"Wood holds a natural warmth, and there's something inherently comforting about cats. When precision CNC machining meets the smooth texture of beechwood, we decided to craft something a little different: a wooden cat bag you can actually wear. It’s more than just an accessory; it’s a tribute to the love of making."

Project Overview

This project is a great exercise in deep pocketing and 3D surface carving on hardwood. By precision milling a 20mm thick beechwood board, we preserved the beautiful natural grain of the wood while carving out a rounded, adorable cat face profile.

Stage 1: Prep & Design

The core design of the cat bag lies in its smooth external curves and maximizing the internal hollow space. To give the piece a unique soul, we also incorporated a laser-engraved "Love to create" text relief.

Tools & Materials List:

• Material: 200mm × 200mm × 20mm Beechwood board (We recommend using boards with an even grain and no knots).
• T1 Tool: 3.175mm Single Flute Spiral End Mill (Ideal for wood. It provides excellent chip clearance and is used for pocketing and profile cutting).
• T2 Tool: 2mm Ball Nose End Mill (Used for 3D finishing and smoothing the rounded edges).
• Other Hardware: D-rings, a leather strap, and a 10W Laser Module (for text engraving).

Stage 2: CAM Settings & Parameters

Unlike metal machining, the main challenge with hardwood is preventing friction burns, overheating, and tear-out at the edges. We opted for a stable spindle speed of 12,000 RPM to ensure clean cuts.

• Spindle Speed: 12,000 RPM (Recommended to keep the cut surface smooth without burning the wood).
• Chip Evacuation: Always use Air Blast. Blowing away the wood chips immediately prevents dust buildup, which can cause excessive heat and scorch marks on the wood.
• Laser Parameters (Text Engraving): Speed at 30mm/s, Power at 30%.

Stage 3: Machining Workflow

• Workholding: Beechwood boards are relatively light. The classic "masking tape + CA glue" method is more than enough to hold the board firmly to the wasteboard.
• Running the Job: We started by roughing out the large internal pocket, followed by cutting the outer profile. Finally, we swapped to the laser module and ran the text engraving program.

Stage 4: Post-Processing & Assembly

• Sanding: Freshly machined wood will have slight fibrous fuzz. Start dry sanding with 240-grit sandpaper and work your way up to 800-grit until the surface feels as smooth as satin.
• Oiling: Apply a coat of natural wood wax oil. You'll instantly see the beechwood grain pop, becoming rich and deep.
• Hardware Assembly: Install the D-rings on both sides (near the cat ears) and attach the leather strap. Your one-of-a-kind CNC wooden bag is complete!

The Result

The engraved phrase "Love to create" is more than just a slogan; it represents the new life we've given this piece of wood.

• Visuals: The natural tone of the beechwood contrasts beautifully with the leather strap.
• Touch: The 3D curved surfaces shaped by the CNC feel solid, smooth, and warm in hand.
• Vibe: The joy of making something yourself reaches its peak the moment you sling the finished bag over your shoulder.