What is a CNC Router?

 

Today’s desktop CNC routers can accurately cut multiple parts and can cut decorative carving. The new smaller machines are also much more affordable than their industrial big brothers.

Maybe you’ve been to a big woodworking show before and were mesmerized by the immense, industrial CNC (Computer Numeric Control) machines. Full sheets of plywood slide in one end and cabinet parts — complete with joinery cuts, holes for shelving pins, pilots for mounting screws and even decorative grooving — emerge on the other.

Of course, many of these machines cost more than the average home and are nearly as big, but these days some manufacturers are making downsized machines, called desktop CNC routers. Now, you can buy a turn-key package for under $3000, bolt the parts together in an hour or so, load a program into your home computer and, by the end of the day, start doing some real CNC woodworking.

Today’s desktop CNC routers can’t slice a plywood sheet into cabinet parts, but they can cut small parts — drawer fronts, for example, or door panels — complete with joinery cuts, profiling and decorative carving. They’ll mill a rough board smooth or texture a smooth board to make it rough. Where they really excel is in making signs and relief carvings. They are pretty easy to use, have many practical applications and are reasonably affordable.

How Do They Work?

You do need a computer and a CAD (Computer-Assisted Design) program to run them. Typically a desktop CNC router will come with a version of a CAD software program so you can draw what you want to cut. Then you switch to some sort of toolpath program, also provided with the machine. There you select the cutter (or cutters) you intend to use. The software calculates the cutting instructions and the calculation yields a file that you can name and save. Next, you secure the wood in the machine, install the correct bit, and begin the routing process.

The cutting action happens automatically. Typically, standard router bits are used, but special adapters may be necessary to fit the bit in the collet. The bit must extend a precise distance beyond the adapter or collet. The required extension varies from bit to bit and is specified in the machine’s manual.

CNC routers cut in what are called three axes or directions. Up and down is the Z coordinate or axis. Think of left and right as the Y-axis. Forward and back could be called the X-axis. With a variety of bits and a computer program working in those three directions, the sky’s the limit. However, the overall size of the machine’s bed and cutting range will determine the maximum workpiece size you can manipulate.

CNC Makes Cutting Patterns Easy

When it comes to considering investing in a desktop CNC system, just imagine the process of creating and using templates in a typical project situation, such as contouring the bottom edge of a table’s apron. First you might draw the contour freehand to determine the shape you want, or you use a CAD program to draw the contour. Then you’ll try to duplicate that shape onto a piece of sheet stock and enlarging it to create your template. From there you saw the line, sand it and, if it looks right, trace along its edge onto each apron workpiece. After rough-cutting the shape, you reattach your template in order to pattern-rout it to final size. With CNC, you could draw the shape once in CAD and use the CNC to cut the apron workpieces directly. No need for a separate template. No sawing and sanding and sawing again. And if you wanted to save the template to use again in the future, it’s on your computer’s hard drive. No clutter of dust-collecting templates in the shop.

There could be real and practical advantages to consider incorporating a desktop CNC system into your woodworking pursuits. You could save time, improve accuracy and even expand your range of creative possibilities with your projects.

 

Wood Planers

Wood Planer – What Is It And Why You May Need It?

If you have had any experience with woodworking projects either by way of your profession or sheer interest in the subject, then you would know how frustrating it can be trying to order boards of custom thickness from the local wood supplier. Of course, you could always use a table saw to decrease the thickness of the board and then clean its edges by employing a jointer, but the work becomes much simpler when a wood planer is used.

Also, given the glaring similarities in operation between a jointer and a planer, a lot of people tend to think that both these woodworking tools can be used for performing the same set of tasks. Sadly, that is not the case. So, this article explains the working of a wood planer and also throws light on the various woodworking applications for which it can be used.

What Is A Wood Planer And How Does It Work?

Simply put, a wood planer is a woodworking tool, which can be used for producing boards of even thickness that also happen to be totally flat on either side. While the traditional wood planer was more of a handheld tool, the modern power planers come with a planing platform for quick and accurate thickness adjustments and can be controlled either manually or electronically.

Basically, what you do is first set the cut depth either by adjusting the cutter head/drum or the planing platform, and switch on the machine. Then, as you feed a board through the machine, it is carried forward by the in-feed roller and placed under the fast spinning blades of the cutter drum. From the other end, the outfeed roller systematically moves the completed section of the board out of the machine and thus a smooth and consistent reduction in thickness is achieved across the board in no time.

Where Does A Planer Prove Useful?

By using a thickness planer, you can take irregular pieces of wood and level its thickness according to your project requirement. As a result, you can buy any thickness of wood from the lumberyard and as long as it is of good quality, you could always put it through a wood planer and achieve the required thickness. In fact, experts use small rough cut blocks and gang feed them into the planer to achieve perfect deck spindles in little time.

For projects that require two edges to be adjoined to each other, a planer can be quite handy. With enough practice, you could easily bevel a door edge accurately up to 5 degrees by integrating an adjustable fence onto the machine. This process of beveling the hinge-less door edges allows the doors to open and close smoothly without clicking or jamming.

Even old wood can be reclaimed and used again in new projects by making use of the flattening qualities of a wood planer. Of course, woodwork purists will be quick to tell you that doing so can nick the blades and kill their sharpness. However, given the growing cost of quality lumber, recycling old wood presents itself as a cost-effective solution. And if it means replacing a set of carbide tipped blades every once in a while, well then you only losing $30-$40 in the process!

Proper Training

Though a wood planer proves to be a handy tool for woodworks, it is not something that you can start working with right away. When planers are operated by inexperienced personnel, they result in tear outs, snipes and inclined planes on the board’s surface, all of which will only increase the work duration and at to the total cost of a project. Therefore, take the time to properly understand the operational aspects of this machine and practice what you have learned with unused boards in your workshop before you actually start using it for a new woodworking project.

Why You Need a Wood Planer

Are you a beginner looking to equip your workshop with the right tools to get the job done or an enthusiast who’s looking for that last push to get a planer? There may be an endless number of tools to get for your shop, but be sure that a planer is toward the top of the list of must-haves. Before getting too carried away, make sure to know the differences between a planer and jointer, and rest assured that they complement each other and that getting a planer is a solid starting point.

What is a planer used for?

A benchtop wood planer is used to produce boards that have an even thickness and are flat on both sides. A planer can take a rough piece of wood and make the parallel faces flat while producing a thickness to your specification. This provides a highly accurate thickness of the finished board for your next woodworking project. So do you need a planer? The answer is yes. By using a benchtop planer, a lot of time, patience and money are saved as opposed to using a hand planer.

In addition to using a planer for flattening rough-cut lumber, a planer is also a tool that can be used to reclaim wood from homes, furniture and barns. When reclaiming wood, you need to be sure to remove any metal pieces, such as nails, screws or hinges. Then the planer can be used to shave off just enough to re-flatten the wood. It could also be used to remove any stains or coloring from the wood so that it’s a perfect fit for your next project.

What are the advantages of a wood planer?

There are many benefits of a wood planer, including saving time, patience and money. Here is a short list of some of the advantages of a wood planer:

Time

Hand planing is a time-consuming activity that often requires a lot of measuring (and remeasuring) to get the thickness exactly right across the entire board.

Patience

Hand planing is a laborious activity that takes patience to ensure the entire surface of the board is smooth. Additionally, not all pieces of purchased and finished lumber are as smooth or precise as you may need for your project.

Money

There is a premium you pay when you purchase a finished board from your lumberyard, so when shopping around, you will often find that rough-cut lumber is considerably less expensive. You also have the opportunity to reclaim wood for a new project and plane it for your needs. In addition, you may be able to buy discounted irregular pieces or scraps as you have the ability to plane them to the correct dimensions.

Custom Board Thickness

If your project calls for a thicker or thinner piece of wood than the normal measurements that are typically found at the store or lumberyard, you may be able to plane the wood to the appropriate thickness for your project.

Easily Use More Exotic Woods for Your Projects

It may be easier to find exotic woods in non-regular cuts or cuts not to the specifications for your project. Using a planer can easily bring them to the thickness and flatness needed.

Garbage In, Garbage Out

When working with wood, most find that when a board is cupped, twisted or bowed, or has an uneven thickness, then the finished project may not look the best. Be sure you’re starting with the right piece of wood by running it through your personal benchtop wood planer.

Are there alternatives?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is no. An alternative is a hand plane. Hand-planing larger pieces is difficult and time-consuming when compared to flattening a larger piece of wood in a single pass with a benchtop wood planer. There are many other tricks that people try to save a couple of dollars; however, some are unsafe and all are met with less-than-adequate results.

Final Thoughts

Your home woodshop may have many tools; however, each project you do begins and ends with the boards you’re using. There are few things more useful in a shop, especially when using rough-cut lumber, than a planer. A planer isn’t just another piece of equipment on the benchtop taking up room. It is the tool with which you should start every project, giving you the precision and accuracy that you need to make the finished piece you desire.

Different planers may have the option of more than one feed speed. Wahuda offers a single- and a double-feed-speed benchtop planer. Dual-feed speeds give the best options for everyday projects, with faster speeds of 26 fpm or a slow speed of 18 fpm for a finer finish on the board.

Conclusion

Why do you need a wood planer? The short answer is to make your life easier and more efficient in your shop. You’ll find you can save money and reclaim wood. Custom work has never been as simple as when you’ve got the tools to customize the lumber you’re using.

Why do I need a Smart Video Doorbell

A smart video door bell is in-expensive, easy to install and simple to use.  If your not the handy type or uncertain which video door bell is right for you, we can help! There are very little differences among these video door butlers, besides their aesthetics. If you have an existing door bell wire this will save you a lot of hassle from replacing or charging batteries. The battery life varies upon the amount of visitors you get and how often you view the bell ringers.

Operation is pretty imaginable, a guest arrives, rings your door bell and a push notification on your phone lets you know there's a visitor. You can then view, talk and listen through your smart phone should you decide to answer. The visitor can not tell if you are answering from inside the home or remotely, greatly reducing risk of a break in. A smart door bell also gives you the ability to "live view" at anytime, doubling as a security cam. Most manufacturers require a monthly / yearly subscription to record and save activities. Some door bells even tie into a neighborhood watch program, allowing you to share suspicious activity or persons in the area. 

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Why Do I Need A Smart Lock?

1 Time

The  recurring subject, time. We cant stop being obsessed with it, what else is there? There is no feeling that compares to losing your keys, unless you lost your smart phone. Unfortunately there is no cure for that cold feeling of a missing communicator, but a WiFi door lock can certainly unlock the inconvenience of being left out in the cold.

2. Convenience

Need to let in... the babysitter? Cleaning service? Kids after school? Package delivery? Cable service? I bet your beginning to see how this device can buy you time. Anytime, anywhere, your the key master.

3. Monitoring

Home or office it is a definite bonus to know who and when someone opened a specific door. Having

individual "Key" codes are a great asset for accountability. They can document a road map of traffic through a certain entry way should an issue arise. (Be sure to combine with a security camera for the best results)

4. No Inventory

Eliminating clutter is always refreshing, less keys, less hassle. I can take a general inventory of who has keys to my front door. Family and choice neighbors, but are they in their possession? Ill never know until it may be too late.

5. Aesthetics

Sleek, modern and intimidating. There are plenty of Smart Lock manufactures with their own style and look. Some with a keypad or touchscreen while others are extremely refined. Either way we only recommend one that has a no hassle entry when there is no power or WiFi.

We also recommend having a professional install this. They are not as easy to install as some manufacturers suggest they may be. Getting halfway done and leaving it for later or tomorrow is not an option.

We hope this article answered most of your questions, if not let us know and we would be happy to elaborate. 

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A Smart Home Needs A Smart Phone.

Good News! You most likely own one of the most expensive smart home devices already, the Smart Phone. Its the foundation of home control while your home or away. Below we will outline a basic list of devices which can be monitored and/or controlled from your smart phone. Whether you favor Apple, Android or another brand there is no shortage of smart home app capabilities. 

1. Security

Security systems and devices are just as expansive and complex as the smart home itself. Here are some security features people have become dependent on.

     A. Indoor cameras give you great visibility on your children and pets anytime of day with many cameras giving you the option to talk or listen-in.

     B. Outdoor cameras have the same features as their indoor counterparts, allowing you to check the exterior of your home. We will go over both of these in more detail in this series.

     C.Remotely disarming the house alarm to allow children or trusted visitors in.

     D. Monitoring who enters or leaves, usually receiving text alerts when these events occur.

     E. Inform you of any other system activities connected to the house alarm.

2. Smoke alarm and Carbon Monoxide status alerts

Carbon Monoxide is one of the biggest hazards and your mobile phone can provide another layer of safety. Receiving alerts of smoke or high carbon levels while loved ones are home gives you the opportunity to call immediately and see if every thing is all clear.

3. Answer or monitor your front Door

Whether your around the block or half way around the world you can answer your front door from anywhere. There are plenty of video door bell options which alert you when someone rings. Watch for our upcoming blog on these popular devices.

4. Smart door lock

Combine a smart door bell with a smart door lock and you have a virtual butler. Having access to remotely lock or unlock your front door allows convenience for deliveries, cleaning services or kids returning home from school. Some door locks can keep a registry of which codes were used, allowing you to identify who came in or out at a particular time.

5. Adjust your thermostat

Smart thermostats keep you worry free while saving you time and energy. With the smart app on your

phone you can easily turn down the air conditioner, turn up the heat or just check on the temperature

6. Turn lighting on or off

Never come home to a dark house again! You can remotely turn on outdoor lights before arriving home or receive alerts of which lights were left on after you leave.

7. Control home electronics

Did I leave the iron on? Will no longer a question or concern! Go about your day stress free when you have smart electronics. There probably isn't a gadget or appliance you cant monitor or control from you phone.

.8. Control shades / blinds / drapery

These devices are usually on a schedule which save enormous amounts of time not having to run around the house daily to raise and lower shades. Automated shades allow for energy savings, opening to let the warm sun shine in during the day and closing them at night to keep out the chill. While smart apps are available we don't see too many benefits. However there is a growing number of homeowners who are investing in exterior storm shades. Being able to battenn down the hatches remotely can be a huge home saver.

.9. Network Monitoring

With all these smart home devices your network becomes more vulnerable to hackers. You want to invest in a good network but you also want to invest in a network firewall device that will alert you when ever someone signs on or if there is any suspicious activity.

So, did you know your phone was so smart? The better news is the devices we recommend everyday are more reliable than your mobile network! We hope if you are new to the smart home scene this list gives you a good insight to how your smart home and your smart phone can help you save time and energy.

We hope this article answered most of your questions, if not let us know and we would be happy to elaborate. 

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No place like a (smart) home

If you’re looking for intelligence devices, here’s what to consider before any purchases

Technology companies have been saying for years now that it’s the era of the smart home. But there have been a few barriers that kept all but the most tech-savvy and patient among us from signing on

But this may be the year to get “smart.” The prices of smart home devices are coming down. Their usefulness is growing. And companies are focused on making everything simpler to set up.

According to the tech industry lobbying group, the Consumer Technology Association, one-third of Americans have plans to purchase a smart home device of some kind this holiday season. Breaking it down further, 15 percent plan on chatting up a digital assistant speaker such as Google Home or Amazon’s Echo line, while 13 percent are eyeing home cameras and 12 percent are warming up to smart thermostats.

The quality and sheer number of devices seems to be driving the interest. “The aim is to deliver homes that take care of you, instead of the opposite,” said Steve Koenig, CTA economist and researcher. “People are able to find solutions that work for them.”

Jumping into the trend can be costly and confusing — and there are a lot of things to think about first. So consider this the practical guide to making a home smart.

Choosing a hub

The first thing you should buy is a home hub. Hubs such as Google’s Home, Amazon’s Echo or the forthcoming Apple HomePod (due in 2018) are essentially the field generals for every other gadget in your home. For maximum convenience, you’ll want to be able to issue voice commands to your tech, rather than having to hunt around for apps on your phone.

When it comes to choosing a hub, there are many choices. The trend is attractive to companies. Tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple are looking for opportunities to weave their companies more closely into your lives, but they’re also vying to be your platform of choice. Each of those companies has a platform on which all other devices can sit, giving them control over the foundation of your smart home

They’ll also set the standard, quite literally, for every other smart thing you may want to buy. Not every smart lightbulb, plug, television or other gizmo may work with every hub, after all.

Research is the key to a happy smart home here. If you have fallen in love with a specific gadget, figure out what home hub supports it and move on from there. If you’re a little more flexible, think about what devices or services you use now and let that be your guide.

Dreaming the dream

Once you’ve settled on a hub, things can get fun. “Smart” used to be mostly applied to devices in the entertainment console, but now you can kit out essentially every part of your home, from the lights in your entryway to your bed. To build the smart home of your dreams, you have to think through your priorities.

It can be helpful to go room by room to consider what would be most convenient. In the entryway, security cameras from Nest or a smart doorbell from Ring could give you 24-hour visibility into your own entryway, even when you’re not home. Locks, such as those from August or Yale, let you decide who can enter your home with the swipe of a smartphone.

Moving to the living room, you could see the advantages of being able to lower the lights for movie night — or set them to dim at bedtime — with no more than a voice command to your Hue bulb or Lutron lighting system. Or being able to pause whatever’s on your TV when the doorbell rings and you have to look at your phone to see who it is.

Or maybe the kitchen is your main focus. Smart speakers can be indispensable there for setting timers or making conversions. If you want to splurge, Samsung has smart fridges that will show you the family calendar on a display panel on the door and LG lets you knock on your fridge door to see inside without letting cold air out.

Even the bedroom can benefit from a little tech. You can still eliminate screens in bed and upgrade your room. You can slip into a bed, maybe from Sleep Number, that has been tracking your sleep and knows the best way to position your mattress. Or, in the case of the adjustable bed from Amerisleep, you might be able to trigger a massage before you drift off and start the day again.

In a fully smart home, just getting from the front stoop through to the kitchen may have you interacting with 10 smart things — locks, lights, the thermostat, the alarm system, etc. And that doesn’t even get into specific tasks such as vacuuming, an order you could issue to a Roomba.

Facing the reality

Okay. You’ve made your plan. You’ve decided on your top priorities. But there are some general concerns to think about.

First is security. After all, the more things you connect to the Internet, the more entry points you create into your home. There are practical tips you can take, namely setting up strong passwords for your devices when possible, and choosing devices that require you to use them.

Another option is to consider buying — what else? — another smart thing. Consider a smart router, which aims to run security software at the network level, meaning you don’t have to think about trying to secure each device individually. Two big names in security software, Norton and F-Secure, have both introduced their own routers, which come with a year of security services and the ability to monitor your network from your phone.

There’s also privacy to consider. Smart devices are, on the whole, designed to let you mute microphones when you don’t want them to hear, for example. But if you’re concerned, you may ultimately decide to keep tech out of certain rooms, such as the bathroom or bedroom.

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TOP TRENDS IN SMART HOME AUTOMATION

In 2016, 80 million smart home automation devices were delivered worldwide, a 64 percent increase from 2015, according to IHS Markit. Today’s buyers are looking for home technology devices that meet their expectations for living in an increasingly digital world. The new “smart home” is in high demand among millennial homeowners and home designers must be aware of the latest in must-have gadgets and home automation, making sure homes are designed to accommodate these new smart home devices.

Here are a few high-tech gadgets that are in demand for the new smart home.

1. HUBS & CONTROLLERS

The Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple’s Home app are all heavy-hitters in the hubs and controllers category. These are voice-activated devices that will answer your questions and perform a host of tasks—anything from turning on your television to ordering your groceries. The new hub devices are a form of an automated personal assistant designed to make the day-to-day living and completing everyday tasks simpler for the average homeowner.

For those who still prefer to cling to a little of the old-fashioned—you can still access and control your home devices via a universal remote such as the Logitech Harmony Elite. This device controls not only TV and stereos but also any other connected devices (Bluetooth, Z-Wave, ZigBee, wifi) in your home.

Home automation device.

2. HOME SURVEILLANCE

Wireless surveillance cameras that are easy to install will give homeowners more flexibility when deciding where to install the device. The new devices are completely wireless and also waterproof. Other features to look for in the new home surveillance devices include rechargeable batteries, sound-triggered recording, and USB local video storage.

The Netgear Arlo Pro is an example of the newest in smart home surveillance devices.

3. SECURITY SYSTEMS

There are several new entries into the home security system and door lock category. Smart locks are available which can be installed over an existing deadbolt and connects your door to home automation systems, allowing you to easily open/close your home doors through smart home automation. It works through voice system automation via Bluetooth. There are also more complex home security systems on the market such as the ADT Pulse and the Abode Home Security systems. These more comprehensive home security systems provide 24/7 home monitoring and complete customer support. These systems are easily integrated with your other existing smart home devices.

4. LIGHTING FOR SMART HOME

Home lighting has become so much more than just flicking a light switch… With the newest in smart home lighting, you have complete control over the lights in your home. You can dim or brighten, change the colour of the lighting with smart light bulbs such as the Philips Hue line of bulbs.

Some smart bulbs also allow for scheduling and geofencing. Other smart bulb lighting options are available that do not require the use of a hub such as the Bluetooth-only bulb, TikTech Smart LED.

5. HEATING/COOLING

New home heating/cooling systems are controlled remotely with built-in wifi, which can be easily accessed through any of your digital devices including your laptop, tablet or smartphone. The new generation of heating/cooling devices includes built-in sensors, larger displays, furnace monitors and geofencing support. Some devices include multiple sensors that can effectively monitor and control the temperature of every room in your home remotely.

Some of the newest in smart home heating/cooling devices include the Nest Learning Thermostat and the Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat.

6. HEALTH/FITNESS

Everyone wants to stay healthy so why not have automated devices for your home that help? You can track almost anything health-related now through a device. You can track fat, muscle mass, water makeup, and bone composition. The QardioBase Smart Scale is a home health device that tracks all of these things and sends the numbers to your mobile device. Other great home health smart devices are the QardioArm and the Withings Smart Body Analyzer.

The QardioArm tracks blood pressure and heart rate and will record the measurements over time. Along the same line, the Withings Smart Body Analyzer is a wifi-connected scale that also calculates body composition including lean mass, BMI, and fat mass. Both apps include access to a free web interface and are compatible with iOS and Android devices.

7. SMART KITCHEN APPLIANCES

Not too many people cook while not at home. However…if you are interested, you no longer have to rely on the old-fashioned “crockpot.” There is now sous vide cooking (this cooking method immerses food sealed in plastic, using an immersion circulator, into a hot bath to cook it). A device such as the Anova Culinary Precision Cooker uses wifi connectivity and allows you to cook from anywhere. The app notifies you of the water temperature and cooking process throughout the whole cooking time.

Like to grill? Another device, Cinder Grill, is a precision grill that allows you to cook using heating plates rather than cooking in an immersion hot water bath. It can grill and sear up to 450 degrees.

8. HOME-CLEANING DEVICES

What homeowner doesn’t want help with cleaning? The RoboVac may be revolutionizing the way we clean our homes. You can get the RoboVac11, which is a robot vacuum cleaner with the more basic functions; or you can elect for the iRobot Roomba 690, a more advanced RoboVac that includes a camera for navigation and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is here to stay and home automation must be incorporated into smart home designs of the future. Contact us for more in the latest architecture/luxury home design technology and news.

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