What separates a beginner CNC project from one that looks professional? Andy Bird welcomes back Kyle from Learn Your CNC, the show’s very first guest, who has more than 15 years of hobby and industrial CNC experience. Using real student projects as examples, Kyle shares simple ways to take your work to the next level.

In this episode:

• Small design details that set a project apart, like curved text, custom shapes, and added color
• Why your CNC should cut shapes nobody else can make, not just circles and rectangles
• Finishing and toolpath tips to cut down on sanding
• Using AI as a design tool without letting it replace your creativity
• Knowing when a design is done, and avoiding spending hours to save minutes
• Rapid Fire Q&A: running long carves safely, molding toolpaths in VCarve, choosing wood, workholding and fences, and why carve time estimates are off
• AI Feud: Andy and Kyle face off in a Family Feud-style game where AI wrote the survey

Report your CNC sales and help the community reach 10,000 sales at www.andybirdbuilds.com/10000

Find free resources, courses, and coaching at www.andybirdbuilds.com

Learn Vectric and AI design with Kyle at www.learnyourcnc.com

How do you make money with your CNC now and keep it going for the long haul? Andy Bird sits down live with returning guest Garrett from IDC Woodcraft, who has filled more than 50,000 router bit orders, to talk about the mindset, habits, and pricing decisions behind a profitable CNC business.

In this episode:

• Why fear of failure keeps so many makers stuck, and how to push past it
• How Garrett would land his first 10 customers if he started over today with only a machine in the garage
• Why getting known for a niche (like Jeep gear or wedding decor) beats trying to sell to everyone
• Over or Under: Andy and Garrett guess the prices of real CNC products, from a Funko Pop display to a $5,490 parametric room divider, and learn a lot about pricing for the right customer
• Rapid Fire Q&A: learning from failure, finding time with a full-time job, pricing beyond cost plus markup, and marketing online vs. in person

Report your CNC sales and help the community reach 10,000 sales at www.andybirdbuilds.com/10000

Find free resources, courses, and coaching at www.andybirdbuilds.com

Check out Garrett’s bits and gear at www.idcwoodcraft.com

Philip from Miller Made Workshop joins Andy in the shop to talk lasers: what to ask yourself before you buy, the real difference between glass-tube CO2 and RF lasers, and why wattage isn’t the number that matters most.

Philip runs both a $6K glass-tube laser and a $12K RF Thunder Laser, and he breaks down what you actually get for the extra money. That includes build quality, tube lifespan, air vs. water cooling, support, and downtime. If you run a CNC business and don’t have a laser yet, this one’s for you.

In this episode:

• Andy’s recap of IWF 2026, including SawStop’s new bandsaw and Harvey’s blade-saving saw stop technology
• Hobby vs. business: the first question to ask before buying a laser
• Glass CO2 vs. RF: beam quality, detail, tube life, and replacement costs
• Why an 80W RF can outperform a 100W glass tube
• CNC-mounted lasers: when they make sense and when they don’t
• Diode vs. CO2 for branding large projects
• LightBurn vs. manufacturer software
• A round of CNC Taboo: Philip and Andy vs. the live chat
• A CNC Kickstart course giveaway

Find Philip:YouTube and Instagram: @MillerMadeWorkshopmillermadeworkshop.comMiller Hardware and Tools

Learn more about anything mentioned in this episode: andybirdbuilds.com

Are you tired of chasing video trends and ready to build a real CNC business? In this Season 3 premiere of The CNC Show, Andy Bird sits down with tech and video game industry veteran Pete from @petesquared23 to uncover what it actually takes to bring original products to market. From his garage shop to managing massive teams at Apple, Pete shares his unique blueprint for turning creative energy into profitable, real-world manufacturing.

In this episode, we dive into:

• Overcoming Creative Block: How to transition from a blank screen to a product you are passionate about making.
• Design vs. Manufacturing: When to prototype in your garage and how to find the right partner to safely scale your inventory.
• Failing Forward: The reality behind product winners (like the Lego Sorter) and the "losers" that taught hard lessons about profit margins.
• Feature Creep & Perfectionism: Why waiting for a 100% "perfect" design is stopping you from making money.

Plus, stick around for our fan-favorite segment, "Guess the Price," where we break down the retail pricing of wood and 3D-printed products on Etsy, followed by a rapid-fire community Q&A on everything from editing G-code with AI to fixing machine problems!

Get into your shop and make something you’re proud of!

We talk shop with Paul from Bees Boards!

Check out our brand new course, CNC Fun Money! https://thecncsidehustle.com/fun-money-special/Free ResourcesCNC Supply Guide - https://thecncsidehustle.com/supply-guide/Perfect Project Checklist - https://thecncsidehustle.com/checklist/Pricing For Maximum Profits Guide - https://thecncsidehustle.com/pricing-profits/Join my Free CNC community - https://discord.gg/UtRjnsurc4The full list of tools and supplies I recommend - https://www.andybirdbuilds.com/tools-i-useCourses and Training:Create Projects You’re Proud Of - https://thecncsidehustle.com/kickstart-special/Turn Your CNC Woodworking Into Income - https://thecncsidehustle.com/special/Live CNC Side Hustle Group Coaching - https://www.cnc.school/membershipCNC Machines I Recommend:Shapeoko - https://shop.carbide3d.com/andybirdbuildsAvid - https://www.avidcnc.com/creatorGenmitsu 4040 Pro Max - https://tidd.ly/4kCoThtAdditional Resources I Recommend:IDC Router Bits - https://idcwoodcraft.com/?ref=ANDYBIRDVectric CAD/CAM software - https://vectric.com/andybirdLearn Vectric Software - SAVE 10% with code ANDYBIRD https://academy.learnyourcnc.com/a/2147507626/MFYZkVCUVacuum Workholding - https://airweights.com/?ref=nnmqojogSave 10% with code ANDYBIRDAffiliate Disclaimer: A great way to support Andy Bird Builds is to purchase through the affiliate links above, you get what you need and I may receive a small commission.#cncwoodworking #cncmachine #cncrouters

Join us live as we chat craft fairs with @DuffeyWoodcraft Free ResourcesCNC Supply Guide - https://thecncsidehustle.com/supply-guide/Perfect Project Checklist - https://thecncsidehustle.com/checklist/Pricing For Maximum Profits Guide - https://thecncsidehustle.com/pricing-profits/Join my Free CNC community - https://discord.gg/UtRjnsurc4The full list of tools and supplies I recommend - https://www.andybirdbuilds.com/tools-i-useCourses and Training:Create Projects You’re Proud Of - https://thecncsidehustle.com/kickstart-special/Turn Your CNC Woodworking Into Income - https://thecncsidehustle.com/special/Live CNC Side Hustle Group Coaching - https://www.cnc.school/membershipCNC Machines I Recommend:Shapeoko - https://shop.carbide3d.com/andybirdbuildsAvid - https://www.avidcnc.com/creatorGenmitsu 4040 Pro Max - https://tidd.ly/4kCoThtAdditional Resources I Recommend:IDC Router Bits - https://idcwoodcraft.com/?ref=ANDYBIRDVectric CAD/CAM software - https://vectric.com/andybirdLearn Vectric Software - SAVE 10% with code ANDYBIRD https://academy.learnyourcnc.com/a/2147507626/MFYZkVCUVacuum Workholding - https://airweights.com/?ref=nnmqojogSave 10% with code ANDYBIRDAffiliate Disclaimer: A great way to support Andy Bird Builds is to purchase through the affiliate links above, you get what you need and I may receive a small commission.#cncwoodworking #cncmachine #cncrouters

Join us as we talk about bits with Cody from Cadence Manufacturing (Jenny Bits)Free ResourcesCNC Supply Guide - https://thecncsidehustle.com/supply-guide/Perfect Project Checklist - https://thecncsidehustle.com/checklist/Pricing For Maximum Profits Guide - https://thecncsidehustle.com/pricing-profits/Join my Free CNC community - https://discord.gg/UtRjnsurc4The full list of tools and supplies I recommend - https://www.andybirdbuilds.com/tools-i-useCourses and Training:Create Projects You’re Proud Of - https://thecncsidehustle.com/kickstart-special/Turn Your CNC Woodworking Into Income - https://thecncsidehustle.com/special/Live CNC Side Hustle Group Coaching - https://www.cnc.school/membershipCNC Machines I Recommend:Shapeoko - https://shop.carbide3d.com/andybirdbuildsAvid - https://www.avidcnc.com/creatorGenmitsu 4040 Pro Max - https://tidd.ly/4kCoThtAdditional Resources I Recommend:IDC Router Bits - https://idcwoodcraft.com/?ref=ANDYBIRDVectric CAD/CAM software - https://vectric.com/andybirdLearn Vectric Software - SAVE 10% with code ANDYBIRD https://academy.learnyourcnc.com/a/2147507626/MFYZkVCUVacuum Workholding - https://airweights.com/?ref=nnmqojogSave 10% with code ANDYBIRDAffiliate Disclaimer: A great way to support Andy Bird Builds is to purchase through the affiliate links above, you get what you need and I may receive a small commission.