troubleshooting
How to Surface a CNC Spoilboard: Bit, Toolpath, and Settings
A source-based guide to surfacing an MDF CNC spoilboard, covering bit choice, RPM, feed rate, stepover, toolp…
CNC Wood Guide — Desktop CNC Router Feeds, Speeds and Router Bit Selection for Wood
Desktop CNC Router Feeds, Speeds and Router Bit Selection for Wood
CNC Wood Guide
Independent · 2026
Independent · 2026
Featured troubleshooting
How to Fix Tearout on a CNC Router: Bit, Toolpath, Feed
Tearout on a CNC router is wood splitting ahead of the cutting edge. Fix it with bit helix, a 0.3 to 0.5 mm finishing pass, chip load and fibre support.
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tooling
Desktop CNC Router Buying Guide for Woodworking
Choose a hobby CNC router for woodworking: compare entry-level CNC machine rigidity, cutting area, spindle op…
tooling
Upcut vs Downcut vs Compression CNC Router Bits
Compare upcut, downcut and compression CNC router bits by chip evacuation, edge quality, workholding and the …
reference
CNC Chip Load Chart for Wood: Feeds and Speeds
Starting chip load ranges by bit diameter and material, the feed rate formula behind them, and how to correct…
reference
Climb vs Conventional Milling on a CNC Router
Choose climb or conventional milling on a CNC router using cut direction, backlash, workholding and CAM setti…
Start here
Three pages cover most of what a desktop CNC router in wood asks of you: the numbers, the cutter, and the machine.
Calculator
Chip load and feed rate calculator
Feed rate, plunge and stepover from chip load, checked against your machine's real feed limit.
Reference
CNC chip load chart for wood
Starting ranges by cutter diameter and material, plus a symptom-to-fix troubleshooting table.
Machine selection
Desktop CNC router buying guide
Rigidity, spindle RPM range, controller limits, dust control and shop power, in order of importance.