Awesome Cnc

A standard 3D printer moves on three axes. This unique printer from multipoleguy adds two more degrees of freedom so it can tilt its bed underneath its print head. This allows the printer to make objects with up to a 70º overhang in all directions, reducing the need for support structures. The demo video also shows swappable head units.

This compact machine brings computer-controlled carving to any desktop without breaking the bank. Starting under $300, SainSmart’s ready-to-use CNC carves wood and soft metals and can also mill precise traces into circuit boards. Add-on modules turn the Cubiko into a laser engraver, polisher, or drawing tool.

Meltio makes machines that use wire-laser technology to 3D print objects out of various types of metal. The additive manufacturing process uses a high-power blue laser to weld thin metal beads to form shapes. This time-lapse video footage gives us a glimpse into its capabilities, starting with a spherical tank that we hoped would be a Death Star.

Jef of Two Moose Design recently got into whiskey and bourbon, so he decided to make a fancy whiskey cabinet. Not only did he make it out of walnut, he also gave it a pair of tambour doors. The piece de resistance is the mesmerizing wavy pattern that he applied on the doors using a CNC machine. The wood grain and finish pair beautifully with the pattern.

Jonny Builds shows off another impressive piece of furniture – a record cabinet with a segmented wood door. He started by assembling grain-matched panels for the top, bottom, and dividers. To make the door, he took an 8-foot-long black walnut slab, cut it into boards, sliced it into 109 strips, glued them to canvas, and CNC milled the awesomely wavy shapes.

Greg Blanpied makes CNC-machined and laser-cut functional art fabricated using parametric math and geometry. Among his amazing pieces is this elegant bowl, which acts as a zoetrope when filmed or spun beneath a strobe light. He’s also created a zoetrope vase.

Cris from Get Hands Dirty is always looking for ways to make her small living space more efficient. In this project, she created a set of wooden stools that can break into parts and be stored in a custom carrying case. It served as a great opportunity to test out her Mekanika Evo-S CNC milling machine.

If you’ve ever curbed the rims on your car, you know how awful it can look. But with the proper equipment and expertise, it’s possible to repair damaged rims. Wheel Restore USA shows how their diamond cut wheel lathe can make even heavily damaged wheels look as good as new by removing a thin layer of metal. They also have a wheel-painting robot.

Woodworker Frank Howarth wanted to turn a slice of a fir tree into something different than a typical coffee table. So he set out to create a giant version of a LEGO gear. After patching a crack in the wood with bacon-shaped ties, he encountered a frustrating obstacle while cutting the pattern but persevered.

Australian product design firm Rama Works presents an elegant and refined way to carry a BIC Mini lighter. The XO Lighter Mini is a CNC-machined aluminum lighter that takes an impressive 14 tools to create. It features a grooved and grippy texture and a raw metal finish that will patina over time. Personalization is also available. Limited to just 500 pieces.

This compact CNC machine from Samurai Machine Tools changes tools in as little as 2.3 seconds with its pair of rotating tool carousels and quick-change heads. Its spinning head remains stationary while its pedestal moves the part it’s milling. Watch it in action machining a piece of aluminum. Prices for the machine start at £4990, or about $6345 USD.

An electric hot wire cutter is the easiest way to get smooth cuts from styrofoam. LEGO mechanical expert Akiyuki Brick Channel took a basic hot wire cutter and mounted it in a machine that can spin a block of foam and move the wire to cut the kind of objects you might create on a lathe. It can also cut shapes from flat sheets of foam.

An isogrid is a kind of metal structure that uses hollowed-out triangles to provide strength while reducing weight. Barry from Titans of CNC Machining used the technique to create a truly awesome skateboard. He started by plotting a design in SolidWorks, then used a CNC mill to carve the board from a block of aluminum.

Broinwood is known for making intricate cutting boards with a combination of technology and craftsmanship. His most complex design yet features more than 1700 elements. His process involves CNC cutting the butcher block and inverted pieces, gluing and hammering them in place, then milling away the excess wood.

One of the more interesting items you can produce in a machine shop is a sphere inside of a cube. Emil Hogslätt shows how he produced one such object using a DMG Mori 5-axis milling machine. The finished product is immensely satisfying, as are the soothing noises the machine makes as it cuts and smooths the aluminum piece.

Reimagined Wood Shop has the perfect gift for the video game fan that has everything. This substantial 12″ x 5″ valet tray holds your coins, wallet, phone, keys, and more, all while looking like the classic Nintendo Entertainment System controller. Each one is CNC-carved from a block of solid lumber and comes in a variety of woods.