For this project, I decided to make some press-fit furniture. My room can always use extra table space, so I decided to go with a simple nightstand design.
I designed it in 2D in Rhino (mapping out how the two leg pieces would fit together in my head). I then extruded my shapes to .5”(the thickness of the chip wood we were given) and manually simulated putting them together (knowing solidworks would have probably been useful here….).
Once I had made sure all the joints would fit together, I went back to my 2D cutlines and used “projecttocplane” to make sure everything was level and ready to go. I also put the curves on different layers according to the toolpath they would be a part of (pockets, outlines, etc) and put points in each of the inside corners. These points would be translated into drill holes that would allow for sharp corners once the pieces were cut out (since the end mill is round and cannot make sharp corners).
Then it was time for setting up the file in MasterCam. I had used the program before- and it it ALWAYS a hassle. The interface isn’t very intuitive and it took several sessions with TAs walking me through it in the past to get the hang of it. One note is to make sure you don’t forget to add tabs to your pieces! Otherwise they might get caught in the router and jump up in the middle of the job. This has led to the death of many pieces in the past.
Pro tip: once you’ve set up a file once in MasterCam, delete the geometry and save the file with the toolpaths for future use. This really comes in handy- especially if you use the same type of stock for multiple projects. It definitely shaves off some time setting up the file!
The actual CNC milling was pretty straightforward- there is lots of help available and I didn’t have many parts to cut out. The material was pretty cheap, so the edges of my piece were very rough (especially after using an “upcut” endmill).
Anyhow, it came together fairly easily, and was able to hold a snack.
Unfortunately, I made the legs a little thin and the material was so weak that one of the leg pieces broke after me leaning on the table :(
