For the final individual assignment we had to make a unique wooden piece using CNC machining.

Because I was working on my final project at the same time I was thinking about this assignment, it really helped. I got a lot of experience using the Shapeoko CNC machine for the final project, so even for this CNC assignment I decided to test myself and do the proficient level. Thus, I chose to make a topographical profile of Mt Everest on a wooden block using CNC machining. I started by processing the Mt Everest STL file that was on canvas in Vcarve. The g-code consisted of a roughening toolpath with a 1/4″ end mill and a smoothing pass with a 1/8″ ball nose bit and a final pass with the 1/4″ mill to cut out the model.

         

With the g-code done, I loaded it onto carbide motion on the Shapeoko, added the two way tape to my wooden block and also clamped it. After zeroing it, I started the job and it went off smoothly without any real problems because of how much I had already used the machine before while working on my final project. The smoothing pass was particularly good because the contours on the piece came out really well and you could distinguish all the tiny features on the slopes and ridges making it look like an actual miniature mountain. I was really happy with that. Below you can see the various stages of the process from the roughening pass to the final piece and just like that my final assignment was done!

                   

For post processing I couldn’t sand it because I didn’t want to change the smooth contours so I simply applied the orange oil wood polish to give the piece a nice finish.

         

Costs:

Labor – 3hrs at $15/hour – $45

Materials: Wooden block – $5

CNC machine rental in makerspace – $30

Total = $80