Durham, NC — CNC machines offer incredible versatility, and a new video series from ShopBot Tools takes you through 26 projects A to Z in an entertaining and informative showcase of techniques, materials, tooling, software, and creativity.

Done in collaboration with educator, content creator, and longtime ShopBot owner John Kuiphoff, “The ABCs of ShopBot CNC” explores digital fabrication through 26 fun and creative projects, each one making a single letter of the alphabet.

Each video is just a minute long, using a fast-paced engaging style that gives a taste of a wide variety of materials, including wood, plastics, non-ferrous metals, and even soap stone while also demonstrating a wide range of bits, jigs, and toolpaths. 

Techniques shown include advanced joinery, 3D carving, inlays, and creative finishing, highlighting the full spectrum of capabilities possible with a ShopBot CNC machine.

“This was an experiment in pushing the limits of what you can do with CNC,” said creator John Kuiphoff. “Each video had to be educational, visually compelling, and exactly one minute long — that was the real challenge. But working with ShopBot gave me the tools and support to explore ideas I’d never tried before.”

For the series, John used his ShopBot Desktop MAX 36”x24” — a compact but powerful CNC machine with a dual-drive system designed to deliver professional-grade precision for detailed, demanding projects. 

The final installment in the series features a collaboration with renowned maker and content creator, Jimmy Diresta. Filmed in Diresta’s upstate New York workshop, the two created a Z-shaped bench from composite decking with Diresta’s ShopBot PRSalpha 96”x48” CNC machine, showcasing tight tolerances in CNC joinery and high-precision cuts. 

You can watch all 26 projects are individually on the ShopBot YouTube channel, or you can watch a special longform video that compiles the full series. Viewers can also watch an interview with John as he shares behind-the-scenes insights into the creative process, tool tips, and his favorite builds.

“This project shows just how accessible and powerful CNC can be,” said Jeanne Taylor, CEO of ShopBot Tools. “From art and design to prototyping and production, ShopBot helps makers turn ideas into reality. The ABCs of CNC is a celebration of that spirit — made even more impactful by John’s engaging presence and creative energy.”

Since its founding in 1996, ShopBot Tools has been dedicated to making the empowering technology of digital fabrication widely accessible. ShopBot’s CNC routers are used for prototyping, production cutting, carving, machining, and milling across materials such as wood, MDF, plastics, foams, and soft metals. 

Built and supported in Durham, NC, USA, ShopBot tools are engineered for versatility and precision. In 2021, ShopBot Tools became North Carolina’s first Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), enabling employees to collectively drive the company’s mission forward while serving the ShopBot community and advancing digital fabrication.

Learn more at shopbottools.com.