CNC Book Reviews

• Safety procedures, risks, and concerns you need to be aware of.
• The basics of the CNC function is usually covered in relatively understandable terms. This includes:
  
  • A description of various CNC mill/router bits, their pros, cons, and considerations.
  • A gentle overview of the mechanical and electrical structure of the machine itself. Usually a hobbyist-grade and popular kit machine.
  • Some sort of "quick start" guide for using the various CAD/CAM software.
• An assumption that a cheaper/simpler/popular variety of CAD/CAM software is implemented. (Little, if any actual G-Code is mentioned, since it's assumed that the CAM software will generate it for the user)
• Basics of machine preparations:
  • Surfacing the "spoil board".
  • Various ways to anchor your material to the machine (a.k.a: "work holding")
  • Manual methods of depth setting, edge finding, and of course, zeroing the machine.
• Basics of machine operations:
  • Feeds and speeds (possibly for a specific bit provided by the manufacturer) and appropriate material choice.
  • Cut depths/depth per pass/work offsets.
  • Roughing passes versus finishing passes.
  • What to do if there's a problem?
• Some simple starter projects to get you going.

Is the book good value for money?

Ok, there's a bit of an intro, like the others. But the bulk of the book is as follows:

There are five projects, each seems to go up in difficulty, and each project is designed to teach you something new. These projects are:

1. The inspiration tile: This is just a simple 2D carve of something you're interested in. The goals are very simple. Firstly to inspire you to start with something that's personal to you. Secondly, to go through the process of using their software, and hardware to gain some familiarity/experience.
2. Flying model glider: It discusses two ways to anchor your stock material down while machining it. Double sided tape, and using tabs. Also, it's a fun project that can keep kids (young and old) entertained for hours.
3. Inlay cutting boards: This project, not only covers long and end-grain cutting boards, but teaches you to consider the impact of bit size on your design. It teaches you to customize your carve/CAM calculations when needed, and looks more into clamps as a work-holding solution.
4. Fidget spinner: This one is an interesting one because this is where tolerances can be the key to fit bearings snugly. I found that because of the odd shapes most fidget spinners take, work holding needs to be tailored, depending on the design.
5. Carving your own stamp: Now when I say "stamp" I mean the old school, coat it in ink/paint then press on a clean canvas/paper/cardboard sheet. This is where the surface finish will be quite important, so you can get those nice clean, legible prints. This is where you have to nail down the right mix of feeds, speeds, and bit choice for your particular material. Even the choice of material will have it's own effect.

But is this book offering value for money?

I've been thinking about this for quite some time, and while I don't regret reading this book, it's best to consider it from the view of the target audience. Certain folks, with certain goals and CNC setups are going to benefit a lot more from this book than others. Without further ado...

Firstly, I should say that I read this book after most of the others in this list, even the more complicated books. So please let me tell you, that this book covers a variety of topics that simply aren't covered in the others at all... or at least, not in as much detail.

It discusses why you'd choose certain materials to carve that goes beyond the usual wood types. Naturally, it does include the basics, but it also discusses why you might use MDF or PVC over hardwoods, or HDU over insulation panels. It also covers how to best prepare (and finish) the materials for your particular carving project from varnishes, paints, sealants, and even vinyl sheeting. So if you're into theatrical prop making, cosplay, and less wood working, this has something to offer you. Naturally, wood workers can also benefit too. :-)

I was particularly interested in some of the ways to save time in the clean up, sanding, and painting stages. I hadn't really considered the time saved simply by changing the order of the processes. Sometimes it's less error-prone to paint the panel first, then carve it for cleaner edges. It makes sense, but hey... new to me.

I didn't know there were metallic paints that you could actively rust after applying.. I also didn't think about how combining several simple elements (borders, images, and text boxes) could turn several simple proprietary ideas into an original workpiece.

Naturally, there's the discussion of V-carve processes (very fast, and simple..but have some cons that you need to be aware of) versus the full time-consuming 3D carve that can look amazing, but slow your production down to a crawl. Similarly, the 2.5 approach of layering several 2D carves at differing levels to give the impression of a 3D image with significantly lower carving times than a full 3D print.

If you're new to wood working in general, or would like to polish uo your "finishing skills" then this book has some real benefits that would help your general (non CNC) wood working as well.

Also, at one of the cheapest books I've bought ($29 delivered from Amazon) I can't really fault it for any particular reason or discourage anyone from reading it... unless you're a pure CNC plasma cutter/metal lathe user, because it won't help you much. For routers/milling operations it's perfectly suited.

Honestly, its a very easy read, taking only an hour or two, and I can come back to it at any time. I particularly like the appendices with all the links to various products, additional tools and general advice. However, for people outside the U.S... I have found a lot of the special paints are extremely difficult to source, or prohibitively expensive.

That said, if you're well-versed in all things wood finishing... and already have a few CNC projects worth of experience... and perhaps have decent design skills already from your graphic design/3D printing CAD work.. then you've probably already surpassed this book.

However, even I with years of CAD behind me... an art teacher mother, and a better half with graphic design skills that I see regularly... I didn't know all the mentioned implications of font choices, bit settings, and of course, carving style in the finished carved text/project. So I'm a little wiser now. Also, before I read this book, I looked at carved projects but I wasn't able to tell you why I liked one layout over another... now I do have a better understanding, and my style has evolved a bit. Dunno if they'll sell ..but I like them more. :-)

Nice work, Prof. Henry. (Although what you're a professor of remains a mystery to me).

• describe how to build a specific entry-level machine, that's obviously beyond simply using a pre-built machine that beginner books are based on.
• cover general concepts of both construction and operation of CNC machines, citing differing design considerations for a "Complete DIY approach".
• start to include some "higher-level" topics such as G-code that helps you to work more efficiently, or
• cover more advanced CNC controls, and help you to complete more complex projects.

Is it "Intermediate" to You?

• Building a DIY CNC from scratch can be easy for an established and competent DIY-er, machinist, or engineer... but if you don't have the tools, the space, and/or the expertise to work with the mechanical, electrical, software, and reasonable IT skills... then you're going to have to work quite hard to succeed.
• If you're trying to design and machine a project with many moving parts, all precisely made... that takes some serious CAD skills, a heavier duty CAD program and probably a heavy-hitting PC to run it all.
• CAM, remember the machine you're using often has limits. If you make a design that only the biggest, baddest industrial CNC mill can make, you're obviously going to hit a "dead end" if you don't have one.
• G-code is key to going semi-professional, but you can also use CNC machines for years before you need to know anything beyond the vaguest of outlines. So your setup, and software choices will be key to what you can do without it.
• Be realistic about what you can bring to to the project and don't be afraid to ask for help.
  • Just know that any assembly/complete build or rebuild of a CNC machine is not trivial, so don't expect bribing a knowledgeable guy with a single beer and a couple of hours will get the job done. It won't.

• Cost is kept way lower. The price seems to go up exponentially as machines get bigger. The forces involved in supporting/operating a larger machine require sturdier and heavier materials to support longer/heavier duty rails, which in turn requires bigger motors and drive components, which requires better electronics, and of course, incurs higher energy/running costs, and often slows the overall machine speed down due to inertia.
• It uses less materials, you can use smaller, lighter weight components, and move your machine more easily to another place should you need to.
• They're generally easier to build/calibrate since small assembly errors don't become big ones, way down the longest axis, you'll get less jamming, drifting rails, and far less issues with thermal/humidity related expansion & contraction.
• You can probably find room to put a smaller machine (don't underestimate this consideration, especially people living in apartments, and even then they're not quite so small once you build an enclosure to manage the dust and noise).
• Sometimes two small machines really are better than one big one if you get into serious production. I've seen some setups involving a multi-leveled enclosure with a number desktop machines, two per level. You can use the money saved building two smaller machines to get your business up and running, with higher efficiency production.

• Learn to build your own machine, from start to finish.
• See just how every part works, which is extremely handy if you need to perform maintenance or upgrades on the machine. Perhaps inspire/show you ways to "temporarily fix" using stuff you have laying about.
• Be encouraged to "delve deeper" than the previous books. It's still beginner friendly, but it's probably a little more selective about who it's friendly with. If you've got a semi-decent hobbyist level workshop already, (hand tools, table saw or track saw, drills, drill bits, spanners, etc) and some experience working with a soldering iron then this is a very achievable project. If you've got no tools, then a kit or pre-made option will probably end up being simpler/cheaper.
• Have some guidance with Mach3 using an old PC connected via parallel ports. Now, if you're building a machine like this, then cost is definitely a factor, and salvaging an old PC and doing things "as described" in the book may be a great way to go. Many people still love Mach3 because it does work, and works well. You can still buy Mach3 if your machine is set up this way, but Mach4 was released years ago now, so I'd strongly suggest a newer setup than the one listed in this book. Mach4 (and other alternatives like UCNC) are far more up to date, but such software is designed for newer machines that use USB/network cables to connect the PC to the machine... usually through a dedicated intermediate control board, that has to be compatible with the software!
• Want to build a CNC machine with freely available parts. Now most kits use precision ground linear rails or V-groove wheels, special bearings and carriages, ball screws, rack and pinion drive trains... and they're all great. But you probably can't just "head to the local shop and get them". For simple wood carving where precision isn't that critical, on a small machine, you can make your own rails using right-angled steel/aluminium, some common skateboard bearings, and some bolts. One of the key lessons in this book is that MacGuyvering (or improvising if you prefer) solutions with stuff you have already or can find anywhere can lead to very serviceable results. Once you get more experience, you can add features, go "bigger" or upgrade part (or all) of your machine to higher grade, more specialist gear if you need to.

But do I like this book, and who's it useful for?

If you're interest is using readily available materials to build a CNC, then it's still very relevant at the time of writing in the 2020s. That said, it is worth looking up a mixture of other sources, sites, and maybe do some research into the kit CNC market because it may end up cheaper overall than to build this CNC.. and faster.

However, I honestly feel that this book is still quite dated, and I don't think any new editions have come out. So if you can find it cheaper (or borrow it from a library as I did) then I have no qualms recommending it. However, at higher prices, I feel that although this is probably the best specific DIY (not kit) CNC book I've seen, you're probably better off with a more up-to-date book.

But is the book completely useless?

Now I've been thinking about this, and I can see a point. If you're building a modern day Arduino + GRBL + G-Code sender (about as cheap a CNC control setup as you can get), and you wanted to build a 3D printer/laser etcher or other low-powered stepper motor based machine, then using the DIY drivers from this book and salvaged stepper motors may actually work. That said, there's plenty of cheap steppers and driver circuits that you can buy for dirt cheap on AliExpress (and would be much less hassle).

Is it value for money?

Honestly, at $75-105 (Australian), for a total of 300 pages or so, it might seem... at least at first glance, reasonable. It's not hard to read, and the step by step images and instructions are clearly described. I think it was great for it's time.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing this review in 2023 and beyond.... this book is NOT recommended. Given that a full half of the book is taken up by describing how to make your DIY stepper drivers from scratch, then use software that only the oldest machines could still theoretically use, it's genuinely hard to recommend this book for anything more than an opportunity to peruse an altermative design for those considering building their own CNC machine, or perhaps for electronics enthusiasts to get a decent understanding on how stepper drivers work. I would recommend reading though the bits that interest you, but your life will be made considerably easier if you just buy the drivers and other electronics, and use more modern software.

In short, I'm sorry Geoff (the author... in the unlikely event you're reading this), if this book had been updated at any point in the last 20 years, I'd have recommended it. I suggest people borrow it from their local library, and save their cash to buy other books closer to their more modern needs.

• What CNC control software should I use when there are so many out there? (WinPC-NC, Easel, GRBL + G-Code sender, UCNC, Mach3/4, Carbide Create, LinuxCNC, and PlanetCNC are just some of the options).
• When and why is a belt-driven axis inferior/superior to a lead screw?
• Why are ballscrews great for short distances, but "rack and pinion" drive systems used over long distances?
• Why should switches and sensors be configured in a "normally closed" configuration?
• What is the difference between stepper motor and servo motors?
• What are all those electronic doo-dads in the control box?
• How do I best use the Manual Data Input (MDI) to test and calibrate my machine?
• Do I want to install a pendant, a manual pulse generator (MPG), or a game controller? When/why would I do so?

• What CAD/CAM software should I use?
• How do I hold the material down for machining?
• Should I use an upcut/downcut/compression/straight bit or mill?
• I'm working with a different material, how does that impact bit choice, feed rates, spindle speeds?

My particular copy of this book has weird formatting issues.... That you might not believe unless I showed you. So here they are:

• Use of industrial grade machines, particularly brand-specific control interfaces such as Haas, Fanuc, & Tormach.. just to name a few. These aren't just computer screens with a pendant/jog wheel/MPG/computer game controller, they might literally look more like a plane cockpit, with dials, knobs, switches, and of course the aforementioned keyboard & screen.
• In-depth CNC programming, (G-Code), with optimizations such as work offsets, macros, sub programs, block-skip functions, and of course numerous "canned cycles" such as drilling, tapping, etc... which are less complex and/or common on hobbyist systems.
• Mass production tips, such as custom large-scale work holding setups and guidelines on what to expect in large-scale industrial organisations... particularly when you might not be the guy who designed the part program(s) being run.
• Less about wood CNC routers, and more about metal milling machines and lathes.

Well, yes... but at the same time, a resounding no. Let me explain.

Peter Smid has written this with a very specific audience in mind. Not die-hard CNC programmers (that's the next book reviewed here) but professional/industrial CNC machine operators, who need to know a lot about the control system (ok, that's obvious) but also enough to read/scan programs for potential problems and adjust. It also delves far more deeply into work holding and increasing efficiency by implementing things like "tombstones" (a multi-sided mounting base to hold large pieces of stock or multiple pieces of stock material), then using offsets to make multiple copies of the same item.

You might be wondering: "How does this help a CNC hobbyist?" Well I found it helpful in several ways:

• It got me thinking about how to make the most of my machine.
• While the book describes a typical industrial organisation where the programmer and CNC operator are often different people, making your code a little easier to read, and with greater operator flexibility, isn't just a professional thing to do, it helps home users when they may come back to run a program they might not have used in "a while".
• While milling and CNC routing are very similar, this book also taught me a lot about CNC lathe operations, that simply haven't been covered in the books so far.
• It might shock you, but different machines may interpret G-code in slightly different ways, or have additional G-codes that a hobbyist machine might not have.
• This isn't in the book, but comparing features between the Fanuc machines described in the book with the code implementations/interpretations in the LinuxCNC manual, I find there's a lot of similarity in the interpretation of G-code even if LinuxCNC is like an older Fanuc machine, and stores data like tool and work offsets in single columned tables, instead of multi-columned ones of newer Fanuc systems.
• Having an industrial styled control interface, such as knobs for spindle speed adjustment, and feed rate overrides, and illuminated switches to show and change modes is something I may consider building in the future.
• It also helped me to put a little more thought into my programs, and perhaps integrate features that make the program easier to read and implement at the machine end.

That's a lot of benefit. As a reference, it will continue to be useful. It's honestly harder to say that about beginner level books.


However, this book is a considerable "step up" in technical information from the previous books. It's also arguable that if you never use a Fanuc branded machine, that it's of limited use. You see, if you're still at the stage where most of your code is generated by CAM software, and you're not all about squeezing the most out of every second of machine time, then you can probably relax and enjoy the hobby for what it is.

With the physical book priced anywhere between $76 (Used hardcover) to over $170 it pays to shop around. It shocked me that the e-book version ranged from $85-120... so don't assume that it's cheapest to buy the digital version. I prefer a physical book, but for people who don't like lugging the physical book around, the e-book offers convenience... even if it doesn't guarantee you an actual cost saving. :-)

Honestly, I found this book very helpful in my journey, but if you're looking for a more "pure G-code programming" text, then this next one will be my recommendation.

Like many of my fellow CNC hobbyists out there, I too used a slicer app (if I'm using a 3D printer) or CAM software (CAMBAM initially, then Fusion360 later) app to do most of my gcode generation. It makes sense to do things this way for complex CNC tasks, as it takes thousands of lines of code to do detailed, non-linear work. Typing all that out is just impractical.

However, many machinists and fabricators know that the majority of projects are dominated by making a number of simpler components, and the complexity lies in combining many such parts. Personally, my experience agrees with this view. 

If you make a lot of simpler projects (say a few drilled holes, and some straight line carving) then let me ask you this...

Is it quite so efficient if you run your CAD app, go to the trouble of drawing your model, processing it in CAM software, then transferring it to your CNC machine?

Don't get me wrong, it'll work... but you can write the entire (albeit simple) program from scratch in under 2 minutes if you know some gcode.

Now this is a book even nut jobs like me struggle to read from cover to cover. That's ok, because it's a reference book. It's closer to a dictionary than novel. That said, I find it quite easy to grab, look up a particular G-code action, and quickly get "the gist".

The structure of each entry has a rather comprehensive structure:

• the blurb/description,
• several varieties of the example code,
• the convenient image(s) depicting the resulting real-world action(s).

Peter has then gone even beyond that by:

• adding tips and tricks,
• certain short cuts,
• how to approach the same action using different strategies and reference points,
• outline each techniques pros, their cons.... and of course
• some of the quirks professional machines have.

If you want to take your actual G-Code skills to a pro level, then this book should absolutely be in your library.  But let's be realistic about expectations on this book.

The draw backs of this book...

There are limitations because this book is so fundamentally specialised to programming. There's no general machine operations like how to do work holding, zeroing, no bit types, or trouble shooting. This is pure theory without context... more like a foreign language dictionary where you know what you want to say/do, but have to look up the corresponding G-code.

NOTE: Just because you know the correct code, doesn't mean it will work on your machine!

In fact, there's no consideration for whether any specific code is appropriate for the machine you're using. (For instance, if you run a 5 axis machine built with a robotic arm as opposed to a DIY machine using standard 3 axis gantry, and a rotating/tilting base/saddle mount doing the remaining 2 axes. In this case, the way a particular machine is built, will need profoundly different G-code to do the same thing).

This is why I've listed Peter's "operator centric" style book above, because it provides a link to the previous books/machines to the code (albeit more generally) and without that information, it's hard to program effectively.

Is this book good value? Conclusion:

At anywhere between $112-to nearly $300 (Australian), this is no small investment. If you haven't gotten sick of me recommending to "shop around" by now... you can probably already see the obvious savings opportunities it may bring.

That said.. for the right people, it might well be under priced...  if there's a better book on the subject, as clearly written, and with every conceivable way to convey the information, pretty graphs, code exerpts, and lots of additional advice... please let me know! I've gotten a lot of benefit in making simple programs, and looking things up when certain quirky behaviours pop up mid-simulation.

So if you're at a stage where coding and assessing other people's code is a benefit (or planning to get there) then I highly recommend this book.

Whew! We're getting into some serious stuff now... but should we keep going with this trend of more complex books? Honestly... I don't think so.
.. at least, not for now.

If you're not yet at the G-code guru state yet, even if your CNC machining skills are great... may I humbly suggest looking "in depth" at the CAD/CAM application(s) of your choice. Learning to use your software more effectively can also earn some major benefits (more efficiency, greater flexibility, more capability and even more employability)...

Why now?


It's probably best right now, to take a step back from CNC books for a moment and look over at the CAD/CAM side of things... because they're key to CNC success, but we haven't... (in my humble opinion) been given a lot of exposure to specific CAD/CAM lessons in the books so far. 



There's so many CAD and CAM apps. Some of the more powerful apps have whole text-book styled tomes as manuals, while others are simple and intuitive to use.

Ignoring the often tedious "finishing" stuff like sanding/polishing/tolerance testing/assembly. The three main activities in CNC work are:

1. Computer Aided Design (CAD)
2. Computer Aided Machining/Manufacturing (CAM)
3. Machine Operations (Setup, shaping, and oversight/management.. for example)

Some apps are "Pure CAD" (no CAM) others are more "pure CAM" (no CAD) and some involve direct machine operation too. Some are "all in one", or a mix of two out of the three. However, there's a vastly different user experience to be had between many of these apps.

Whichever app(s) you choose to use, please note that they run the full gamut of free, to many thousands of dollars each year. Some are "buy once, use forever" licenses others are subsription based. Some support 4th and even 5th axis machining... whereas some only do three axis work. Also, just because an app is cheap/free at the beginning, doesn't mean it's the most cost-effective when upgrading to "pro" or "full" versions. You might be better off switching to a new software... so it's worth trying a few to get a feel for the options available to you. There's no other way to make truly informed decisions.

There are so many options.... but here's a few to get started.


Easel, VCarve, Vectric, Carbide Create,  AuotCad, LibreCAD, FreeCAD, CAMBAM, and many many more.

So let's talk about one of the most popular and capable CAD/CAM apps (that's sort-of free to use as a hobbyist), and that's Fusion360... so we need a book on that. <Cue drum roll here>

Fusion is simultaneously both incredibly powerful and complex at first, but it's also surprisingly intuitive in some ways. CAD shortcuts are quite logical. L for lines, C for circles, R for rectangles, I for inspect/measure, and E for extrude, F for Fillets, etc. With just these commands, you can do a lot. Once you've made a nice 3D model, right-click on the resulting body name on the left hand side of the screen and select "Export mesh" and you can then send that model to the slicer software of your choosing for 3D printing... or load into any CAM app if you have a preferred app and choose not the use Fusion's CAM side.

However, there's so much more that Fusion can do, and for that, a book is not a bad way to go... particularly if you like to quickly reference information about specific features and processes without waiting for the YouTube video to "get to the point" (that you're interested in). So let's look at the book!

The overview of "Fusion360 For Makers"...

Firstly, I just want to say that since this book was published, Autodesk has simplified the name of Fusion360 to simply "Fusion". That said, the book is still completely relevant to the software (even now in late 2024), despite using the outdated name. I and many others still use name Fusion and Fusion360 interchangeably... although I'm sure it'll show our vintage in a few years. Hehe.

At roughly 293 pages long (actually it's a few pages less because, who really needs to include the index in the page count?) it's definitely a friendlier-than-textbook read with tons of screen shots, images showing menu features, and paragraphs in between. Sometimes, in a two-page spread of images, there's only one normal (8 lines or so) paragraph of text with more writing in the captions for the images. There's a lot of "nuggets of wisdom" buried in the captions and images themselves. It's worth simply spending the time to carefully observe (and read) each one... perhaps before reading the rest, just so you have a nice outline/framework to build on.

While I pride myself on the level of... masochism? perseverance? plain ol' stubbourness? That got through a lot of dry texts over the years... I personally found that this one fought me a bit... or more... I could only read it in "drips and drabs". Without an immediate need to use that particular feature, my focus was at best... hazy after 20-25 minutes.

Your study space makes a difference!

Without the software "right there" to literally work my way through the processes as I read some of it, I found it hard to remember, let alone master. If you're nursing a cat on your lap, are holding a book with one hand as you read it... and can't operate both a mouse and keyboard with the other hand to run Fusion effectively.. then I think forsaking the book and perusing the hundreds of YouTube videos will make things easier for you, even if you have to watch many more hours of videos to get the coverage of this book. So your study situation will have a huge impact on how quickly and easily you can work through this book.... and for the most part, mine was far from ideal.

If you have a document/book holder, two hands free, and a computer with Fusion, this will be light years ahead of my typical "juggle fest". I guess I love my pets just too darn much.


Chapter breakdown....

There are 15 chapters in total. The biggest is 30 pages (chapter 2) with most of them ranging between 10-20 pages each.

As someone who's been using Fusion for a few years now, I find myself both wishing I had this book "back then" and being frustrated that I either already know large tracts of it... or didn't know something very useful. My experience has taught me a lot, but I didn't have the structure that this book provides. So this is an exercise in "knowledge gap backfilling". Which is not my preferred way to do it, because I've noticed I have developed some... bad habits which overly complicate things... but hey!

Obviously chapter one is the "introductory fluff". Outside of a handful of very advanced texts, the first chapter is usually fairly easy to read and this chapter one is no exception.

The next few chapters are covering "the basics", and since there's quite a lot to cover, but chapters 2-4 get you page 108 (35% of the book) and cover the usual stuff from basic sketching, modelling, and working with solid objects respectively. Even though I know a lot about Fusion and am quite comfortable with it for the most part, I found the book occasionally painful, but worthwhile to go through, since the book has a lot of tips that have really helped me out since. I found it painful because I think of using certain features in my own "quirky" way, and interpreting some of the descriptions and processes in the book were quite difficult to "match and mesh" with the ideas I already understood.

That's not the author's fault, nor is it a criticism of the book per se, it's just that Lydia (the author) looks, thinks and describes things differently to me, so while many things are easy to understand... others left me wondering "did I drift off again?! What is she talking about here?... Does she mean <insert description that I personally use here>?".

So who does this suit? Is it good value? Should I buy it?

Firstly, if you're new to Fusion, then the first thing I suggest is signing up for a free hobbyist account and just having a play. Watch a video or two online to just get a feel for it. Don't beat yourself up for not getting it in mere minutes. Just spend 15-30 mins playing with it for a few days straight.

Once you've played for a bit, it'll provide the context that this book can't really do on its own.

If you think Fusion is the CAD/CAM app for you, or at least strongly considering it... then you should buy this book. If you're not sure, try borrowing it, or at least trying to buy a cheap second hand/discount ebook is a good idea. At anywhere between $23 Australian for the discount ebook to $72 in physical copy... it's worth shopping around but expect to pay about $40 for a cheap physical copy.

It's meant to be read from cover to cover, with each chapter building on the last. However, it's not bad as a reference as well.

That said, while this is definitely a good introductory book, you have to have realistic expectations. The official Autodesk tomes like "Beginner guides" (489 pages) "Power guides" (762 pages) CAM overview (126 pages) and "Workbook exercises"(122 pages) and "Part modelling and assemblies" (346 pages) and other such certification-grade books are each going to exceed the depth given by this simple introductory book.

However, that doesn't mean you need to read all that to be effective with Fusion. I haven't and my models have been used commercially, in R&D, and in thousands of places worldwide. Ok, sure, I'm not designing the next hypersonic scramjet engine or anything, but you can still make a lot of useful stuff with rudimentary skills... and afterall.. isn't that the point of any CAD app?

If Fusion feels awkward to you, or you balk at the potential subscription price... then obviously this book isn't for you. But a lot of people (including yours truly) use it and find great success. Maybe you will too. :~)