For my CNC machining homework, I created an outline of a basketball. I first started this process by looking for icons on the noun project that interested me. My favorite sport to play and watch is basketball, and because NBA playoff basketball is about to start, I decided to pick a basketball icon. I inputted the image into Carbide Create and started picking which toolpaths I wanted the machine to cut out. I decided to also create a slight offset so that my basketball would have a small lip. After I finished creating the toolpaths, I took the file and inputted it in Carbide Motion to initialize the machine and start the cut.
After cutting the pieces out, I had to apply a slight force to press the piece out as the drill bit did not cut the wood all the way through. I then took some 100 and 200 grit sandpaper and started cleaning up the edges and around the inside of the design so that everything would be smoother.
Figure 1: CNC Pieces after Sanding
To post-process, I decided not to use spray paint as I didn’t like the look of it so I used a darker wood stain instead. I applied the stain on and let it dry for ~10 minutes before I wiped it off with a piece of cloth.
Figure 2: CNC pieces after Staining
Cost Breakdown:
1x4x8″ Wood (Home Depot): $7.97
Sandpaper (Amazon): $14.99/25 sheets –> 1/2 sheet used = $0.30
Wood Stain (Amazon): $8.47/0.5 pints –> 1 fl oz. used = $1.06
Labor: $15/hour = $22.50
Total: $31.83
Figure 3: Clean Workspace
