Working with Wood on Your CNC Router

Types of Wood: Softwoods vs. Hardwoods

• Softwoods: These come from coniferous trees (like pine, fir, and cedar). They’re generally easier to work with, more affordable, and readily available.
• Typical Applications: Prototyping, signage, some furniture components, decorative panels.
• Advantages: Easy to cut, readily available, cost-effective.
• Disadvantages: Prone to splintering, less durable than hardwoods, requires finishing.
• Tips for Cutting: Use sharp bits, adjust feed rates to prevent tear-out, and consider grain direction.

• Hardwoods: These come from deciduous trees (like oak, maple, cherry, and walnut). They’re denser, stronger, and offer a more refined finish.
• Typical Applications: High-quality furniture, cabinetry, flooring, musical instruments, intricate carvings.
• Advantages: Durable, beautiful grain patterns, takes a fine finish.
• Disadvantages: More expensive, harder to cut (requires more power), can blunt tools more quickly.
• Tips for Cutting: Use high-quality, sharp bits, slower feed rates, and consider climb cutting for a smoother finish.

Plywood and MDF: Pros and Cons

• Plywood: Made from layers of wood veneer glued together, offering greater stability than solid wood.
• Typical Applications: Cabinetry, furniture, shelving, construction.
• Advantages: Stable, strong, less prone to warping than solid wood.
• Disadvantages: Can have voids (gaps) between layers, edges require finishing.

• MDF (Medium-Density Fibreboard): Made from wood fibres and resin, offering a smooth, consistent surface.
• Typical Applications: Signage, decorative panels, speaker boxes, mouldings.
• Advantages: Very smooth surface, takes paint well, affordable.
• Disadvantages: Can be heavy, produces fine dust when cut, not as strong as plywood.

Specialty Woods: Exotic Hardwoods and Reclaimed Lumber

Recommended Mantech CNC Machinery for Cutting Wood

Cutting Metals with Your CNC Router

Aluminium: The Versatile Choice

• Typical Applications: Signage, automotive parts, aerospace components, enclosures, decorative elements.
• Advantages: Lightweight, strong, corrosion-resistant, easy to machine.
• Disadvantages: Can be more expensive than some other metals.
• Tips for Cutting: Use appropriate cutting fluids (lubricants), choose the right bit type (e.g., carbide), secure the material firmly, consider using a single-flute bit.

Brass and Copper: For Decorative and Electrical Applications

• Typical Applications: Decorative hardware, electrical components, jewellery, plaques.
• Advantages: Excellent conductivity, attractive appearance, corrosion-resistant.
• Disadvantages: Can be expensive, and softer than other metals (prone to bending).
• Tips for Cutting: Use lower speeds and feeds, sharp bits, and consider using a lubricant.

Steel: Strength and Durability Considerations

• Typical Applications: Heavy-duty components, tooling, structural parts.
• Advantages: Very strong and durable.
• Disadvantages: Requires a powerful router, can be challenging to cut, may require coolants.
• Tips for Cutting: Use a robust machine, and appropriate cutting fluids, choose heavy-duty carbide bits, and use slower speeds and feeds.

Recommended Mantech CNC Machinery for Cutting Metal

Precision Cutting of Plastics and Acrylics with a CNC Router

Acrylic (Plexiglass): Clarity and Versatility

• Typical Applications: Signage, displays, lighting fixtures, protective screens.
• Advantages: Transparent, lightweight, available in various colours, easy to cut.
• Disadvantages: Can be brittle, can crack or chip if not handled carefully.
• Tips for Cutting: Use low speeds, sharp bits designed for plastics, consider using a coolant (air or mist) to prevent melting.

PVC: Durability and Chemical Resistance

• Typical Applications: Piping, ductwork, chemical tanks, signage.
• Advantages: Durable, chemical-resistant, relatively inexpensive.
• Disadvantages: Can produce harmful fumes when heated, not as aesthetically pleasing as some other plastics.
• Tips for Cutting: Use sharp bits, moderate speeds, and ensure good ventilation.

HDPE: A Cost-Effective and Recyclable Option

• Typical Applications: Cutting boards, food processing equipment, outdoor furniture.
• Advantages: Durable, chemical-resistant, recyclable, relatively inexpensive.
• Disadvantages: Can be slippery, may require special bits for a clean cut.
• Tips for cutting: Use sharp bits, moderate speeds, ensure the material is secure

ABS: For Prototyping and Functional Parts

• Typical Applications: Prototyping, automotive parts, enclosures, toys.
• Advantages: Tough, impact-resistant, relatively inexpensive.
• Disadvantages: Can warp if overheated, not as dimensionally stable as some other plastics.
• Tips for Cutting: Use sharp bits, moderate speeds, and consider using a coolant to prevent warping.

Recommended Mantech CNC Machinery for Cutting Plastics and Acrylics

Other Materials You Can Cut (Foam, Composites, etc.)

• Foam: Signage, packaging, prototyping (use low-density foams with appropriate bits).
• Composites (Carbon Fibre, Fibreglass): Aerospace, automotive, sporting goods (requires specialised bits and dust extraction).
• Rubber: Gaskets, seals, vibration dampening.

Choosing the Right CNC Router for Your Material

• Router Power: More powerful routers are needed for harder materials like metals and dense hardwoods.
• Spindle Speed: Different materials require different spindle speeds for optimal cutting. Lower speeds are generally used for harder materials, and higher speeds for softer materials.
• Bit Selection: Choosing the right bit material (HSS, carbide, diamond) and geometry (number of flutes, helix angle) is crucial for clean cuts and tool life.
• Dust Collection: Essential for many materials, especially wood, composites, and MDF, to remove debris and maintain air quality.
• Cooling Systems: Important for metals and some plastics to prevent overheating, tool wear, and material damage. Table Size: Ensure your router bed is large enough for the materials you intend to cut.

Conclusion