Mastering CNC and Digital Fabrication II
It has been a crazy few months, from getting CWB certified and doing some real custom metal fabrication to starting MasterCAM University so I can get into CNC mills and lathes… programming through production. Around all of this, I’m also launching my second book in the Mastering CNC and Digital Fabrication series I plan to write while also tooking a few weeks to further edit and revise through the content of the first book, now V3. If you already bought it, it’s still fine, but if you haven’t already, it’s now even better.
Mastering CNC and Digital Fabrication II: From Curiosity to Competency in 200+ Questions about CNC Routing, Laser, Plasma, Waterjet, 3D Printing, and Welding basically takes-off where my first book started, put another way, the first book showed you the road, the second tells you why the road exists.
You already know how to run your machines. Now it is time to understand why they behave the way they do.
This is not another entry-level CNC book. This is the essential companion to Mastering CNC and Digital Fabrication, written for working shops, serious makers, fabricators, and engineers who are already cutting real materials, wearing tools out, chasing tolerances, and trying to make better parts faster.
Inside are 200 questions that target the real problems, tuning choices, and workflow puzzles that only appear after you move beyond hobby work.
This book becomes your troubleshooting partner, your setup checklist, your “why did it do that” decoder, and your production knowledge amplifier.
What Makes This Book Different
Most CNC books teach what to do.
This book teaches why it works, why it fails, and how to correct it.
Every section is built in a practical question and answer format so you can:
• Diagnose cut quality issues before they scrap parts
• Tune feeds, speeds, stepover, and tool geometry with confidence
• Reduce chatter, burn, scrap, and broken tooling
• Improve accuracy, surface finish, and cycle time
• Build reliable hybrid workflows across multiple machines
• Make smarter equipment and upgrade decisions
No filler. No padded theory. Only answers that matter in production.
Inside You Will Learn
This volume delivers 200 deep-dive questions organized by machine type.
CNC Routers (30)
Tool geometry, vibration, spoilboards, vacuum workholding, tramming, nesting, aluminum routing, dust control, jigs, retrofits.
Waterjet (30)
Kerf control, abrasive tuning, taper compensation, pump maintenance, micro-cutting, composites, environmental handling.
3D Printing (30)
Layer strength, enclosures, warping, multi-material strategy, firmware upgrades, production optimization.
Plasma (30)
Arc voltage, consumables, dross control, gas selection, water tables, precision upgrades.
Laser (30)
Focal length, engraving depth, beam alignment, acrylic edge finish, rotary systems, emerging technology.
Welding (30)
Joint preparation, filler selection, distortion control, automated welding, inspection standards (briefly, that’s a whole other book onto itself).
Hybrid Workflows (20)
Combining CNC, plasma, laser, waterjet, welding, and 3D printing into efficient production systems.
Each section also includes a quiz, along with a comprehensive master quiz that covers the entire book so you can track your knowledge progress.
This book, like the previous one, is easy to understand and follow without requiring a deep technical background.
Get it now at: https://amzn.to/4qN1ayG