Advice needed on purchasing.

Ok, I'll admit it, I'm completely new to CNC stuff. I upcycle old whisky casks and cask staves which are solid oak, the longest I use are about 1400mm. I spotted a CNC router video and thought to myself, "I wonder if these can be used to carve Celtic knot work into the staves". I've found videos of carving been done on the flat but barrel staves are convex curved on the horizontal as well as the vertical. What I need to know is, will a CNC machine be able to follow the curvature of the stave so the carving is uniform in depth all the way along the stave? If there is a machine that does it, where would. I buy it or could someone on this forum make one?

I'm looking to start a business out of this as the stuff I do by hand goes like hot cakes at Cand I think by introducing carved work I'm onto winner. I'd be looking to do fret type work and signage as well.

I know there'll be a bit of a learning curve regarding software etc but I do like a challenge and am highly computer literate.



Hope this makes sense. I can see my idea in my head but not sure if it translates into the physical or not.

Thanks in advance.

For around 3000 spent you could DIY a very capable 600x900x200mm working area machine, sth like what i build for a friend 2 years ago. Of course size could be adjusted to your particular needs, what i am saying is just to have an idea of parts price per work space.

or for ~5000 sb can make that same machine for you


If you design in CAD the shape, it will carve it. Even if convex, it will project it on surface, and if you cleverly design the details it could not be a problem. Now- to carve it at every single place perpendicular to the face machine must be 5 Axis, which is not only much more expensive to do it properly but you need 5 axis CAD which is expensive if legally obtained. And a serious learning curve...

Adding 4rth axis to the machine / think of lathe inside the bed, along the length/ is cheaper and will solve the short distance curve. But will challenge you how to support the thing without vibrating. Anyways,still doable.

5th axis? Not that way. Then 4rth and 5th must be integrated on the head/where spindle is, not bed. In your case i mean.

I carve a lot of staff, so IMO 3mm is the perfect flat bottom depths for wood carvings. Looks deep enough, good enough and is generally my preferred depth and way to do it. That also to have in mind.


Now having that info rethink what you want and especially the designs of what you will cut. is it possible to split it in 3 separate parts? etc...


So IMO 3 axis machine could do what you want and longer than 1m machine is not needed.

Thanks for the reply. When I'm doing a clock 1300mm in length I couldnt cut it into sections. Mind you, that's a large stave and it's unusual to sell to sell a clock made that size. most of the stuff I Sell is from staves that are smaller, probably about a metre. Other stuff is made from staves that have already been cut down into shorter sections. Cask lids are usually no wider than 800 in diameter. When I think about it I intended to fill the carving with various coloured resins and sanding them off, think Book of Kells, so uniformity of depth isn't really an issue....is it?

So a three axis with a working area of 1000 x 800 x 200

Does that sound about right? Doable, price?

Further calculations have to be made, but i would say around 3500 euro. That parts only.

Quote me up a full price, I'm selling a property at auction on the eighth of February so I'll be looking to buy around then if the price is right