CNC Spoil Board Art

Woodworking

In addition to being an online editor for MAKE Magazine, Michael Colombo works in fabrication, electronics, sound design, music production and performance (Yes. All that.) In the past he has also been a childrens' educator and entertainer, and holds a Masters degree from NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program.

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June 7th, 2012 30

From woodworker and ITP student Ben Light’s site:

A spoil board is sacrificial material that’s used underneath the material you want to cut on a CNC machine. This ensures a better through cut and is usually MDF. I’ve noticed that when the spoil boards are all used up at ITP, some really amazing patterns are formed.

By making careful choices in his display of this found art, Ben really stumbled onto something beautiful that normally would have ended up in the dumpster. It would have been a shame to see this piece spoiled in such a way.