How to make a Spoon or Ladle with your CNC machine
Crafting a Ladle Using CNC Machining: A Step-by-Step Guide
Hey y’all, Royce from Hill Country CNC & Woodworking here! Today, I’m excited to walk you through the process of making a ladle using CNC machining with Vectric Aspire, VCarve Pro and AutoCAD. This project is special to me because it helped me win a monthly competition at Woodcraft San Antonio. Let’s dive into the details, from setting up the material to the final touches.
Setting Up Your Material
First things first, we need to set up our material in Vectric Aspire. For this project, I used a large chunk of wood measuring 7 1/4″ square and 2.152″ thick. We’ll be working with double-sided machining, so it’s essential to ensure precision throughout the process. I always set my datum point in the bottom left corner, which is a common practice in CNC machining for better accuracy.
Designing the Bowl in Aspire
First things first, when I say Aspire, it is interchangeable with VCarve Pro. To create the ladle bowl, we start by selecting the dome shape in Aspire. This will form the interior of our bowl. I opted for a 90° dome to achieve a perfect half-sphere. Centering the design is crucial because of our bottom-left datum setup. The outer diameter of the ladle will be 5 inches, so the interior needs to be slightly smaller. After calculating and adjusting, we end up with an interior diameter of approximately 4.8125 inches.
Adjusting Shape Height and Creating the Bowl
Next, we adjust the shape height to match our material thickness. After subtracting the desired cut depth, we achieve a shape height of 1.9645 inches. Switching the dome to a bowl shape in Aspire, we ensure that our design accurately represents a ladle bowl.
Creating Vector Boundaries and Zero Planes in Aspire
Creating a vector boundary around the design helps the software understand the tool path limitations. Adding a zero plane is also crucial as it defines the material surface, ensuring accurate cuts on both sides of the material.
Flipping and Designing the Exterior
Flipping the material, we design the exterior dome of the ladle. We again use a 90° dome, centered and sized to match the interior dimensions. It’s essential to create vector boundaries and zero planes on this side as well to maintain precision.
Adding Tabs and Dowel Holes
To keep the material stable during machining, we add tabs. Tabs are small pieces of material left uncut to hold the workpiece in place. I also add dowel holes for alignment purposes. These dowels ensure the material is correctly positioned when flipped.
Tool Paths: Roughing and Finishing
With our design complete, we move on to creating tool paths. The roughing tool path removes the bulk of the material. For this, I used an Amana 46502k bit, which is perfect for deep cuts. Setting a raster strategy at a 40° angle, as suggested by Mark Lindsay, ensures a smooth finish across the wood grain.
Finishing Touches
The finishing tool path refines the rough cut, leaving a smooth surface. I used a 46376k ball nose bit with an 8% step-over, speeding up the process while still allowing for detailed sanding later on.
Drilling Tool Paths for Dowels
Creating dowel drilling tool paths is straightforward. We ensure the start depth is zero and the cut depth is half an inch. Using an upcut bit helps remove material efficiently.
Machining the Ladle
Now comes the exciting part—machining the ladle. I secured the walnut piece to the CNC bed using painter’s tape and Starbond CA glue. This method holds the material firmly without damaging it. The roughing pass removes large sections of material, followed by the finishing pass, which smooths out the interior and exterior surfaces.
Final Steps and Assembly
After machining, we have our rough ladle. Sanding is the next step to achieve a mirror-like finish. Using a combination of sanding tools, we refine the surface, ensuring all edges are smooth and the bowl is perfectly round.
Tools & Bits I use to Make a Spoon with CNC
CNC Machine:
CNC Router Onefinity Journeyman
Bits:
Amana Tools Up Cut Ball Nose Spiral 46376K
Amana Tools Spoilboard Bit RC-2265
Dust Collector:
JET Vortex Cone Dust Collector, 2-Micron Canister Filter, 2 HP
Dust Boot:
Dustimator © for Onefinity CNC – Makita RT0701C- (with magnetic removeable 2″ bristles base)
Dust Collection Remote: Woods 50126WD Outdoor Lighting Timer with Remote Control Countdown, 3 Grounded Outlets, Black (3-Outlet)
Occillating Spindle Sander:
Ridgid R4840
Conclusion
Creating a ladle with CNC machining involves careful planning, precise calculations, and meticulous execution. From setting up the material in Vectric Aspire to the final sanding touches, each step is crucial in achieving a professional-quality result. I hope this guide inspires you to explore the capabilities of CNC in your woodworking projects. Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more woodworking and CNC tips!
Make sure to check out the rest of my website and blog! My store has many of the common items I personally use and the WHY behind it.
Have a great one!
Royce
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