Over the years CNC machining has grown to become an integral part of many industries including automotive, aerospace, medicine, manufacturing, food, sports, and fashion. Hundreds of thousands of companies are using CNC machines to create both simple and complex products that would have been impossible to create in the absence of these machines.
Furthermore, gone are the days when CNC machines cost an arm and a leg, and when CNC machining could only be carried out by experts who had undergone years of training.
Today, although there are still expensive professional-grade CNC machines that can only be operated by experts, there are CNC machines that amateurs, hobbyists, and DIYers alike can own and use without years of training.
Now, whether you are a machine shop owner with time on your hands between orders, or a hobbyist who just loves to make things, your CNC machine can actually make you some money. There are thousands of products that you can design, create and sell!
If at this point you are at a loss on how to start, what to make, and where to sell, we at Scan2CAD, have got your back. In this cnc product list article, we will be going through 32 product ideas that you can make with your CNC machine, as well as sites where you sell these products.
Before we jump into the list, here are some handy primers for CNC machines and typical CNC materials:
Table of Contents
32 CNC Machined Products You Could Make & Sell Today
1. Signs
Creating a wow-factor for those entering the office. (source)
- Material: Wood
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Etsy
Signs are a fantastic example of simple and effective CNC wood products which can be sold. They usually create the first impression when you enter into an office or a business. What better way to make a good first impression than with a well-crafted sign.
2. Phone cases
Beautiful, practical, durable (Source)
With CNC machines you can make beautiful and durable cases for any type of phone. No matter the number of ports, jacks, speakers, or cameras a phone has, you can make a case or jacket that will be the perfect fit. Plus, you can add custom engravings on the body of the case.
3. Keyholders
Never lose your keys again (Source)
- Material: Metal
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Etsy
Keyholders are unsung heroes of being organized. These can be quite simple CNC metal products to fabricate. Everybody has them. While there are a number of key holders out there, many of them are quite drab. Get creative! You can even incorporate other tools such as bottle openers into your key holders.
4. Phone stand
Relax and keep your hands free (Source)
You would agree that it can be very frustrating when you want to watch a movie on your phone but you just can’t get into a comfortable position because you have to hold the phone. You try to place it down but it just keeps toppling over. Likewise, you need to use the phone in the kitchen, garage, or bathroom but there’s just no suitable place to keep it. With a phone holder, all these troubles are over. Simply place your phone and do whatever you want to do. You can make variations to your design, depending on the size of the phone you have in mind.
5. Item holder
Stay organized and clutter-free (Source)
Many times, we misplace or forget our personal items such as our phones, wallets, keys, glasses, and watches, as we always carry them around. Other times, our workspaces look disorganized because of these items. An item holder provides an aesthetic and practical means for you to keep all your personal items organized and in one place so that you never forget to carry them. There are various, equally practical styles of item holders that you can make, according to taste and depending on the items you intend to place.
6. CNC portrait
Making memories last forever (Source)
We have seen pencil portraits, paint portraits, and even sand portraits. But CNC portraits are on another level of awesomeness. To start with, as long as you start with a beautiful design, you would always end up with a perfect portrait. Also, you can create portraits of anything from humans to abstract art. CNC portraits are rare, beautiful, and very classy.
7. Car badges
Pimp your ride (Source)
Many car owners are fans of car badges so this is a niche in itself. You can create logos, pictures, slogans, catchphrases, or just quirky writings to be used as car badges. In addition, there are car owners whose car’s original logos have come off and gone missing, and who are looking for replacements.
8. CNC machine parts
CNC machined CNC machine parts (Source)
- Material: Metal
- Complexity: Complex
- Where are these sold? Amazon
It’s funny how so many machinists only remember that they should have machined spare parts of their machines when the machines get spoilt. One of the first things you should create with a new CNC machine is the spare parts of the machine. This way, not only will you never be stranded, but you will also have enough parts to sell to those who are.
9. Custom engravings
Customize everything! (Source)
- Material: Wood, Metal, Plastic, Acrylic
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Etsy
One good thing about custom engraving is that you can apply it to almost anything. From furniture to utensils to stationery.
10. Decorative fences and gates
Enjoy beauty, Enjoy privacy (Source)
- Material: Wood, Metal
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Etsy
Coming in at number 10 on our CNC product list, is decorative fences and gates. With CNC machines/laser cutters, you can cut patterns into sheet metal, no matter how complex the patterns are. This allows you to create beautiful fences, doors, screens, and gates without sacrificing security
11. Lampshades
Laser-cut lampshades (Source)
- Material: Wood, Metal
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Amazon
Like decorative fences and gates, lampshades can be made by cutting patterns into sheet metal or wood. You can make different shapes of shades to fit different kinds of lamps and bulbs.
12. Stamps
Pocket-friendly branding (Source)
- Material: Wood, Metal
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Etsy
Stamps are used by hundreds of thousands of big and small companies alike. Even individuals have stamps these days. CNC machines allow you to create very accurate and durable stamps very quickly.
13. Gift boxes
Turn gift packaging into gifts (Source)
- Material: Wood
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Amazon
Gift boxes usually end up in the trash after the gifts have been taken out. It doesn’t have to be this way. Well crafted gift boxes are gifts in their own right and can be used as storage boxes and containers in the future.
14. Nutcracker
Get cracking (Source)
- Material: Metal, Wood
- Complexity: Medium
- Where are these sold? Etsy
Perhaps not the most obvious of our CNC product ideas, but nutcrackers are another example of how you can combine beauty, practicality, and durability. With a little bit of engineering, you can get to nut cracking in no time.
15. Decorative rolling pins
Turn cookies into works of art (Source)
- Material: Wood
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Etsy
Decorative rolling pins enable you to make decorated cookies very easily. These pins are made of wood and can carry any pattern you come up with.
16. Toys
Stress relief for everyone (Source)
- Material: Wood, Metal
- Complexity: Varies
- Where are these sold? Amazon
There are numerous toys that you can make with a CNC machine. You can make fidget spinners, spinning tops, miniature vehicles, dollhouses, miniature furniture, miniature animals, etc.
17. Wall tiles
Improve acoustics and visuals with felt wall tiles (Source)
- Material: Felt, Wood
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Etsy
Tiles are a stylish way to decorate your floors, walls, or desks with a fraction of the cost of traditional tiles. Wall tiles give you more styling options with shapes and patterns. You also have the option to make interlocking tiles that you can remove and replace at any time.
18. Jewelry and accessories
When high-tech meets fashion (Source)
- Material: Wood, Metal
- Complexity: Varies
- Where are these sold? Etsy
CNC machining is fast gaining ground in the fashion industry because of the freedom of creativity it allows. You can create rings, brooches, bracelets, earrings, cufflinks, tie clips, necklaces, belt heads, and even bow ties with CNC machines. Out of the many possible CNC product ideas, jewelry is expected to have continued sales growth as more customers demand unique and bespoke pieces which small CNC studios are perfectly-placed to create.
19. Phone amplifiers
Electricity-free speakers (Source)
- Material: Wood
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Etsy
There are times when your phone volume, even at Max, is not loud enough. One way to solve this problem is with external speakers. However, an environmentally-friendly, simple, non-electronic, and beautiful way to amplify your phone speaker is with CNC-machined phone amplifiers. With a basic knowledge of physics and of design, you can easily double your phone’s volume. The phone amplifier can also double as a phone stand.
20. Minimalist wallets
Secure, durable, minimal (Source)
- Material: Wood, Metal
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Amazon
We can create toys, jewelry, and portraits, so what stops us from creating wallets. You can create very durable minimalist wallets that can hold money, ID cards, and bank cards. Feel free to get creative with the patterns on the wallet as well as how the wallets open and close.
21. Bike pedals
Extremely durable and stable bike pedals (Source)
- Material: Metal
- Complexity: Complex
- Where are these sold? Amazon
With the amount of stress they are put through, bike pedals often get bad and need to be replaced. With a CNC machine, you can create extremely durable bike pedals that can withstand insane amounts of stress.
22. Coasters
Add class to tea time (Source)
- Material: Wood
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Esty
Drink coasters are another way to unleash your creativity with patterns and shapes. These products are quite similar to the tiles that we described above, the difference being that these are independent.
23. Interior decorations
Liven up any space with well-crafted decor(Source)
- Material: Wood, Metal
- Complexity: Varies
- Where are these sold? Etsy
When it comes to interior decorations and CNC machines, you are literally only limited by your imagination. There are thousands of amazing, innovative, practical, beautiful, abstract, and wacky stuff that are considered to be aesthetically pleasing. We obviously can’t go into a list of what you can make as interior decor, so feel free to let your imagination run wild.
24. Board games
When high-tech meets fun (Source)
- Material: Wood, Metal
- Complexity: Varies
- Where are these sold? Etsy
Tired of playing with boring game boards and playing cards? You are not alone. Fortunately, you can do something about it. You can make durable works of art out of any board game and their pieces such as chess, snakes and ladders, monopoly, draught, and playing cards.
25. Lighters
Forever-lasting lighters for every occasion (Source)
- Material: Metal
- Complexity: Complex
- Where are these sold? Etsy
I think it’s safe to assume that we all know how classy a well-crafted lighter looks. Forget the lighters with drab plastic containers or plain metal bodies. With a CNC machine, as long as you get the working principles right, you can make a lighter in the shape of anything and with whatever decorative features you like.
26. Ashtrays
Ashtrays (Source)
- Material: Metal
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Esty
Ashtrays are another product that have a niche of their own. Smokers know how annoying it can be when there is no astray around. Feel free to get creative with your designs as you turn ashtrays into ornaments.
27. Tactical survival weapons/tools
Survival kit in your wallet (Source)
- Material: Metal
- Complexity: Varies
- Where are these sold? Esty
Whether outdoors camping or indoors DIYing, one that can potentially save many emergency situations is a tactical survival tool such as a Swiss army knife (or whatever you choose to call your combination of tools). With a CNC machine, you can create well-crafted tools or collections of tools that will surely catch buyers’ attention. Again, feel free to get creative with your designs. We’ve seen ID cards that fold out into knives and a ruler that files, screws, opens bottles, and removes nails.
28. Flashlights
A shining example of craftsmanship (Source)
- Material: Metal
- Complexity: Medium
- Where are these sold? Drop
This is another item on our list that requires some knowledge of physics. True, you need to spend a few bucks on the electronic components but the effort is totally worth it. You can get as creative as possible with the casing.
29. Salt and pepper shakers
Beautify your dining table with practical, ornamental utensils (Source)
- Material: Wood, Metal
- Complexity: Medium
- Where are these sold? Crate and barrel
Turn boring dining utensils into beautiful works of art using your CNC machines. With a little creativity, salt and pepper shakers can become ornamental.
30. Pill pods
Be always prepared(Source)
- Material: Metal
- Complexity: Medium
- Where are these sold? 7gadgets
Pill pods are very important for people who need to carry about medication. You can create shock and water-resistant pods that can even be worn as jewelry.
31. Whistles
Whistles (Source)
- Material: Metal
- Complexity: Medium
- Where are these sold? Amazon
Whistles like many other products on our list are niche products. There are several not-so-high-quality whistles out there so customers will be willing to spend on a durable and beautiful whistle.
32. Guitar bodies
The guitarist’s pride (Source: custommade.com)
- Material: Wood
- Complexity: Simple
- Where are these sold? Etsy
If you’ve ever met a guitarist, you probably know how protective and proud of their guitars’ bodies they are. With a CNC machine and some wood, you can create awesomely designed guitar bodies.
Can I sell CNC products if I don’t own a CNC machine?
Remember, these CNC opportunities are not unique to those who own CNC machines. All of these projects are possible even if you don’t have the equipment sitting around in your garage.
All you have to do is Google “laser etching services near me” (or whichever technology you would like to adopt) and you’ll be presented with plenty of options and price points to choose from. These are highly trained experts offering their machines and services so that you can fabricate any idea you can think of. Most of these services will provide specific instructions on what formats to provide your design files in, any design limitations and so on. Some service providers only take orders in large volumes whereas others are willing to do one-off productions or prototypes.
Conclusion
So, did this extensive CNC product list inspire you to power-up your CNC machine today?
As we’ve learned, these CNC project ideas can be as simple of complex as we choose, using a variety of materials to fabricate your bespoke products for sale.
Let’s conclude with my round-up of my top-5 CNC product ideas picks:
| Product | Material | Complexity | Where are these sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coasters | Wood | Simple | Etsy |
| Jewelry | Metal | Varies | Etsy |
| Signs | Wood | Simple | Etsy |
| Decorative fences and gates | Wood, Metal | Simple | Etsy |
| Interior Decorations | Wood, Metal | Varies | Etsy |
Over to you: What did we miss? What have you been eager to create in your CNC studio? Let usknow in the comments
