Shop Evolution Continues | Next Wave HD544 CNC Assembly

Today’s video is brought to you by Next Wave CNC, with a little help from our friends at MicroJig and Rockler. Big thanks to them for supporting this adventure.

You can save 5% on your CNC purchase at Next Wave CNC using my code WHISPERER5%

So, something a little different today—a bit more vlog-style and casual, as I walk you through assembling a brand new CNC in the shop. If you’ve been around a while, you might remember I had a CNC setup back in the Colorado shop. But when we moved, I had to downsize… significantly. The CNC didn’t make the cut. If you’d like to check out a couple of videos featuring the old CNC, try these: Fortnite Sign and End Table Deep Dive

Honestly, I’ve kind of regretted selling it ever since.

At the time, it made sense. We weren’t sure how long we’d be without a proper shop, and I was cramming everything into a tiny garage. Some of the non-essential big toys had to go. But now that we’re settled, I’m diving back into the CNC world—this time with the Next Wave HD544.

This is a 4×4 unit that requires some assembly, which I actually appreciate. There’s something to be said for putting your tools together yourself—especially when it comes to understanding how they work. It makes troubleshooting and maintenance a whole lot easier down the road.

Where’s It Going?

I’m planning to set this up in the second bay of the shop—what I like to think of as the “maker space” area. It’s kind of the catch-all for tools that aren’t traditional woodworking gear: the laser, 3D printers, and now the CNC. This space has always been for overflow and storage of random stuff, but I think it’s finally found its calling.

As for the table? My first instinct was to build a low cabinet as a stand, but this space is still evolving and I don’t yet know what my future needs will be—not just for the CNC, but for all the gear that will live in this area. So I picked up a heavy-duty 56″ Rockler Rock-Steady Shop Stand. It’s sturdy, mobile, and flexible—perfect for this kind of setup.

Work-holding?

For the spoilboard, I decided to go with MicroJig’s CNC Workholding Kit.  The kit comes with numerous work-holding fixtures and devices that will keep just about any workpiece secure under the pressure of a CNC cut. This means I’ll be using far less double-sided tape, which is always music to my ears. And because the components are made of plastic, contact with a CNC bit won’t be the end of the world. To accommodate this system, however, I first needed to cut a 4″ x 4″ grid of MatchFit dovetail grooves. With the grid in place, the work-holding gadgets can easily slide around the entire table for positioning.