CNC routing & laser cutting guides
Practical guides to file prep, materials, design and choosing a process, to help you review parts before ordering — for CNC routing in wood, plastics and composites, and fiber laser cutting in sheet metal.
What are you working on?
Prepare a routing file →
Export at the right scale, close outlines, and prepare text for cutting.
Prepare a laser file →
Units, kerf, hole and slot sizes, and which lines etch instead of cut.
Choose a process →
Router, fiber laser, plasma or waterjet — which one fits the part.
Choose a sheet →
Plywood, MDF, HDPE and acrylic compared, property by property.
Pick a metal thickness →
Gauge to inches by metal, and what thickness changes in a part.
Design slot-together parts →
Slot sizing, dog-bone relief, test fits and assembly.
Check a fit →
Plan inside corners, clearances, and material-dependent tolerances.
Understand a quote →
See how parts, material, and proof approval fit together.
Tools
Explore with a sample file
Download a demonstration file, then upload it to explore features and previews.
Material guides
CNC routing · wood, plastics, composites and foam
Fiber laser cutting · sheet metal and plate
Oct 7, 2026 · 8 min read
How to Prepare a DXF or SVG File for Laser Cutting
Prepare a DXF or SVG for laser cutting: units and scale, closed outlines, kerf, hole and slot sizes, etch vs cut lines, and the file errors a quote flags.
Oct 7, 2026 · 7 min read
Sheet Metal Gauge Chart and How to Choose a Thickness
Sheet metal gauge chart for steel, stainless, aluminum and galvanized: why gauges differ by metal, and how thickness sets strength, weight and cost.
Oct 7, 2026 · 7 min read
Plywood vs MDF vs HDPE vs Acrylic for CNC-Cut Parts
Plywood vs MDF for CNC routing, plus HDPE and acrylic: strength, routed edges, moisture, paint, outdoor use and cost drivers, with a pick for each job.
Oct 7, 2026 · 8 min read
Designing Tab-and-Slot Parts for a CNC Router
Design tab-and-slot CNC router parts that assemble: size slots to the measured sheet, add dog-bone or T-bone corner relief, test fits, grain and assembly.
Oct 7, 2026 · 7 min read
CNC Routing vs Laser Cutting vs Plasma vs Waterjet: Which Process Fits Your Part
CNC router vs laser cutter vs plasma vs waterjet: materials, edges, tolerances, thickness and cost compared, and which ones The Job Shop runs in Las Vegas.
Oct 7, 2026 · 8 min read
Dog-Bone and T-Bone Fillets: Square-Fitting Inside Corners on a CNC Router
Why a CNC router can’t cut a sharp inside corner, when to add dog-bone or T-bone fillets, how big to draw them, and how to make slot joints seat fully.
Oct 7, 2026 · 8 min read
How to Prepare a 3D Model for Printing
Prepare a 3D model for printing: STL vs 3MF vs STEP, units, watertight meshes, wall thickness, supports, resin drain holes and splitting large prints.
Oct 7, 2026 · 8 min read
Carved Foam for Signs, Props and Scenery: EPS, XPS and HDU
How carved foam signs, props and scenery are made: choosing EPS, XPS or HDU, hard coats and paint, internal frames, sectioning and the Las Vegas sun.
Oct 7, 2026 · 8 min read
Vinyl Graphics File Setup for Signs, Booths and Windows
Set up vinyl graphics files for signs, booths and windows: vector vs raster, resolution at size, bleed and safe zones, color matching, cut vs printed.
Oct 7, 2026 · 8 min read
How to Send a Drawing for a CNC Machining Quote
What to send for a CNC milling, turning or wire EDM quote: STEP model and PDF drawing, tolerances, threads, finish, inspection notes and costly mistakes.
Oct 7, 2026 · 8 min read
Tube Bending and Tube Laser Cutting: A Design Guide
Design tube parts for CNC bending and tube laser cutting: round vs square tube, wall, centerline radius, straights between bends, copes and bend data.
Oct 7, 2026 · 8 min read
CNC Plasma Cutting Design Guide for Steel Plate
Design steel plate parts for CNC plasma cutting: when a fiber laser fits better, hole size vs thickness, bevel, dross, lead-ins, small features and files.
Jul 18, 2026 · 7 min read
CAD File Prep for CNC Routing: STEP vs. DXF, and the Mistakes That Slow Your Quote Down
How to prep CAD files for CNC routing — why STEP beats DXF, what our importer auto-fixes, and the common file mistakes that stall quotes.
Jul 18, 2026 · 6 min read
The DXF Layer-Naming Convention: Tag Cuts, Pockets, and Holes Automatically
Name your DXF layers THRU, POCKET-0.375, DADO-0.75-0.25, or DRILL-0.25-THRU and The Job Shop tags every feature for you — just review and confirm.
Jul 18, 2026 · 8 min read
Choosing Sheet Materials for Exhibits and Scenic Work: A Practical Guide
Baltic birch, MDF, ACX, HDPE, acrylic, or ACM? A practical guide to picking CNC-routed sheet materials for exhibits, scenic, and event builds.
Jul 18, 2026 · 7 min read
CNC Routing Tolerances: What to Expect and How to Design for Them
What tolerances CNC routing really holds in plywood, MDF, plastics, and ACM — and how to design joints, fits, and assemblies that go together every time.
Jul 18, 2026 · 3 min read
How Instant Quoting Works: Parts, Quote, and Order
Upload, confirm parts, review pricing, and approve a proof — a guide to the Parts, Quote, and Order workflow at The Job Shop.