For your first CNC project you will carve a coaster. You will need:
- 4 inch by 4 inch coaster blank (any type of wood will work; available on Amazon)
- 1/8 inch square end mill (#102 from Carbide 3D, provided with Nomad 3 CNC)
- Tools needed to change end mill
- Strong double-sided tape
- Calipers
Set up your file
Open Carbide Create and click File > New. Find the gear icon and click it. You need to measure your coaster (don’t rely on the measurements from the manufacturer). Use digital calipers to get an accurate reading. Enter the dimensions of the coaster. The material should be set to “softwood,” the machine should be set to “Nomad 3” and the Units should be set to “inches.” You do not need change the retract height. Click OK. The size of the grid on the screen should now match the coaster.
Watch the video for more details
Next, you will create the toolpath, which is exactly what it sounds like: it is the path the tool will take while it is cutting out the coaster.
Click the “Toolpaths” tab in the upper right corner. Hold down shift and select both the rectangle and the letter (both should be orange dotted lines). Click the “Pocket” button. Click “Use current selection” when prompted. The setting should be:
Tool #102
2 Vectors selected
Start Depth = 0
Max Depth = 0.07
Click “OK.”
You can now save your file (Click “File > Save”) and close the program.
Watch the video for more details
Now it is time to run the job. You will use a different software program called “Carbide Motion.”
Set up your file
Open Carbide Create and click File > New. Find the gear icon and click it. You need to measure your coaster (don’t rely on the measurements from the manufacturer). Use digital calipers to get an accurate reading. Enter the dimensions of the coaster. The material should be set to “softwood,” the machine should be set to “Nomad 3” and the Units should be set to “inches.” You do not need change the retract height. Click OK. The size of the grid on the screen should now match the coaster.
Watch the video for more details
