Wood carving has never been a task for the faint of heart. One slip of knife or saw can ruin hours of work, and unless you're an expert, getting the results you want can be difficult. So to get around that, why not have a computer do the work for you?
The Craftsman Compucarve Computer-Controlled Compact Woodworking Machine is the first CNC carver designed for the home workshop. CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control and means that the machine follows instructions from the computer when carving.
The Compucarve works with both macs and PCs. You come up with design in the comfort of your office chair and save it to a memory card. The Compucarve downloads patterns from the memory card and precisely cuts the pattern you designed.
As with any complex software package, it's important to become familiar with the software before you start working. Once you understand how the software works, you can do a lot more than just carve one-inch deep designs in a chunk of pine. The Compucarve does three-dimensional carving and can carve wood, plastics and some types of high-density foam. You can use the designs already in the program, build your own or upload pictures into the design program. You can also use a scanning probe (sold separately) to reproduce a design from another piece, which means you can finally fix that antique table.
The Compucarve is not an industrial machine, so if you're looking at doing a hundred carvings a day, this tool is not for you. It is, however, a great machine for a hobbyist or home workshop and can add a level of detail to your work you didn't think was possible before.
At just under $2000, the Compucarve costs more than a pair of chisels and a jackknife. But compared to most industrial CNC machines, which run $4000 to $10,000 dollars, the Compucarve is downright reasonable.
Tips
1. Read the manual! This is a complex piece of equipment that you must thoroughly understand.
2. Clean it often. Computerized machines hate dust — even those designed to work in it — so clean your machine after every project. .
3. Make sure the boards you carve are flat. Cupped or warped boards produce lower-quality results. .
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