# Idea for wasteboard engraving **URL:** \ **Category:** Parts & Files\ **Created:** [May 22, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/idea-for-wasteboard-engraving/8541 "2015-05-22T20:49:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JamiePhillips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JamiePhillips](https://community.inventables.com/u/JamiePhillips)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/idea-for-wasteboard-engraving/8541/1 "2015-05-22T20:49:55Z")
Hey guys just a quick idea. I think many people are going to be making their wasteboards at home. I think you should provide the grid as a design inside of easel, so to engrave the grid onto the board all we have to do is log into easel, select the grid design and it will engrave the grid into our wasteboards. ---
**Author:** ![sketch42](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/sketch42/32/76722_2.png) [@sketch42](https://community.inventables.com/u/sketch42)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/idea-for-wasteboard-engraving/8541/2 "2015-05-22T22:25:44Z")
Hi @JamiePhillips, Doing a quick search on this forum returns these threads already discussing this very thing. Here are a few of the ones that I’ve found helpful: > [@Graphic for silkscreen](https://community.inventables.com/t/graphic-for-silkscreen/1229): > > So I’m leaning towards investing in X-Carve rather then build my own. You guys make it hard not to consider a one-stop-shop vs.the time spent sourcing components. One item I have problems with is your waste board.Its seems a “waste” to ship that across the country when I can get it cheaper around here. Do you guys offer the graphics file for the waste board? Also is the board pre-drilled or is that part of the construction process? If pre-drilled do you have the g-code file for the drilling… > [@Cutting waste board on the CNC for X-CARVE](https://community.inventables.com/t/cutting-waste-board-on-the-cnc-for-x-carve/562): > > Has anyone made and cut their own waste board for the X-Carve. > [@Waste board cutting](https://community.inventables.com/t/waste-board-cutting/866): > > I am new to CNC machining and I was wondering your alls thoughts… The waste board is very expensive for the X Carve. Do you all put something under what your cutting if you plan on cutting all the way through the material so you don’t harm your expensive waste board? I was thinking about using the waste board for lining up and keeping an appropriately sized piece of material under my project so it wouldn’t damage the waste board. Thoughts? > [@Acrylic wasteboard](https://community.inventables.com/t/acrylic-wasteboard/8036): > > So the wasteboard that comes with the X-carve is really nice (and not cheap after shipping). I’m playing with the idea of putting a 1/8" clear acrylic layer over it so that the acrylic is the (very disposable) wasteboard. Would that cause issues with feed rates on different cutting materials? Melting and whatnot? Otherwise interfering with the cut? I’m new to CNC. Thanks! Update: adding the word spoilboard and spoil board just for searchability sake ---
**Author:** ![ZacharySmeltzer](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/zacharysmeltzer/32/42291_2.png) [@ZacharySmeltzer](https://community.inventables.com/u/ZacharySmeltzer)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 6:51am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/idea-for-wasteboard-engraving/8541/3 "2015-05-24T06:51:26Z")
I made my own wasteboard. Used the dimensions from their CAD file to cut to size. Used my router to cut the slots for the mounting screws. Hoping to use the xcarve on itself to drill its own holes for the threaded inserts and also create some kind of grid, possibly with a mounted sharpie. This took quite a while to make, but learned a lot in the process. This one will also serve as an excellent template for the next time I need to replace the wasteboard. ---
**Author:** ![Zach\_Kaplan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/zach_kaplan/32/84268_2.png) [@Zach\_Kaplan](https://community.inventables.com/u/Zach_Kaplan)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 12:13pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/idea-for-wasteboard-engraving/8541/4 "2015-05-24T12:13:58Z")
@ZacharySmeltzer nice could you post a picture so we can see how it turned out? ---
**Author:** ![ZacharySmeltzer](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/zacharysmeltzer/32/42291_2.png) [@ZacharySmeltzer](https://community.inventables.com/u/ZacharySmeltzer)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 1:20pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/idea-for-wasteboard-engraving/8541/5 "2015-05-24T13:20:56Z")
Sure thing. This was midway through the build, a couple nights ago. Best picture I had of the wasteboard. When the time comes for the next wasteboard, I won’t route the slots so deep, I probably went a quarter inch farther than they needed to be. Edit, more recent photo: ---
**Author:** ![Sisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Sisco](https://community.inventables.com/u/Sisco)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 6:16am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/idea-for-wasteboard-engraving/8541/6 "2015-05-27T06:16:14Z")
Zachary, Any updates? ---
**Author:** ![DavidDaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c89c15/32.png) [@DavidDaus](https://community.inventables.com/u/DavidDaus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/idea-for-wasteboard-engraving/8541/7 "2015-05-31T01:28:22Z")
Here’s my home made waste board, I did the same and used the router for the slots, then mounted it to the X-carve and had it drill the thru holes. Did a dry run to make sure it won’t hit the support underneath. Took it off the machine and installed the 1/4" threaded inserts from the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Sisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Sisco](https://community.inventables.com/u/Sisco)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/idea-for-wasteboard-engraving/8541/8 "2015-06-25T18:28:54Z")
David, That’s awesome. So much better than having to try drilling straight lines with a hand drill. 😉 Did you do that in Easel? I have a few missing items from my package, but I started building it last night. Hopefully they will ship the items to be overnight so I can get it finished tomorrow. I think I am going to make my wasteboard out of a nice piece of 3/4 poplar because I have someone on hand from making my x-carve table. Rick