# Setting up my design for CNC wood machine

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [November 12, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685 "2017-11-12T21:10:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/1 "2017-11-12T21:10:11Z")

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Hello!

I’ve made a design of a ships helm. Ultimately I want to be able to import my high quality STL into the software for my CNC machine. But I’m stuck!

My complete design is done. However, I need to deconstruct it in Shapr3D in order to have the component parts to upload into my CNC software.

I need to deconstruct it in a way the maintains the proper fittings where the future wood parts will be glued and nailed/screwed.

At first, I thought the “subtract tool” would be perfect for this as it would leave the exact holes in the project for the parts to fit into. The problem is it deletes the parts (at least it appears to). I still need the parts. Is there a way to use the subtract tool and “paste” the parts back on the screen after they have been “subtracted” from the larger part?

This is my first ever post, so if you need more information please let me know.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/2 "2017-11-12T21:17:25Z")

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I would upload the shapr file but, as a new user, it’s telling me I’m not  
allowed.

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**Author:** ![Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gabor_shapr3d/32/235_2.png) [@Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gabor_Shapr3D)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/3 "2017-11-12T21:27:05Z")

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You can upload the file to Google Drive, iCloud or Dropbox and just share the link. We’ll take a look.

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**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/4 "2017-11-12T21:28:41Z")

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On it! [https://www.dropbox.com/s/0o7wgzq0vrx3lzg/bosn1.shapr?dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/s/0o7wgzq0vrx3lzg/bosn1.shapr?dl=0)

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**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 9:32pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/5 "2017-11-12T21:32:01Z")

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Is the link working?

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**Author:** ![Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gabor_shapr3d/32/235_2.png) [@Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gabor_Shapr3D)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/7 "2017-11-12T21:56:31Z")

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Yes, it does. I’ll take a look shortly.

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**Author:** ![Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gabor_shapr3d/32/235_2.png) [@Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gabor_Shapr3D)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/8 "2017-11-12T22:12:31Z")

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Currently you can’t directly do what you want.

The workaround for this is to create a copy of the objects you are subtracting with, and hide those objects / groups. Do the subtract and unhide the previously copied object.

Here’s a quick video about it:

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**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 10:37pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/9 "2017-11-12T22:37:41Z")

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Gabor,

Thank you for the quick reply!

I understand your instructions. Ideally this wouldn’t be necessary but hopefully the option to retain the removed object will be made available in the future for us wood workers.

By the way, I sent you the wrong link however your explanation still holds true. Please see the attached. I want to remove the handles and leave their tracks in the center hub and ring.

Please let me know if you have any other tricks that I can bring to bear on this.[https://www.dropbox.com/s/dadxmwo3mhroo3m/helm1.shapr?dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/s/dadxmwo3mhroo3m/helm1.shapr?dl=0)

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**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/10 "2017-11-12T22:52:47Z")

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There is another weird problem when I try to “subtract”. The right side of the wheel on the right is removing more than I think it should. The left side of the right wheel is correct…

Any ideas? ![0F38560C-E6DB-478C-8E4A-1F8CC474083C](https://cdck-file-uploads-us1.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/8/80e53db4d7279908ecb2a0ace25822ce7bd37c3b.jpg)

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**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/11 "2017-11-12T22:57:21Z")

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Also, this my second ever CAD project. So, please tell me how I can make it better if you have ideas!

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**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 12:57am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/12 "2017-11-13T00:57:20Z")

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Here’s my extractions. I’m concerned about the lack of symmetry and consistency under the center medallion where the handles meet. Clearly I am not doing this right… any advice?[https://www.dropbox.com/s/4cbfr3k1zg2uhh2/helm%202.shapr?dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/s/4cbfr3k1zg2uhh2/helm%202.shapr?dl=0)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gabor_shapr3d/32/235_2.png) [@Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gabor_Shapr3D)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 1:37pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/13 "2017-11-13T13:37:40Z")

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Looked at it, same thing happens to me as well. This is a bug with the Subtract tool.

It will be fixed in the new release (Shapr3D 3.0).

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**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 3:03pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/14 "2017-11-13T15:03:06Z")

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Can you offer any work around?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gabor_shapr3d/32/235_2.png) [@Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gabor_Shapr3D)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/15 "2017-11-13T15:12:36Z")

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I could do the subtract with the new version of the app that’s in closed beta (soon to be released).

![16 07 57](https://cdck-file-uploads-us1.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/2/2781f14e050cb2314c5b8dbac6011846a09fabb9.jpg)

Options:

1. I can send you this source file and you can import this one.
2. You can use export and use another modeler, CAD tool to do the subtract and import the model back to Shapr3D 2.2.6.

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**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/16 "2017-11-13T16:59:19Z")

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We would really appreciate it if you could do the subtract from the inner circle and outer ring and post it. I’m looking forward to getting this to the carving software.

Thank you!!

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**Author:** ![Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gabor_shapr3d/32/235_2.png) [@Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gabor_Shapr3D)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/17 "2017-11-13T21:46:16Z")

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Cut it out. Please take a look at this file.

[helm-cut.step](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/7/7c8debaa6e920286f768ec09902d45abf7e7fa54.step) (1.9 MB)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gresh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gresh/32/1337_2.png) [@Gresh](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gresh)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/18 "2017-11-13T23:24:10Z")

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Thank you. I have to figure out how to import this on my iPad… it’s always something!

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**Author:** ![Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gabor_shapr3d/32/235_2.png) [@Gabor\_Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Gabor_Shapr3D)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 6:49am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/19 "2017-11-14T06:49:00Z")

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Try this link: [https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0t-f7JkZ1Xp1FezNbjJEFGsKQ#helm-cut](https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0t-f7JkZ1Xp1FezNbjJEFGsKQ#helm-cut)

1. Open link (opens iCloud)
2. Top right tap on Export icon
3. “Copy to Shapr3D” icon

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**Author:** ![Claudio](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/claudio/32/2337_2.png) [@Claudio](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Claudio)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 10:57am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/setting-up-my-design-for-cnc-wood-machine/1685/20 "2018-11-09T10:57:14Z")

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I’m doing CNC woodworks too. @jesseko suggested [here](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/features-for-laser-cutting-design/3169?u=claudio) a feature to “Export faces to SVG”, that I think would be really useful. What do you think?