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CNC Tips from Jimmy DiResta: Better Cuts, Workholding, and Setup with Onefinity CNC
- 3 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Jimmy DiResta has spent years making, building, experimenting, and problem-solving in real shops with real tools. In his latest CNC tips video, he walks through practical advice that every CNC user can benefit from, whether you are brand new to CNC or already running projects every week.
And sitting right there in Jimmy’s shop is his Onefinity CNC.
Jimmy uses his larger CNC for oversized cabinetry and full-sheet work, but his Onefinity 4x4 machine has become a go-to for smaller projects, half sheets, signs, templates, parts, and day-to-day CNC work. That is exactly where the Onefinity shines: giving makers, woodworkers, small shops, schools, and side-hustlers a rigid, accurate, approachable CNC machine that fits into a real workshop.
Below are some of Jimmy’s best CNC tips, along with why they matter for anyone using a Onefinity CNC.
1. Protect Your Spoilboard with Sacrificial Material
One of Jimmy’s first tips is simple but important: keep your spoilboard clean as long as possible.
Instead of cutting directly into the main spoilboard every time, Jimmy often adds a sacrificial board on top. This can be a piece of MDF, plywood, or scrap material that gets screwed down and used as the temporary cutting surface for that project.
This is a great habit for Onefinity users because it helps extend the life of your main spoilboard, keeps your table cleaner, and gives you a replaceable surface you do not have to worry about damaging.
For smaller projects, signs, test cuts, or repeat jobs, a sacrificial board can become your project surface. When it gets too chewed up, replace it and keep going.
2. Use a Light Placement Line Before Cutting
Jimmy also shares a smart setup trick: before cutting the actual project, he programs a very shallow outline or “placement line” into the sacrificial board.
This line shows exactly where the project will be cut. Once that outline is on the board, he can place scrap material over it, screw the material down outside the cutting area, and know the project will fit safely inside the material.
This is especially helpful when using offcuts or irregular scraps. Instead of guessing where the cut will land, the machine shows you.
For Onefinity owners, this is a great way to reduce wasted material and increase confidence before hitting start.
3. Draw Your Bit in the Design Before Toolpathing
One of Jimmy’s most useful design tips is to draw a circle representing your bit size directly inside your design software.
For example, if you plan to use a 1/4 inch bit, draw a 1/4 inch circle and move it around the tight areas of your design. If the circle does not fit into a corner, small letter, or narrow gap, your bit will not fit there either.
That means you have a few options:
You can use a smaller bit.
You can adjust the design.
You can open up tight areas with node editing.
You can change the toolpath strategy.
Jimmy points out that small adjustments to fonts, logos, and shapes are often invisible to the customer, but they make the difference between a clean toolpath and a failed cut.
This is a powerful CNC habit. It takes the mystery out of whether your bit can physically cut the design.
4. Level Matters, Especially for V-Carving
Jimmy gives a great reminder: when you are cutting all the way through material, being close to level may be good enough. But when you are V-carving, level matters a lot.
With V-carving, the depth of cut directly affects the width and appearance of the letters or details. If one side of your material is slightly higher or lower than the other, your V-carve can look too deep in one area and too shallow in another.
That means before doing fine lettering, logos, brass inlays, detail work, or precise engraving, you should make sure your surface is flat and your material is consistent.
On a Onefinity CNC, users can surface their spoilboard, use a clean sacrificial layer, and make sure their stock is flat before running detailed V-carve projects.
The result is cleaner lettering, better detail, and fewer wasted materials.
5. Use Small Z-Zero Adjustments When Needed
Jimmy shows a clever shop trick with his zero plate. He modifies it so he can zero at the normal height, or slightly lower by 0.010 or 0.020 inches when needed.
Why would that help?
Sometimes a cut does not quite go through because the surface is slightly uneven or the material thickness varies. A tiny adjustment to Z-zero can help make sure the next pass cuts through properly.
He also shows the opposite idea: raising Z slightly with a business card when a V-bit is cutting too deep and losing detail.
The lesson is simple: Z-zero is critical. Small changes can make a big difference in the finished part.
Whether you are cutting signs, acrylic, leather embossing dies, plywood, hardwood, or MDF, understanding Z-zero is one of the fastest ways to improve your CNC results.
6. Mark Your Wrenches
Sometimes the best CNC tips are the simplest.
Jimmy writes “tight” on his router/spindle wrench so he instantly knows which way to turn it. When changing bits, this prevents confusion, saves time, and helps avoid over-tightening in the wrong direction.
He also shows a safer way to use two wrenches by squeezing them together instead of pushing one wrench toward your knuckles, your project, or the table.
It is a small shop habit, but it makes bit changes faster, safer, and less frustrating.
7. Choose the Right Bit for the Job
Jimmy talks about using different bits for different results, including compression bits, V-bits, and smaller cutting tools for tight detail.
A compression bit can help preserve veneer and keep material edges cleaner. Smaller bits can reach into tight details that larger bits cannot. A V-bit can create sharp engraved lettering and fine detail, but it also demands accurate Z-zero and flat material.
The key is to match the bit to the project.
Onefinity users have the advantage of a rigid, ball-screw-driven CNC platform that can handle a wide variety of materials and toolpaths. But even with a great machine, the bit still matters. The right tool makes the job easier, cleaner, and more reliable.
8. Inspect Your Bits
Jimmy recommends keeping a small microscope or magnifier near your CNC station so you can inspect your bits.
A chipped V-bit tip can ruin fine lettering because the machine thinks the tip is sharp, but the actual cutting point is broken. That can cause inaccurate depth, wider-than-expected letters, and poor detail.
A bit may still be usable for rougher work, but not for precision carving.
This is a great reminder for every CNC owner: do not assume the bit is good just because it looks fine from a distance. Inspect it, especially before detailed V-carving or expensive material cuts.
9. Use Practical Workholding
Jimmy shares several go-to workholding methods:
Screwing material directly into a sacrificial surface.
Using wedges to lock small parts in place.
Using custom wooden tabs or hold-downs made from scrap.
Using onion-skin cuts to keep parts attached until final cleanup.
His approach is practical: use what works, keep the work secure, and avoid anything that creates unnecessary risk.
For many Onefinity users, especially those cutting signs, small parts, templates, and custom projects, simple workholding is often the best workholding. A sacrificial board and a few well-placed screws can be faster, safer, and easier than overcomplicating the setup.
10. Use Onion Skinning When You Do Not Want Parts Flying Loose
Instead of cutting completely through the material, Jimmy sometimes leaves a very thin layer at the bottom of the cut. This is often called an onion skin.
The part stays connected to the sheet during cutting, which helps prevent it from moving, catching the bit, or getting damaged. After the CNC work is done, the thin remaining layer can be removed with sanding, a bandsaw, a flush trim bit, or cleanup tools.
This is especially useful for smaller parts that might shift or break free during the final pass.
11. Keep Your CNC Tools Organized
Jimmy’s CNC station includes drawers for bits, wrenches, masking material, collets, accessories, and other tools he uses regularly.
That might sound basic, but organization has a direct impact on CNC success. When your bits, wrenches, zeroing tools, clamps, screws, and accessories are easy to find, the job goes smoother.
A clean, organized CNC area helps reduce mistakes and makes the entire process feel less intimidating.
That is especially important for new CNC users. One of the biggest barriers to getting started is feeling overwhelmed. Good organization makes CNC feel more approachable.
Why These Tips Matter for Onefinity Users
Jimmy’s tips are not complicated. That is what makes them valuable.
They are real-world habits from someone who uses CNC machines to make actual projects. Protect your spoilboard. Use placement lines. Check your bit size in the design. Keep material level. Understand Z-zero. Inspect your tools. Hold your work securely. Stay organized.
These are the kinds of habits that help turn CNC from something intimidating into something repeatable.
And that is exactly what Onefinity is built for.
Onefinity CNC machines are designed to make CNC more approachable without sacrificing capability. With rigid rails, ball screw motion, simple setup, powerful accessories, and a growing ecosystem of support, Onefinity gives makers the confidence to start cutting, keep learning, and keep building.
Whether you are making signs, furniture parts, templates, inlays, craft products, cabinet components, or custom gifts, a Onefinity CNC gives you the platform to bring those ideas to life.
Ready to Start Cutting?
If Jimmy DiResta’s tips prove anything, it is that CNC success is built one practical habit at a time.
Start with the right machine. Learn the basics. Build confidence. Make better parts.
The Onefinity CNC lineup gives you the accuracy, rigidity, and ease of use to start making real projects in your own shop.
Explore Onefinity CNC machines today and see why makers like Jimmy DiResta trust Onefinity for everyday CNC work.
