[ Power saw whirring ] [ Mid-tempo music plays ] On today's episode of "The Woodsmith Shop," we're taking a look at one of the newest shop tools.

It's called a CNC machine, and it's a way to combine a computer with a router.

And what you can do with it is create all kinds of projects and add to the capabilities that you already have with the tools in your shop.

On today's episode, we're looking at four different projects -- a solid wood bench with a mid-century feel to it that has some carving and lettering added to it.

We'll also look at plywood projects, like this tool tote here.

But that's not all that a CNC machine can do.

It can also work with some other materials -- plastics and metals.

So we'll make some shop tools that you'll be able to use on projects no matter what style you're working with.

It's all coming up next on "The Woodsmith Shop."

Announcer: Major funding for "The Woodsmith Shop" has been provided by... Old Masters -- offering wood stains and finishes for the woodworking enthusiast and professional.

And by... Kreg -- from the first cut to the final assembly, providing woodworkers with products that help to simplify woodworking challenges.

Kreg.

Additional funding provided by... Titebond Wood Glues -- the pro's advantage.

And by... ♪♪ ♪♪ And by... Inventables -- tools for designing and building your products.

Inventables.com.

♪♪ ♪♪ In a nutshell, can you describe how a CNC machine works?

Well, of course, what it is is a router that travels around three dimensions.

It's going to travel on a "Z," a "Y," and an "X" axis.

And a couple of different programs, a couple of different pieces of software will allow us to design projects, will allow us to create a set of instructions for the machine, and then we'll tell the machine where to go within the parameters of its format size.

You know, it sounds all very intimidating at first, but when you really break it down and you start to work with the machine, it's not that hard.

So it's a lot like a lot of woodworking processes, where it seems like a big complicated project but, when you start breaking it down, it's just cutting parts to size, rabbets and dadoes, assembly, all of those things.

Yeah, it's still woodworking.

That hasn't changed a bit.

And, of course, with something like this, you only need to learn enough to be able to complete the job at hand.

There's always more to learn, but you don't have to learn everything at once.

So with those three projects that we're going to be talking about in today's episode, if you want to create your own, start dabbling with some CNC work, you'll find the plans.

They're at our website, WoodsmithShop.com.

Well, let's get started on that bench.

Let's go.

Well, CNC machines are becoming much more prevalent and much more accessible for woodworkers.

So I thought today on "The Woodsmith Shop," it would be a good time for us to talk about CNC routers.

Now, in the Woodsmith Production Shop, we've had a CNC router for a couple years now, and we're finding more and more ways to use it in our daily work.

Now, a couple issues ago in Woodsmith magazine, we did a series of pub signs.

The CNC router was a handy tool for us.

We used it to remove a lot of waste before hand carving, and we also used it to cut out individual letters.

So it was a great friend to have for that project.

More recently, we made an RC model boat, and I used the CNC router to cut out delicate windscreens for the model.

And that was really a great help.

The CNC machine can do a whole lot of different things.

It can be very precise in its action.

So you can do that wooden clock you've always wanted to.

It can cut multiples.

So if you raise your hand and volunteer to do 300 wooden widgets for your kid's science fair, well, you can do that.

It can also cut a multitude of different materials.

It can cut softwood.

It can cut hardwood.

It can cut plywood, MDF, particleboard.

It can cut non-ferrous metals such as aluminum and brass.

It can cut a wide variety of different plastics.

It can cut foam.

Anything a router can cut, your CNC machine cut, as well.

The CNC router can also do exquisite carvings.

And there's a multitude of materials available on the web that you can download and put your machine to work.

Also, the machine does a variety of different styles of lettering in every known font.

So, if you need to make signs, this machine is going to do it and do a fantastic job.

The heart of the CNC machine is the spindle.

On many machines, that's going to be a handheld router like you already have in your shop.

On this machine, it's a variable frequency DC spindle that's a little different.

The DC spindle has high torque through a variety of speeds.

It's meant to run for thousands and thousands of hours.

And what I really like about the spindle, it's quiet.

You already know what a screaming handheld router sounds like.

Here's the spindle.

[ CNC machine whirring quietly ] [ CNC machine powers down ] And since the machine is going to be running potentially for hours at a time, I'd sure rather listen to that.

So it's a nice option.

If the heart of the machine is the spindle, then what carries the spindle are these linear motion guides and three axes.

We have a "Z" axis, which is vertical.

We have an "X" axis, which runs across this table.

And the "Y" axis, which will move this gantry back and forth.

Each of these axes moves through a lead screw.

Interestingly enough about this lead through, it's fast acting, and it actually has five individual threads.

Now, a standard bolt has one thread.

This has five.

A standard bolt, you might have to rotate it 13 times to get one inch of movement.

Well, with a fast-acting five-thread lead screw, two turns, you've moved an inch.

This particular machine here has a slightly different type of lead screw that's interesting.

It's called a ball screw.

And the nut, instead of having threads, actually has recirculating ball bearings.

And so, that makes it very low friction and very little backlash.

So it's a very precise lead screw.

Either -- In either case, the lead screws are turned by a stepper motor.

This machine has four stepper motors.

It has one which operates the "Z" axis.

It has one back here which operates the "X" axis.

And at the back corner of each side is a stepper motor which operates a lead screw for the "Y" axis.

Now, what makes stepper motors interesting is that the rotation is divided mechanically in the design of the motor into 200 individual steps.

Those individual steps can then be divided electronically, sometimes as much as 20,000 or 30,000 steps in a rotation.

For most woodworking machines, each of those 200 steps will be divided four times, so there will be about 800 individual steps.

And that's going to give us fantastic resolution and very precise positioning of the machine all through its movement.

Now, to operate this machine, we need three different computer programs.

We need a CAD program, or one that designs the object that we're going to produce.

We need a CAM program -- computer-aided machining -- which is going to create a set of instructions for the machine.

And then finally, we need a program which will operate the machine and tell our stepper motors what to do.

So let me get started demonstrating a couple of the things we've talked about.

And we're going to build a project together, a bench, so you can see how a CNC machine works into the workflow of a shop.

Our project for today is going to be this mid-century bench.

In this three-dimensional CAD program, I've created legs, seat, brackets, and back and brought them all together in an assembly.

The three-dimensional programs can really be handy to give you an idea of the proportions of space and to work out construction details.

Now, what you don't see here is that we are going to be adding a decorative carving and some lettering to the back.

Now, once the project has been designed, I can then bring components into a CAM program.

And this is the program that creates the G-code which will operate the machine.

What you're seeing here is the underside of the seat.

And these represent the mortises that we're going to cut for the legs.

So I've got my tooling set up.

I've got the G-coding created.

Let's go to the CNC machine and cut the mortises.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ With the mortises completed on the bottom of our seat, it's time to turn our attention to the legs.

As you can see here, I have the profile of a leg already cut out.

Two things I want to talk to you about.

One, tabs.

These are about a tenth of an inch thick, 3/8 wide.

And what they do is they keep the leg position within the cut.

So when the router bit breaks all the way through, it doesn't completely free this part and subject it to damage.

Another thing -- If you look right here, now, a router bit cannot cut a hard 90-degree angle in this shoulder.

So what I've done is had the router bit overcut the shoulder a little bit and create what's called a T-bone that gives us the clearance we need so that this tenon fits tightly and completely within the mortise of our bench seat.

Well, I'm all set up to cut another leg.

So let me turn the machine on, and we'll get cutting.

[ Whirring ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Well, it's time to start working on the back of the bench, and I'm going to add two embellishments which I think really are going to add a lot to it.

One is a carving, and the other is lettering.

So what I'm going to do now is start with the carving.

This carving was purchased online, and they're typically made in two passes.

One is a roughing pass using a 1/4-inch bit, which removes a lot of the waste, and then we go back in with a fine bit, a 1/16-inch bullnose bit, and put in that nice detail work that you see there.

♪♪ ♪♪ Well, we've got our bee carving finished, and I think it looks great.

Another thing that CNC routers excel in is lettering.

So to go with the bee, I've got a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The pace of nature is patience."

So, "V" carving uses "V"-profiled bits at 90, 60, or 30 degrees.

And what's wonderful about "V" carving is, by using a "V"-shaped bit, the width of the lettering is controlled by the depth of the cut.

And that allows the CNC router to make almost any font.

It makes exquisite, lovely writing.

And so that's what we're going to do now.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Well, as you can see, the bench is all finished.

I used a combination of methods.

I used the tools that I already have in my shop, such as the table saw, planer, joiner, and then I also used my new CNC machine.

The CNC was used to cut the mortises on the seat and cut these complex-shaped legs.

And using the CNC gave me a mortise and tenon combination that fit perfectly.

That made assembly a lot easier, and it'll make for a strong, lasting join.

I also used the CNC machine to personalize the back of the bench.

I added a carving, and I added some lettering.

And I love that, being able to personalize a project.

So I hope you can see that the CNC machine adds to your shop.

It lets you do more, and I think that's great.

Now, one thing a CNC router does very well is that it makes precision cuts over and over and over again.

It doesn't get bored.

It doesn't yawn.

It always does it well.

So I want to show you a project we're going to do here, and that is a tote.

Now, this features tab-and-slot construction.

And so, it requires a very precise cutting.

And that's what this machine excels at.

So on the machine right now, I have a 4x4 piece of 1/4-inch Baltic Birch plywood.

And I have the program set up to cut the parts for two of these tool tones.

So let's ahead and start the machine and watch it in action.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Well, with the hard work done by the CNC machine, all I had to do is separate all the parts out, give them a light sanding, and make sure all the tabs and connections fit well.

So as you can see, I'm in the process of assembling it right now.

I began with the bottom, a side.

I then placed these dividers in the proper position.

I put this top to a holder, the lid in place, and added the final side.

With the sides and the bottom and the dividers in place, next comes the end.

And now I'll add the handle, and the last end will be done.

And there we go.

It's all locked in place.

Solid, glueless joinery ready to fill up with tools, gardening equipment, whatever you'd want.

One of the cool things about a CNC router is all the different materials you can cut with it.

Now, I've got a little plastic project I've been meaning to do.

The French curves that come with most drafting kits are a little bit small for furniture layout work, so I'm going to make two large French curves using this piece of 1/4-inch acrylic plastic.

Now, one of the things that we're always worried about when using a CNC router is how to keep the parts in position as they're being cut, because if they move, the bit's going to damage the edge.

Now, what I'm going to do here is use double-sided tape on the back of my acrylic.

I'll attach the tape and the acrylic to a nice, clean, smooth spoil board.

And then I'll use some tabs and screws to secure the overall blank.

With the tape in place and the screws, it's going to hold everything very securely.

And that way, the router bit can cut all the way through my parts and they'll stay in position, and we'll get a nice, clean, smooth cut.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Drill whirring ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Well, with the plastic firmly in place, it's time to cut.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Well, here are my two French curves.

I think they have really turned out nice.

It really makes me want to make a complete set from my shop of some different styles and maybe some larger ones yet.

I think they'll really be handy.

Now, cutting plastic is easy to do, but it does require the right bit.

All materials require a certain style of bit.

What you see here is a single-flute bit.

Plastic tends to be a little bit gummy.

Most soft materials can be a problem to cut.

And so, the single-flute bit helps keep the chip from adhering to the router bit and pulls it out of the curve.

Also, you'll notice this particular router bit has a color to the bit, and that's a proprietary ceramic coating.

And ceramic coatings are more and more prevalent with router bits And what they do is they keep the bit cooler and sharper longer.

Two things when cutting any non-ferrous metal, particularly aluminum.

We need to make sure that the chips are being extracted out of the cut.

Now, the piece of metal I have here is only an eighth of an inch thick.

So the bit itself should do a pretty good job.

But if the metal was thicker, I'd probably want to use a vacuum or a little bit of compressed air to help empty that curve.

Another thing to remember is we want to add a little bit of lubrication to the cut.

So I have just an aerosol can of a tool lubricant here.

So you'll see me step in and add a little bit to the cut every once in a while.

Since I am using an oil, I have the dust shoe removed so it won't get dirty.

So I think we're all ready.

Let's go ahead and start cutting some aluminum.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Well, there you go -- eight blades for eight squares.

Cutting non-ferrous metals, it's an amazing talent that your CNC machine has.

There are so many great ways to participate in woodworking as a craft, whether you're diving into hand tools alone, working with a combination of hand tools or power tools, or even veering into the world of computerized work, including a CNC machine.

There's something to learn no matter what you're working on.

On today's episode, we looked at what a CNC is and what it can do in your shop.

If you'd like to make some of the projects that you saw on today's episode, the plans are at our website, WoodsmithShop.com.

You'll also find even more project plans, videos, and woodworking tips and techniques.

It's all to help you become a better woodworker.

And then we'll see you right here for the next episode of "The Woodsmith Shop."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ If you'd like to get more video tips and techniques, sign up for the free weekly Woodsmith eTip.

Every week, you'll receive an e-mail with a video tip to get more out of your table saw, router table, and more.

Sign up at WoodsmithShop.com.

Everything in today's show comes from the newly expanded Woodsmith Guild Edition with shop projects, plans, tips, and techniques.

To get a free preview issue of the Woodsmith Guild Edition and a free Woodsmith book, go to WoodsmithShop.com.

In addition, past seasons of "The Woodsmith Shop" are available on DVD, or you can watch them online from your computer, tablet, or mobile device.

For more information, go to WoodsmithShop.com.

Announcer: Major funding for "The Woodsmith Shop" has been provided by... Old Masters -- offering wood stains and finishes for the woodworking enthusiast and professional.

And by... Kreg -- from the first cut to the final assembly, providing woodworkers with products that help to simplify woodworking challenges.

Kreg.

Additional funding provided by... Titebond Wood Glues -- the pro's advantage.

And by... ♪♪ ♪♪ And by... Inventables -- tools for designing and building your products.

Inventables.com.