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ABOUT THE DESIGN
ABOUT THE DESIGN
We designed this Credenza for OpenDesk, who
were commissioned by a London startup, called
Poke, to outfit its workspace with a collection of
CNC furniture designs. The credenza is an
enclosed shelving unit that works equally well
in an office, workshop, or living space. You can
place it against a wall or let it serve as a free-
standing divider between two spaces. The
outer cabinet of the Credenza uses ¾″ (19mm)
material, while the sliding front doors use much
lighter, thinner 1/4″ (6mm) material. These
small, free-floating panels slide along pocketed
grooves. They are a superb opportunity to
experiment with materials, finishing techni-
ques, and CNC-milled patterns.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Before beginning your project, review “Develop
a Program” on page 224 and consider how your
Credenza will be used and where it will go. What
kinds of things will it store? What kinds of
materials, finishing, and fasteners are the most
appropriate for its context? A cabinet made of
refined veneer plywood and pegs might be
desirable for a home or office. A Credenza that
stores tools in a workshop may be better suited
in a more utilitarian material and heavy-duty
fasteners.
Consider whether the three door panels will
match the outer cabinet finish, or might they
offer a contrast in color, pattern, or materiality?
Might they be transparent? Also, think about
whether your Credenza will hold electronics
that have wires. Will you need frequent access
to the contents within it?
MATERIALS
Based on your program criteria for aesthetics,
durability, and budget, select your material
type, quality, finishing, and fasteners. Refer to
Appendix B for selecting and sourcing, as well
as “Finishes for CNC Projects” on page 210 for
an overview on finishes. A Poke Credenza
requires a sheet and a half of ¾″ (19mm) ply-
wood, leaving enough surplus space for a test
piece, as well as a small furniture project (like
the Rotational Stools, 5-30 Minute Chair, or Cat
in Bag ii Table).
The three sliding door panels require a modest
amount of material, and can be coordinated—
or contrasted—with the outer cabinet. These
panels provide an opportunity to test different
kinds of materials, a new finish technique, a
colorful, glossy palette of epoxy paints or you
can use them as a canvas for CNC-fabricated
patterns. The doors are also a nice size for
using up salvaged materials or surplus from
earlier projects.
PATTERNS AND MODIFICATIONS
Once you’ve defined the materiality and a gen-
eral program for your customized Poke Cre-
denza, you’re ready to start experimenting with
patterns on the three sliding doors.
01: Visit the book’s website (http://
www.designforcnc.com/) to download the
Poke Credenza test piece
(AtFAB_PKC_TEST.skp) and model file
(AtFAB_PKC.skp). Open the 3D model file in
your CAD program.
02: On the toolpath layers in AtFAB_PKC.skp,
you’ll find doors with handles and a simple grid
of perforations. This is your entry point for fur-
ther explorations that fully showcase a CNC
tool, digital technique, and material. Modify or
draw new 2D patterns directly on the toolpath-
ing layers. Refer to Chapter 3 on modifying
components and preparing files for importing
into CAM.
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DESIGN FOR CNC
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