DIY-CNC

My DIY-CNC is a small CNC router I purchased from Shopbot CNC tools and it's an amazing tool for precisely cutting, carving, drilling or machining all kinds of things from all kinds of materials. I use the Shopbot to make 3D wood carvings for my military friends, signs, furniture parts and much more.

I've upgraded the software that came with the machine which is used to design the parts on my personal computer, then... like a robot, the computer controls the cutter and precisely cuts the parts. This company's innovations has made it possible for individuals like me and small shops to afford such a great tool where they were only available to large manufacturers in the past. These tools were large industrial ones referred to in factories as CNC (for Computer Numeric Control) Tools.

The DIY-CNC machine I own is a bench-top model and has a small bed that measures 24 x 32 inches and has 3 axis's which allows me to do three dimensional (3D) carvings. It's an expensive hobby (aren't they all?) but I've monetized it into a side business which covers my cost for now. Initially I did a lot of research and loved the capabilities of the machine.

Learning the software, and how to operate the machine, took me about 3 months to get used to but now that I've got the hang of it... I can do any 2D and most 3D cut files. People are using these machines in small shops all around the world to create everything from musical instruments, boats, cabinets, architectural mill-work, signs, and parts in all kinds of manufacturing and are used by the US Navy, OEM's, Experimenters and CNC Hobbyist just to name a few.

Creating 3D files to cut on my DIY-CNC requires software I don't have yet so I purchase my 3D files from an outside source. There are loads of files to choose from. You name it... there's probably a 3D file made, like animals, flags, dragons, skulls not to mention you can have custom 3D files made from a 2D image. The skeleton frog is one of the custom files I had made from a 2D image.

I do the rest with the software I have, as long as I stay within the boundaries of my machine bed of course. I use Shopbot's Partworks V2 to create what is called 2.5D and V-groove carvings and signs. I also have Partworks 3D software that enables me to change the size of 3D files but not create new ones from scratch. The cool thing about both these programs is that I can import 3D files into the Partworks V2 software and create carvings with both 3D and 2.5D properties. You're may be shaking your head about now... wondering what the heck I'm talking about, but it's really not that complicated to understand once you've hear the terms a few times.

What's really cool about the Partworks V2 software is that I can watch a simulation of the tool cutting the wood on the computer. This helps out in a couple of ways...

1. It gives me an idea of what the machined part will look like and see if I've made any errors in the process... and
2. It enables me to save a computer generated image of the carving I can email to a customer or friend.

The router I use is a Porter Cable 3 1/4 HP heavy duty router that's mounted on the "Z" axis of my DIY-CNC. I ran it for about 2 years (mostly on the weekends) before I had to replace the bearings and brushes. It's a heavy duty router but it was an inexpensive option compared to the "spindle option" Shopbot offers. The spindle is an extreme heavy duty router that is made to work with the Shopbot and when I upgrade to a larger machine... I plan to get one.

Cutting Cabinets is where I'd like to go next on my DIY-CNC but it's just too small. From what I hear, Shopbot offers the eCabinets software with the purchase of one of there larger machines which is what I plan to get. Then I'll be able to designing cabinets and provide great renderings for marketing to customers. The software will nest all the parts automatically and cut them out as fast as 10 inches per second. You can see what the parts look like in the machines control software to the right.