A CNC Machine in Your Home Workshop

Forty years ago, in the world of big corporatecutting. With the proper software, you can digitize (or
manufacturing, computers started making their way"Reverse Engineer" a part) using a probe mounted in
into the factories. Computer Numeric Controlled (orthe router chuck to "trace" the contours of a part. The
CNC) machines, that ran off a stack of punch cardscomputer will "Remember" the shape of your original,
with intricate patterns of holes punched into them, ranand then allow you to duplicate the part with the router,
huge milling machines and lathes. They werecutting it from a block of wood or other material.
cumbersome, but fast, and each machine cost moreAnd a CNC router can be the start of a part-time.. or
than a nice house.even full time business. You can carve beautiful
Fortunately, for you, the home craftsman, those dayswooden signs, cut out wooden toys, or model airplane
are gone. It is now entirely possible, practical, andor railroad components. You can carve original
affordable to own your own CNC router, CNC mill,patterns, and make molds from them, to produce
CNC lathe, CNC laser cutter, or CNC plasma cutter.figurines, plaques, picture frames or other cast parts.
With only the most basic PC computer, a couple ofHave you admired wooden clocks ? A CNC router is
hundred dollars worth of software, a similar investmenta great way to make one... or dozens. If you are a
in hardware and electronics, and your own ingenuity,frustrated inventor, you can cut mechanical parts for
YOU can have a CNC machine in your homeprototypes, from a range of materials including wood,
workshop.plastics, aluminum, composite materials like carbon fiber
A CNC machine can be a great supplement to alaminate, or printed circuit board material.
hobby that you already have... like building modelSo how do you get started? A great place to begin is
airplanes, model railroads, or woodworking. If you arewith the ABC's of CNC video. This two hour long DVD
into electronics, a small CNC router can etch and drilltakes you through the entire CNC workflow... starting
printed circuit boards. If you have kids at home, a CNCwith the basics of machine designs, G Code, CAD and
machine can be a terrific way to help them withCAM software, and finally through the actual cutting
science fair projects, robotics projects, or making artsprocess. You'll see sample parts start as a design,
and crafts projects.sketched on a napkin, taken through CAD software,
CNC machines can cut or machine intricate detail, andand on to the Computer Assisted Machining (CAM)
do it very quickly. You've probably admired some ofsoftware where the actual cutting paths to make the
those intricate wall hangings that are cut with a jigpart are created. The output from the CAM program
saw.... where the craftsman spent literally hundreds ofthen goes to the actual machine controller, which
hours drilling through the workpiece, detaching the sawconverts the digital information into actual motion... to
blade, threading the blade through a hole, reattachingcut the part.
the blade, making the cut, and repeating the process. AYou do not need to be an electronics whiz... nor a
CNC router can do the same work in a fraction of thecomputer programmer... nor a machinist. The ABC's of
time, and much more accurately.CNC video will show you where to start, where to
A CNC Router is probably the most versatile type oflook for parts and resources, and how to put it all
machine. It can make heavy cuts and do sculpting intogether.. to make your OWN CNC machine. It's fun
three dimensions, or you can put a swivel knife cutterand rewarding. It will open up a whole new world of
into the router chuck, and do vinyl sign and graphicsprecision, speed, and repeatability.