No Glue, No Screws, No Nails Coffee Table

In this instructable, I will explain how I made this simple and practical coffee table.

The first Step is to design the table!

I used AutoDesk Fusion 360 to design a simple and minamilistic table that can be assembled with no glue, screws or nails.

The design consists of three part, two legs that connects with each other and the top.

• Autodesk Fusion360
• One Board of Wood (I used 18mm plywood).
• CNC Machine (I used Shopot).

After finishing the Design step, I exported the design into DXF file to be able to cut it using the CNC Machine.

The machine I used was a ShopBot CNC Machine available at a local fablab.

To set up the file to be sent to the CNC machine, I used the ShopBot's software which is the Vcarve Pro.

With this program, you can open your DXF file and set how it will be cut. The design I made needs to be cut in 2 jobs. But before diving into to that, we should get to know the machine. Our CNC machine is called the ShopBot. It has a bed of size 96"x 48".

To control the machine and calibrate it, we used a software called ShopBot 3. Using this software, you can set the zeros for the x,y and z axes.
To chose the zero for the x & y, you move the arrows till the spindle is right where you want it and you zero it there.

For the z-axis, you press to zero the z, but only before placing the clip on the spindle and the matal plate under the spindle, the machine calibrates the z automatically by slowly lowering the spindle till a short circuit occurs.

Next, you should go back to setting up the file to be cut. I opened my design on vcarve, and started arranging it on the wood plate. I added the thickness of the wood plate and the dimensions of it.

I set the spindle speed to 18000 RPM and the feed rate to 2.7 inch/sec. The drill bit I chose was 1/4" because my design has a little bit of details in it.

I cut the table in 2 jobs, one for the inside cut which is the joint on the top of the table and the second for the outer cuts for the legs and the top.

Next, I opened the shopbot 3 program and loaded the file.

The cool thing about the program is that it gives you small reminders, like have you removed the aligator clip, have you zeroed the z-axis and have you started the spindle. It is important to know that the spindle starts on it's own and not with the stepper motors of the machine.

To start the spindle, press the green start button on the control. THIS CONTROL IS YOUR BEST FRIEND FROM NOW ON!!

After the machine finishing the job, you will need to sand the parts then assemble them quickly.

And then you get to enjoy this very practical and easy to manufacture table using minimal amount of wood!

The design are available and can be used