Words you will meet
- Tabs
- Small connections left to hold a cut-out part to surrounding material.
- Pocket floor
- The bottom surface left after clearing a recess.
- Finishing pass
- A planned final cut intended to improve size or surface quality.
Build on the first project
A shallow tray uses a pocket like the plaque, but clears a larger area. Start with a suitably sized rectangular blank and leave its outside intact. Use it for keys or small desk items; this lesson does not specify a food-contact product.
As a drawing example, a 140 × 100 mm blank with 12 mm borders gives a 116 × 76 mm pocket. Those numbers describe the finished layout only. The real blank must be large enough for secure holding, and the pocket depth must leave a suitable bottom in the measured material.
Keep the tool’s shape in the design
A flat-ended round cutter leaves rounded inside corners. Draw corners it can reach rather than expecting square internal edges. Select a pocketing strategy supported by the software and tool guidance. Check the preview for full coverage and for any material the cutter cannot reach.
A larger pocket takes more time and creates more chips. Verify that the extraction and holding method suit the complete job, not just a short sample. Do not increase cutting depth merely to shorten the estimate.
Inspect before adding complexity
After the approved stop and isolation sequence, measure the depth and remaining bottom, inspect the floor and check for loose fibers or scorching. Remove sharp edges with an appropriate finishing method. Apply any finish according to its label and manage its waste safely.
For a later outline-cut version, learn how tabs or another approved holding method keep the part secure after cutting through. Tabs are small uncut connections. Their size and placement depend on the job; do not add an outline cut to this first tray without reviewing that holding plan.
Your practice task
Make a tray you can compare with its drawing
- Draw the pocket and annotate border width, planned depth and remaining bottom.
- Preview and check the expanded chip-clearing and holding needs.
- After a checked run, record measured dimensions, finish quality and actual time.
Keep a record: The difference between planned and actual dimensions, time and finish quality.
A mistake worth avoiding
Making the pocket deeper without checking how much material remains underneath.
Check your understanding: Can a round bit leave a sharp square inside corner?
No. Design a suitable radius or use an appropriate later method. Changing speed cannot remove the tool’s geometric limit.
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: The difference between planned and actual dimensions, time and finish quality.
No notes recorded. Use this space for your observations.
Loading your notes… 0/5,000 characters.
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.