How to wood carve like a master carpenter

Handsomely carved newel posts is now within easy reach for the prospective home buyer; the days where you had to depend on the craftsman's skill and time is now a thing of the past; you feel sad for a skill that is vanishing but that that is progress and mankind’s loss. The woodworking CNC router is here to do all the work of a skilled carpenter and much more.

What does CNC mean?

CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control; and this term means exactly as stated; Computer - every point on a design is translated to a one or zero which means a mathematical representation of the point in space. Numerical - every facet of the design in three dimensions (popularly known as 3d) is plotted' Control- means exactly what it says; the machine obeys the design faithfully.

Principles of 3d wood carving

Wood carving in 2d was the start that allowed outlining a flat silhouette; the technology evolved into the 2.5d which meant creating recessed outlines and the cutting tool moved horizontally and sideways to replicate the x and y axis of a graph. From this point onwards technology took a quantum leap as the software allowed the tool cutter to assign depth thus creating the z-axis dimension for the 3d effect. By treating the design layer by layer, sculpting the required design in 3d is a snap. By changing the tool cutter profile interesting shapes like a chisel effect (to look as if a real craftsman has carved the design) can be had. The design capability of a CNC Router Woodworking machine is only constrained by the imagination. Curves, straight lines, angles, curlicues, whorls - all these elements can be designed to give a baroque look or creating spaces designed to heighten shadows  can enhance a wooden screen that will be the envy of any harem of a bygone era - conceal but yet be seen.

Woodcarving like a master carpenter

The woodworking CNC router can work at the same time on the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis cutting and milling simultaneously. The design literally stands out - to become outstanding (a rare case of pun intended to be literal). The process is tweaked on a 3d modelling software that differentiates the design process of yore when it was sketched by hand in ink on paper. This sketching and visualizing in 3D is a very skilled art that few traditional designers can do - a legendary name in this field is the Italian motorcycle designer Massimo Tamburini who designs extraordinary motorcycles (The classic MV Augusta F1) by sketching and sculpting (using clay) first and then computer modelling the finished design. This is the hallmark of genius - but using a CNC router woodworking machine can make you a near genius.

These woodworking router machines have taken the guesswork in design, execution accuracy and the vagueness of time out of the equation that allows you a freedom unmatched and unimaginable just a few years ago. Does it mean that you are ready to design your own F1?

Painting on Acrylic After Engraved by CNC Wood Router

Painting on Acrylic After Engraved by CNC Wood Router

The way of painting for back engraving on scotch acrylic.
It is easily to be back engraved for acrylic by cnc wood router. Then you may could use needle to inject the painting. It is easily to inject the painting to acrylic, the difficulty is to clean the painting out of engraving part. Usually you can use knife or gasoline to clean it, then make prima paint. 
If the acrylic will not use primer paint, then can not use knife to clean.

The way of panting for back engraving on colorful acrylic
Using back painting way, painting the primer paint to the backside, then use the self-adhensive label to stick, then engrave it. When the engraving job is completed by cnc wood router, paint the gold painting again. When the paint is dry, clean the self-adhensive label. This way could protect primer and gold paint very well.

Acrylic Label Producing Process by cnc wood router

For such acrylic label cutting and engraving by cnc wood router, usually there are two ways. One is cut and engrave the scotch acrylic firstly, then use needle to inject the paint to the part of acrylic. And the other way is using the colorful self-adhensive tape to the acrylic, then start engraving and cutting by cnc wood router. For details, see follwing:

Here we will not mention the step of preparing program file for cnc wood router, setting tool path in the program file etc. We prepare the acrylic board, put it on the cnc wood router table and fix it by clamps. Now, mount on the cnc wood router bits special for acrylic.