The purpose of this project was to learn about the CNC machine in the OEDK and use it to create a simple etching in a block of wood. I began this process by going on thenounproject.com and choosing a design. I chose a radioactive symbol, because I thought it looked neat.

After this, I uploaded it to easel and set the bit size and wood block size and then downloaded the gcode. This was followed by a visit to the CNC machine. While setting the origin during my first cut, I accidentally moved the z axis too high up, causing the Mill to cease movement altogether and give me an error signal. This was solved by simply rebooting the signal box from the laptop.

My first cut came out wonderfully, however there was a little piece in the middle of the design that was so small it broke off. Also, I had cut my part on the wrong block. After going back into easel and editing the design and using the proper block, ,the design came out perfect.

To post process- I sanded the entire block once with coarse sandpaper and again with fine paper. Then I

covered the entire block in masking tape and then cut out the outline with an x-acto knife. This let me give the outline two layers of black paint to make it stand out.

Finally, I stained the wood with the beeswax wood polish. I had not used this before, but I believe it left an extraordinary finish on top. Overall, this little project was a great way to learn the basics of CNC machining while making a part that looks visually appealing.