MAXMAKE CNC Blog

Coins are cool. But let's make something different. Today, we're pushing the HiMill D1S to make an aluminum EDC playing card. Let's turn cold metal into a pocket fidget toy where every engraved line says "this is mine."

I. Project Overview

II. Prep & Design

The secret to a good EDC card is good feel and clean details. Plan your layout and chamfer settings ahead of time — it'll save you hours.

1. Materials List

2. Tooling Selection (High-Speed Aluminum Set)

III. CAM Settings (Machining Parameters)

These parameters are tuned for aluminum. With small tweaks, they work for most relief patterns.

A. EDC Card Machining

B. EDC Slider Machining

IV. Machining Process

The HiMill D1S keeps flat relief accurate to within microns.

1.

Workholding: Secure the aluminum plate to the wasteboard with tape and CA glue. Use edge stops to prevent shifting.

2.

Roughing: Use the 3.175mm end mill to clear bulk material and rough out the card's rectangular base.

3.

Relief Finishing: Swap to the 20° 0.2mm flat bottom engraving bit to reproduce the suits, numbers, and geometric textures. The lines will come out crisp and burr-free.

4.

Contour Cut: Use the 2mm ball nose end mill to cut the outer profile and add a smooth fillet.

V. Post-Processing

VI. Final Showcase: A Card That Says It All

When warm aluminum is reborn through precise CNC carving, an EDC playing card that blends practicality with visual appeal finally reveals its crisp, rugged texture: