Design for CNC: Furniture Projects and Fabrication Technique

I've been waiting for someone to compile a book like this! Very in depth and not just a cursory glance at CNC theory nor just a gallery of cool CNC produced furniture. It is a project based book that goes into the DETAILS! Love it. I bumped into the authors at the NYC Maker Faire in a couple months ago and was lured to their booth where they had joinery examples and a copy of the book. Bravo on this!

This is the book you want if you are past the basic level or want to jump right in. It has detailed technical descriptions without being a textbook. The author gives insight into design theory, toolpaths, woodworking, engineering and CAD. All of it geared toward getting professional results.

It's a fine book my only real gripe is it spends alot of time discussing the specifics of using certain cad and can software. I would have rather spent less time on specific tutorials and more in theory and joinery.

If you watched less than 10 youtube videos about cnc woodworking, this book might be for you. If you watched 10 or more, you probably know more than the book offers.

Good starter book

Very good

You get six how-to furniture projects in this book, but, more importantly, you get an excellent introduction to designing projects for digital tools, especially CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) machines. The book offers numerous pictures, illustrations and diagrams, as well as well-written text. And you definitely do not just grab wood and start marking and cutting. As the authors note: "This book is an introduction to the fundamentals and techniques for designing in two and three dimensions, with the aim of fabricating furniture projects with large format CNC routers. This book also serves as a jumping-off point for further explorations in CNC machining, design, materials, and software workflows." But the authors also caution: "As a comprehensive introduction, this book is not an exhaustive or exclusive resource on CAD or CAM software, CNC routers, CNC machining, CNC joinery, or woodworking techniques." Instead, they have chosen to stay in the world of 2D machining methods for their projects, creating flat parts that are then assembled into 3D furniture. They emphasize the importance of learning "CNC fundamentals and perfecting digital craft through 2D machining," first. The authors caution that "3D machining is significantly more complex than 2D, typically requiring a different workflow and often a separate CAM program and more advanced modeling software." However, in this book, you do get exposed to some "practical design thinking and digital fabrication concepts" that you can carry forward once you are ready to move deeper into CNC machining. "Make: Design for CNC" can help a wide range of Makers, teachers and others who want to learn how to use CNC routers and what it takes to design projects that can be fabricated using CNC machining.My thanks to O'Reilly Media for providing an advance reading copy of this book.

Interesting projects. Makes flat and hard furniture. But I expect to learn how to use these manufacturing techniques for needs.