Words you will meet
- Island
- An area left standing while surrounding material is removed.
- A recessed area with material remaining underneath.
- Border
- Material deliberately left around a feature.
Choose a forgiving first result
Use a known, flat wooden blank that is large enough for the machine’s approved holding method. Leave the outside shape intact. The project is a shallow rectangular recess with a simple initial or name left raised inside it. You can also start with the recess alone.
For a design exercise, draw a 120 × 80 mm area with a 10 mm border on a larger blank. A 2 mm recess is an example design depth, not a cutting setting: confirm that the measured material, selected tool and guidance support it. Use a broad, simple letter whose gaps and corners are reachable by the tool.
Build the job in software
Enter the actual blank dimensions, choose its origin and select the exact flat-ended cutter. Define the recessed area around the letter, leaving the letter as an island of uncut material. The preview should show the intended floor, raised letter and intact outside border.
Generate the file using the verified controller output. Keep the same tool throughout this first job. If the software cannot produce the result with your selected cutter, simplify the design instead of forcing a tiny tool into the plan.
Run only after the setup is checked
Follow the machine’s documented startup and job checks, with an instructor if you are new to operation. Check holding, origin, tool, travel clearances, dust capture and stop controls. Use the previously checked settings for the matching sample; dimensions here do not prescribe speed or depth per pass.
Remain at the machine. If the work shifts, sound changes unusually or burning appears, stop using the safe procedure. After stopping and isolating, inspect the finished recess, then remove and finish the piece according to the material and finish instructions.
Your practice task
Make one plaque before a batch
- Simulate the recess without a letter, then add a simple letter if the tool can reach around it.
- Validate the feature on a matching offcut using the approved setup.
- Complete the checked job, inspect the floor and edges, and compare measured depth with the design.
Keep a record: Blank thickness, tool, origin, settings source, measured result and one improvement.
A mistake worth avoiding
Adding tiny lettering that the chosen flat-ended cutter cannot physically fit around.
Check your understanding: Why keep the outside of the blank intact?
It keeps the first job simpler and avoids separating the part from its holding area while you learn pocketing.
05 / Project notes
Notes for your next project
Check off the topics you have reviewed and record anything useful for your next build. This tracks your learning progress; use your equipment’s setup procedure for machine checks.
Record: Blank thickness, tool, origin, settings source, measured result and one improvement.
No notes recorded. Use this space for your observations.
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Check each topic above to mark the lesson as reviewed. You can browse any lesson at any time.
Sources and next reading
Read the instructions for your exact model. Linked manufacturer examples explain particular systems; their settings and procedures are not universal. Sources checked October 17, 2026.