Come along as I take you through the journey of making my CNC brains! This homework task was on the easier end however, that doesn’t mean I didn’t encounter any problems…

Step 1: Choosing Design

The first step involved choosing and downloading a svg file on Noun Project. I chose a brain design as I liked the pocket cuts that the brain could make. The next step was choosing the best piece of wood for this task which needed to have smooth surfaces with minimal knots. I further sanded the surfaces using a high grit sandpaper to ensure it was very smooth. Initially, I thought the quality of wood did not matter as much so I started with a rough piece of wood and once it was cut with the CNC machine, parts of the top layer of the wood stripped away.

The next part involved staining the wood as I thought it would be nicer to stain it before cutting it to create a much better contrast with the colours. I stained the wood using the American Chestnut Gloss stain.

Step 2: CUTTING OUT THE BRAINs

Using the instructions manual provided on Canvas, I placed the wood in the Nomad CNC machine and configured the settings on Carbide Create by scaling the brains and changing the pocket cuts of both brains to have different depths (0.15″ and 0.2″ pocket cuts). I then imported the file into Carbide motion and began cutting the file.

After the brains were cut out, I began filing the edges as the bottom layer of the wood didn’t completely get cut through with the machine, making the edges quite sharp. I then sanded the edges to make the edges smoother and to remove the bumps on the surfaces. I sanded using an orbital sander, a dremel tool with a sanding head, and high grit sandpaper.

Step 3: POST-PROCESSING

I stained the sides which weren’t stained before and came back the next day after it dried, then spray painted both brains with a clear coat.

I was going to finish there but then decided that filling the pockets with epoxy would make it look nicer which is what I did. I did this by mixing 2 part epoxy with red spray paint which worked out really well. I needed to be quick as the epoxy sets really quickly and there would be unevenness in the coating.

Overall, I was really happy with how the brains turned out. Some improvements could be made in terms of the evenness of the staining applied, as there were still some areas darker than others especially on the sides.

COST ANALYSIS:

• 4 ft x 4 in lumber: $2.75 (Home Depot)
• Staining paint: $20/quart (Home Depot)
• Labor: $30 ($15/hour)
• Clear coat: $6 (Walmart)
• Spray paint: $6 (Walmart)

TOTAL: $49.75