placing Images Into CAD Drawings

Tricks for keeping embedded image files crisp and clear in AutoCAD output. March 1, 2006

Milling Epoxy Tops on a CNC

Thoughts on tooling and dust control for cutting inch-thick epoxy on a CNC router. February 12, 2010

Nested base manufacturing

Switching from a P2P to a CNC router, and taking on new software and a new process. August 29, 2001

CNC Off-Load Devices

Thoughts on accessories for pushing cut parts off the CNC table. December 24, 2009

Distressing with a CNC Machine

How some people use shiny new CNC equipment for beating up wood to make it look old and busted. May 23, 2007

Depth Variations: Is It the Code?

Inconsistent machining is probably a mechanical issue, not a code or controller fault. December 10, 2007

Diamond Bits Versus Carbide Bits

Diamond bits last longer in hard materials, but may not be as sharp for quality cutting. January 14, 2008

Static Cling Problem When Routing Melamine

Advice on eliminating the static charge that causes dust to cling to workpieces when machining melamine panels on the CNC router. July 10, 2009

Machining Acrylic on the CNC

Advice on the fine points of cutting acrylic. February 12, 2010

Vacuum Pump Oil Temperature Control

Ideas for shop-rigged solutions to warm the oil in an outdoor vacuum pump at startup on cold days. September 3, 2010

Cutting Marine HDPE

Advice on cutting marine-grade high-density polyethylene (HDPE). June 17, 2009

Cost Per Sheet for CNC Part Cutting

A cabinetmaker looking to outsource parts gets some rough ballpark numbers as of 2007. January 27, 2008

Heat Issues when Cutting MDF with Compression Bits

It's tricky to adjust cutter speeds for good chip load and cool cutting in MDF. May 15, 2008

Cleaning Tool Holders

Tips on routine cleaning for CNC tool holders. October 27, 2008

Minimizing End-Grain Tearout

Tool selection and cutting methods to reduce tear-out of end grain in CNC machining operations. March 22, 2013

Outputting AutoCAD Files to PDF

More advice on this common, but sometimes pesky, task. February 26, 2007

Dovetails on the CNC

The CNC may not be the fastest way to produce dovetail joinery, but if you have spare CNC time available there are ways to do it. Here are suggestions. March 22, 2013

Routing Slots into White Oak with CNC Equipment

It's rough on bits, but what are the options? Pros suggest some possibilities. October 8, 2005

Whether to Invest in a Small CNC Machine

Even a small CNC machine can be highly productive. But a small shop has to think through whether it will suit their volume, workflow, and schedule. July 11, 2007

Routing Teflon on the CNC

Dealing with hold-down and clean cutting issues when routing small parts from an extremely slippery material. August 3, 2009

Tools Stands and Bench Clamps for Working on Bits

Advice on shop accessories to help with CNC bit maintenance. July 25, 2010

Measurement Tools for PDF Drawings

Notes on a couple of apps that will let you pull dimensions on a PDF drawing. March 27, 2012

CNC Spindle Alignment, Shims, and Vibration

A CNC owner asks whether there are drawbacks to using too many shims behind his spindle. August 3, 2009

Keeping the Spoilboard Down

Plastic screws work, and surfacing both sides might help. March 17, 2005

Cutting Cedar Without Splintering on a CNC Router

Pros recommend climb-cutting for the first pass, and add other tips. December 6, 2006

Buying an Older Model Used CNC Device

CNC pros advise against buying outdated machines from the 1980s. March 1, 2006

Power Lifters for Loading CNC Tables

Loading panels onto your CNC equipment can be hard work. Consider lift equipment to save labor (and avoid injuries). November 11, 2006

Duplicating Existing Parts

There are simple ways, complicated ways, and software solutions when you need to image a part into a useable CAD/CNC file. July 11, 2005

CabinetVision and Mastercam

Using these systems for kitchen cabinet design and construction. March 23, 2002

Cutting Expanded PVC Sheet Goods on a CNC Router

Advice on bit choice, feed speeds, RPMs, and related issues when machining expanded PVC plastic sheet material on a CNC router. August 5, 2010

Tool Holder Handedness and Safety

For peace of mind, use tool holders that are tighened, not loosened, by the direction of rotation of the tool. April 17, 2009

Troubleshooting Out-of-Level Machining on a CNC Router

Problems with a mis-alignment between the CNC gantry and the table. February 12, 2010

Bit Wear in PVC with Applied Laminate

Cutting small parts in hard material can be rough on tooling. Here is advice about feed speeds and RPMs, as well as some thoughts on hold-down methods. June 4, 2012

Machining Curved Casings and Sashes on CNC

How to handle hold-down problems when cutting out large curved parts. April 6, 2007

Low-End Options for Bleed Board Vacuum

A small bleed-board parts hold-down setup for occasional use can be practically powered using shop vacuums. September 3, 2010

CNC maintenance

How can a small shop deal with CNC equipment breakdown, maintenance and repair? January 31, 2001

Spindle Load Meter Fluctuations

For various reasons, spindle load meters may display momentary very high readings during normal operations. March 28, 2008

Clean Grooves in Acrylic

Advice on machining V grooves into acrylic without re-welding problems. October 28, 2008

Machining Your Own CNC Vacuum Pods

You can make your own vacuum pods out of PVC. Here's some advice on how to do it. August 14, 2007

CAD Rendering Tips

AutoCAD may not have the best or easiest rendering engine, but it can do the job. January 10, 2006

Protecting Laminate from Scratches on a CNC Pod and Rail

Felt or plastic covers can keep laminate free of scratches. September 3, 2011

Cutters for Clean Edges on Maple Plywood

Advice on tooling and CNC settings for sharp cuts in plywood. October 15, 2009

Comparing Materials for CNC Spoilboard

MDF, LDF, and even expanded PVC all have their good points for use as spoilboards. November 25, 2005

Detailing Pre-Hung Entry Doors on CNC

A description of what's involved in equipping a CNC router to prep doors for hanging, including cutting to size and mortising for hardware. November 8, 2007

Overheating in Short Cuts

Maintaining the right RPM and bit speed gets tricky when the cuts are short. February 28, 2012

Sources for Pre-Drawn Appliance Images

How to locate, collect and import images of manufactured appliances for CAD work. October 1, 2005

Why CNC Machines Slow Down on the Curves

Actual feed rates are slower than the programmed rate when the cutter has to trace a curve. Pros in the know explain why. June 28, 2005

Appropriate Router Bit for Pocketing

Tooling advice for pocketing. August 16, 2012

Shop-Built Solutions for CNC Vacuum Hose Suspension

Here's a handful of tips for supporting the vacuum hose on a CNC router to keep the hose out of the way, but free to move. November 25, 2005

Complex Shapes on a Flat-Table CNC Router

A discussion, with examples, about cutting complex art shapes, bas-relief, curved mouldings, et cetera, on a flat-table CNC. December 11, 2012

Half-inch Versus Three-Eighths-Inch Cutters

Larger bits can work faster. To choose RPMs and feed rate, calculate the desired chip load. June 30, 2007

Cutting CDX on a CNC

Exterior grade plywood is hard to work with on a CNC router because it won't lie flat. Here is some hold-down advice and some thoughts on bit choice.October 20, 2013

File Security for Drawings

Tips to make sure that CAD files stored on a network aren't altered or tampered with. November 12, 2005

Cutting 3/4 Melamine on CNC

Advice on bit type, feed rate, and RPM. July 3, 2005

Fuzzy Edge Problems with Particleboard Melamine

Fuzz from the edges of freshly cut particleboard is gumming up the edgebander. What to do? Here's advice on bits and cutting methods. April 17, 2009

Saving CAD Drawings in Jpeg Format

Here's a handful of tricks for making AutoCAD output a jpeg image file. March 21, 2006

Jamb Hinge Machining on CNC

Tips for a tricky CNC problem: holding down and referencing door jamb stock with a grooved back. January 10, 2006

Rough and Finish Bit Choices for Paperstone

Paperstone can be routed, but it is a hard, dense material that calls for multiple passes to machine a clean edge. April 19, 2011

Troubleshooting Drill Head Pneumatic Controls

Is an air leak causing the drill head to not drill to full depth? February 17, 2012

Converting CAD Files to PDF Format

There are lots of ways to make a PDF file out of a CAD drawing. August 29, 2005

CNC Router Tables: Is Bigger Better?

Shop owners tell why a larger table is often a good investment. October 18, 2005

Where to Put the Vacuum Pump

Some CNC owners find their vacuum pumps perform better when located in a space that communicates with the outdoors. May 16, 2005

Attaching an Aggregate and Saw Blade to a CNC Machine

Here's a basic explanation of how you go about equipping a CNC machine with the capability to saw square shapes out of panels. June 30, 2007

Dimension Tick/Arrow Defaults

Ideas for making arrows the norm, rather than tick marks, in dimension callouts. January 24, 2005

AutoCAD 2010 Snap Move Minimums

An obscure setting in AutoCAD allows you to make very short object moves. September 1, 2010

Squaring Up a CNC Machine

Here's a step-by-step method for re-calibrating a CNC router that is slightly out of square along one axis. July 18, 2013

Putting Old CNC Machinery into Service

If it's running, that 1986 machine can be put to work, with or without updated controls. July 21, 2006

Machining Aluminum with a CNC Router

Lubrication, holddown, RPMs and feed rate are the issues noted in this discussion. November 13, 2005

CNC Spindles: Air-Cooled Versus Liquid-Cooled

Liquid-cooled spindles are a little more complicated. Is it worth it? January 14, 2008

Spoil Board Storage Rack Idea

Here's a nifty rack for storing dedicated spoilboards in the shop. December 28, 2014

Machining Acrylic

Bit selection, feed rates, and other advice for cutting acrylic on a CNC router. March 1, 2006

Diamond Bits for Cutting Laminate on CNC

Far more durable than other alternatives, diamond bits are cost-effective despite their high price. August 21, 2006

Computer Tweaks to Boost CAD Performance

CAD puts heavy demands on a PC's processor, memory, display, and storage devices. Here are recommendations for hardware add-ons and software settings that can help keep your computer from bogging down. March 21, 2006

Linking Drawing Data to Spreadsheets

Tips on pulling data from AutoCAD drawings into Excel spreadsheets to compile cabinet ordering information. November 26, 2007

Surfacing a Spoil Board with Enroute

Little adjustments help you hit the edges. June 17, 2010

Curved Parallel Lines in CAD

Simple tip for drawing offset curved lines. August 14, 2007

Reverse-Side Router Indexing

How to index your workpiece and your router for working the back side of a panel. November 8, 2008

Ergonomics and Wrist Discomfort

An advanced, ergonomic mouse and trackball might help relieve wrist pain, but other workspace tweaks may also be priorities. September 24, 2006

Keeping Vacuum Pods Clean

Dust can clog the vacuum pods on CNC equipment. August 29, 2006

CNC Programming and Pod Positioning

Ways to keep CNC tools from crashing into vacuum pods. May 20, 2009

Cutting Rosettes with CNC Routers

Be careful — CNC router spindle bearings aren't designed for a lot of plunge cutting. June 26, 2006

Diamond Versus Carbide Bit Life

More opinions on how long a cutter bit should last. July 4, 2005

Routing Openings in Solid MDF Doors

Tips on using a CNC machine to rout openings for glass in solid MDF. March 1, 2006

Troubleshooting Swirl Marks from CNC Bit

Pros suggest several flaws that could be causing swirl marks created by a tool tip in flat areas. March 6, 2006

Smooth Plywood Cuts with CNC Equipment

Advice on preventing "fuzz" when cutting out plywood parts. October 26, 2005

Decimal Feet Dimensions

Quick tip on expressing dimensions in decimal feet in AutoCAD. January 10, 2006

Digital Measuring for Staircase Work

Woodworkers compare notes on digital measuring devices such as Proliner and Compass Stair. March 28, 2012

Tooling for Marine Grade Plywood

The glue in marine plywood can tear up cutting bits quickly. Here, three tooling suppliers suggest some tougher tooling. October 26, 2011

Left-Hand Tools and Tool Holders

Tools that rotate counterclockwise require tool holders that won't loosen from the effect of that rotation. February 20, 2011

Sanding CNC Carvings

Advice on final sanding for complex CNC carvings. May 20, 2009

Hold-Down Tips and Tricks

How to hold down materials that are too rough for a workable vacuum seal. February 12, 2010

CNC-Routing PVC Sheet Material

Bit choice, speeds, and related issues for routing Sintra and similar materials. February 17, 2006

Is 3D a CAD necessity?

Choosing the CAD package best suited to your work. December 12, 2000

Grounding a CNC Router

Stray voltage can zap your operator and also fry your electronics. Here's how to ground the machine. January 21, 2007

Creating Submittal Drawings with Cabinet Vision

This thread teaches about how to use Cabinet Vision to generate detailed submittal drawings, and includes a lively and somewhat contentious side debate concerning the appropriate format and level of detail for various business circumstances, with some comments about decorum. December 31, 2012

Mortising Sharp Inside Corners on CNC Equipment

A few suggestions for making inside corner cuts with a CNC machine. April 6, 2007

Old Versus New Collets and Tool Holders

Don't overlook collet and tool holder maintenance. July 22, 2013

Free Forestry Sciences Laboratory Software

Here's a collection of free computer software designed to help with starting and running a wood products business. December 22, 2006

Drilling Deep Holes in White Oak

Advice on CNC settings for drilling holes in hardwood. May 20, 2009

Using a 10-mm Dowel Drill in a CNC Router

Should work fine, but keep an eye on it. June 17, 2010

Cutting Cast Acrylic on a CNC Router

Multiple passes with the right cutter will give you an excellent edge. December 6, 2006

Replacing the Monitor on a CNC Router

Used monitors are easy to find these days, and the changeout is not difficult. May 14, 2006

Importing DXF Files into Biesse Works

Tips on directly importing DXF drawings into the Biesse Works machine controller. March 28, 2012

Standards for Shop Drawings

Pros share advice on the content and level of detail expected in shop drawings for a project proposal. June 19, 2005

2D Shots of 3D Objects

When you have a three-dimensional CAD object and you need a two-dimensional version, you have several options. January 21, 2010

Troubleshooting Fray in the Cut

Advice on bit choices to eliminate fraying in the cut on a CNC. August 16, 2012

Torque Wrenches for Tool Tightening

They help. December 10, 2007

Screen Brightness on a Rover 321 Screen

Those displays are adjustable, you know. April 21, 2011

Folding Corian

CNC owners describe successful efforts at miter-folding Corian using CNC aggregate tool heads. October 15, 2009

Converting Point-to-Point Routers to Flat Table Setups

A quick look at the parameters involved in converting a pod-and-rail machine to a flat table, spoilboard setup. October 1, 2010

Top and Bottom Rounding Over and Sanding on the CNC

Back-side machining (but not sanding) of complex shapes is practical on a CNC equipped with pods. October 15, 2009

Which Parts to Cut with a CNC Setup

A shop owner has just bought a CNC machine, and wants to know what he should use it for. Short answer: "Everything." August 30, 2005

Troubleshooting Chipping when Cutting Acrylic on the CNC

Bit issues and speed settings can create chipping problems when machining acrylic. June 17, 2009

CAD Output PDF Missing Objects

Tips on why a PDF printout of a CAD drawing might be missing a few lines or other elements. February 12, 2010

CNC Vacuum for Veneer Bagging

A CNC vacuum has plenty of power to clamp glue-ups — even on the side. January 3, 2012

Do Titanium-Coated Bits Last Longer?

In wood machining, a titanium coating on bits does not seem to bring benefits. March 27, 2008

Preventing Vacuum-Pump Overheating

Clean filters, a working bypass valve, and supplemental ventilation will help keep your vacuum pump cool. May 16, 2005

Holding Down The Spoilboard With Nylon Screws

Drill and countersink the screw holes. April 10, 2005

Milling Expanded PVC on CNC Equipment

Bit choice, feed speeds and RPMs for cutting cellular PVC. November 10, 2006

Customizing AutoCad Tool Bars

Doing it "the right way" is safer in case you need to re-install. July 11, 2005

Holding Down Veneer on a CNC

Suggestions for holding veneer down when cutting out curved shapes on a CNC. December 11, 2012

Surfacing a Spoilboard

How and why to "flycut" an MDF spoilboard. August 17, 2006

Unfolding and Flattening CNC Design Options

Is there software out there for creating a design to be machined on a flat surface, then wrapped around a 3D shape? Here are some suggestions. January 27, 2008

Changing Command Line Defaults

Several ways to make AutoCad respond at the touch of a key (or a button). June 29, 2005

Using CNC Vacuum as a Glue Press

You can use a CNC vacuum table and plastic sheeting for an improvised "vacuum bag" for laminating panel goods together. Who knew? January 9, 2008

Bit Breakage, Cut Depth and Bit Diameter

With a thin bit working in thick material, multiple passes may be needed to keep from breaking bits. October 26, 2012

How Thin Should You Wear Your Spoilboard?

When should you swap out your worn vacuum spoilboard for a new one? CNC operators report their experiences regarding minimum spoilboard thicknesses. May 23, 2007

Cutting Cellular PVC

A few tips for machining cellular PVC on CNC equipment. May 20, 2009

Solid Surface CounterTop

Watch as a CNC router cuts out and profiles solid surface countertops. July 12, 2007

Shutter Manufacturing

Be a fly on the wall as a CNC router cuts out parts for louvered arched wood shutters. (Leave the sound turned off for this one.)July 12, 2007

Milling PVC Foam with an Aluminum Laminate Face

Selecting the right tool and cutting in two passes are the keys to success. October 15, 2009

Fuzzy Finish with Ballnose Tool in Plywood

Could be the bit is dull. But here's some advice on technique as well. May 13, 2013

CNC Router Bit Size

Pros select why to choose a larger or smaller bit. July 3, 2005

Rotary Lathe and Router Setups for a CNC

Here's a quick look at how CNC can incorporate a rotary axis holding the workpiece with a router doing the cutting. July 29, 2014

Machining Small Parts on a CNC Vacuum Table

Quick tip: to maintain vacuum, onion-skin and cut out the smallest parts first. November 25, 2005

Cutting Aluminum-Plastic-Foam Panels

Advice on a challenging problem: how to cut composite insulated metal air-conditioner panels. February 23, 2008

Basic differences, CNC vs. P2P

The basic capabilities of these two types of computer-driven woodworking machine are explained. January 3, 2001

Nested Side Panels

Watch as a CNC router drills and cuts out parts for melamine cabinets. Fine craftsmanship as practiced by gigantic, noisy robot machines. July 12, 2007

Two-Flute Versus Four-Flute Bits

Are two flutes or four flutes better in a dowel-boring bit? September 25, 2014

Making Square and Octagonal Handrail Caps

Is a CNC router or an old-school rotary lathe the best way to machine a profiled square cap for a newel post? February 27, 2015

Is CNC Equipment Practical for a One-Man Shop?

A long and thorough analysis of the value of an investment in CNC equipment for the small shop, this thread should be read by anyone considering the upgrade to CNC. August 23, 2006

Best Bit for Cedar?

Choosing a good bit to mill solid cedar boards for curved decking. May 27, 2014

Communication Between Cabinet Shops About Outsourced Work

A busy cabinetmaker who needs to send work to another shop for cutting on CNC equipment wishes the other shop would meet him halfway on the transfer of information. A debate ensues. January 31, 2012

Panel Processing Time with and without CNC

A CNC shop and a cabinetmaker using conventional equipment compare the labor time used to cut up and bore an entire kitchen. January 1, 2012

Using a CNC Vacuum for a Glue Press

You can use a CNC vacuum for laminate and veneer glue-ups or for laminating plywood sheets together. February 15, 2009

Cost of Shop Drawings

Pros consider perspectives on drafting's share of the cost of a kitchen job. November 26, 2007

New Way to Fabricate Laminate Counter Edges

One craftsman's suggestion for a new way to create the edge detail for a laminate countertop. October 27, 2009

What's an Overhead Router Good For?

CNC router owners say they still find lots of uses for their old, "obsolete" overhead pin routers. August 21, 2006

Cost of running a CNC router

Choosing the right CNC machine based on projected capabilities and costs. November 29, 2000

Post-Processor Runs Amuck While Tracing Fonts

When you CNC draws crop circles while trying to cut out sign lettering, you know you've got troubles. Here, pros do some detective work and zero in on the buggy code. November 10, 2006

Speeding Up CNC Router Production

Tips on operation, loading and unloading for efficiency. December 26, 2004

Feed rates and spindle speeds

Programming CNC machines at the proper feed rates. August 13, 2002

Selecting CNC Machinery

Choosing a machine to best suit your operation. January 28, 2004

CAD Drafting Services for the Woodworking Industry

For some comapnies, outsourcing CAD work make sense - 1997

Kitchen Remodel Rendering

Advice on software to create images showing how a new kitchen will look. April 14, 2005

The Web as a customer interface

Shop owners share their ideas on the Internet's usefulness from a marketing and customer service standpoint. September 6, 2000

WOODPRO - Species Selection Made Easy

A free complete working computer program (that can be downloaded at WOODWEB), allowing woodworkers to select the most suitable wood species for any particular application - 1997

AWI CAD Standard?

If there isn't one already, why not? December 26, 2004

Think before you take the CNC plunge

WOODWEB technical advisor Brian Personett offers some food for thought to those thinking about purchasing CNC equipment. November 15, 2000

Correcting dowel hole runout

Finding and correcting the cause of dowel hole runout in CNC-machined parts. November 7, 2000

Dadoing techniques

Using a router to make dados. June 24, 2002

Point-to-Point and Beam Saw Versus Nested-Base

A short dialogue on a much-discussed topic about alternatives in cabinet-shop automation. April 17, 2009

Cabinet Drafting Programs

Comparing top cabinet-shop CAD applications. June 28, 2005

Making Cool Stuff with Metal Components

This thread started out with a question about finding T-nuts for rigging up an adjustable cabinet pull-out shelf slide. But it goes on to consider all sorts of things you can rig up in the shop using off-the-shelf metal parts. February 13, 2009

Computers: Turbo-Charged Filing Cabinets

With a little effort, computers can make information storage and access a quick and painless process. 1998.

Computer Clinic: Where 'Deleted' Files Go

What really happens to deleted files, and options for permanently removing all traces of them fron your hard drive. 1998.

CNC V-grooving

Suggestions for tooling and techniques. March 23, 2002

Hinge holes on a CNC

Boring 35mm hinge holes on a CNC machine. March 20, 2001

Heavy-duty CNC router recommendations

Suggestions choosing for a good-quality CNC router, offering adequate tech support and training. February 28, 2001

CNC routing of small parts

How to keep small parts from wandering during machining. January 16, 2001

Routing phenolic paper

A discussion of the best bits and techniques for cutting phenolic paper on a CNC router. November 15, 2000

Chip-out on HPL panels

Solving problems with chip-out during CNC machining. August 12, 2001

Moulding Calculator Spreadsheet Program

A free downloadable Excel spreadsheet that calculates the price per foot to charge for mouldings. December 16, 2000

Estimating price of CNC projects

Formulas for calculating how much to charge on CNC jobs. January 3, 2001

Tear-out on raised panel corners

Eliminating corner tear-out on raised panel cabinet doors when using CNC equipment. November 7, 2000

Blum's Process 32™ Manual (PDF)

October 15, 2003

Stable spoilboard material

Choosing spoilboard material that won't shrink, grow or warp. January 3, 2001

Database and inventory software

Recommended software for customer databases and inventory tracking. November 21, 2000

ITEMIZER - From R & R Drummond, Inc.

Use your computer to generate efficient layouts for cutting sheet material into desired sizes (a link to a demo download is provided)1998

Machining aluminum

Determining the feed speed and other details for machining aluminum. July 24, 2001

Understanding Chip Load

Explaining the term "chip load" --what it means, and why it matters. June 19, 2005

Used CNC buying advice

What to look for when buying a used point-to-point CNC. April 20, 2001

Cutting a spiral groove

Suggestions on how to cut a clean spiral groove. June 13, 2001

CNC dust collection

Installing a flexible hose for dust collection with CNC machinery. March 14, 2001

Machining Brass on CNC Equipment

Bits and feed rates for cutting 3/8-inch brass. March 1, 2006

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