Hi everyone!

This week, I had the opportunity to CNC machine a wooden piece with my own design then process it! I have never CNC machined before and found this process to be very simple and easy. 

Making the File 

I decided to CNC machine a Ditto from a wooden block that was around 3.5 x 5.875 inches with a thickness of 0.76 inches. I took a Ditto .svg file from the Internet and imported it into Carbide Create. All of my toolpaths were created with the intention of using a ⅛’’ drill bit. The outer vector of Ditto was designated as a contour toolpath that cut all the way through the block. The eyes and mouth of Ditto were set as pocket toolpaths with a depth of 0.4 inches. After setting all of my cuts, I added 4 tabs to ensure the cut would not fly away from the block of wood.

Cutting Time

Once my file was ready, I set the wood into the machine, locked it in place, and jogged it to set the origin. Then, it was time to cut! It took around 13 minutes for my cut to be completed. Since I had tabs left within my cut, Ditto was still stuck to the wood, so I used the band saw to cut Ditto out of the shape. Parts of the initial cut from the CNC machine were not even. When I peeled off bits of wood after trimming it with the band saw, chips of wood came off the main shape I wanted. Next time, I would be careful not to remove material from my desired object and cut more precisely. 

Post Processing

Some parts of my cut were not smooth, so I sanded Ditto with the orbital sander at 100 grit. Afterwards, I hand sanded with 120 and 180 grit paper to get a smooth feel. Lastly, to stay true to the color of Ditto, I spray painted it purple and set it out to dry. Overall, it turned out very well, and I’m satisfied with my experience. 

Cost Estimate 

Item	Cost
4 in x 6 in x 8 ft Wood	$19.48
Purple Spray Paint	$5.98
CNC Machinist Cost of Labor (includes post processing and use of machine) $24.92/hr for 3 hours	$74.76
Total Cost	$100.22

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