CNC starter books

[magicniner]

Making 3D shapes is very similar regardless of material, some of the data you set in your CAM like Stepover (width of cut) Spindle Speed, Depth of Cut, Feed Speed or Feed Per Flute will be material specific and that will deal with the material of your choice.

What you need is -
(1) 3D CAD - to load/make/modify the models you want to cut
and
(2) CAM to generate (usually with input from you) the tool paths your machine will follow to cut your part.

For your CAM you will need a Post Processor which is appropriate for the Motion Controller on your machine, examples of Motion Controllers are Linux CNC and Mach3/4 which run on a PC, Stand Alone Motion Controllers start with the hobby DDCSV 2.1 and similar which are small low cost units under £200, all the way up to Fanuc and Siemens units at several thousand pounds.

Books and guides are, in my experience, a less than optimum use of your time. Much of what you need to learn will be dependent on hands-on experience with your chosen machine, motion controller, CAD and CAM.
Although once you learn one system the process of transferring to another is a lesser learning curve there is little point reading about and learning the features of a system other than the one with which you will be working.

- Nick