As the festive season approaches, the joy of crafting takes center stage. In this article, we’ve prepared a list of the best CNC Christmas projects to adorn your home and share with loved ones. Embrace the spirit of the holidays by exploring a collection of imaginative and skillfully designed projects that marry traditional warmth with cutting-edge precision!
From delicate ornaments that capture the essence of the season to customizable pieces that feature a playful twist, these projects cater to both beginners and seasoned CNC enthusiasts.
Unleash your creativity, scale projects to your preference, and usher in the holidays with a touch of handmade elegance and the joy of sharing unique, CNC-crafted Christmas treasures with friends and family.
CNC Christmas Ornament
To start with, these CNC Christmas ornaments are a delightful and straightforward holiday decoration that are sure to garner questions from appreciative guests about where you found them. And if stars aren’t your thing, the creator of the project also includes a cute snowflake design.
Crafted from melamine white sheets or adapted to the material you have, this project showcases the versatility of CNC machining. The use of a V-bit tool adds intricate details to the ornament, elevating its aesthetic appeal.
The author’s choice to mill both sides of the ornament by flipping over the sheet adds an extra layer of complexity, making it an engaging challenge for those familiar with CNC machining. However, for beginners, opting to mill only one side still yields a charming and uncomplicated ornament with a satisfying result. And if the written instructions aren’t enough, you can watch the ornaments’ creation in a mesmerizing YouTube video.
- Who designed it? AndrésG62
- How popular it is? This straightforward ornament has over 3,300 views and 17 likes so far.
- Where to find it? Instructables
XL Lego Christmas Tree
The classic Lego pine tree is a powerful symbol worldwide recognized by people of all ages. To have a scaled-up version for the holidays would be a dream come true for many. Originally designed for laser cutting, this project is easily adaptable for CNC routers, especially for scaling up to use thicker sheets. Crafted from 10-mm MDF, the assembly requires pipes of varying diameters and paint to bring the iconic Lego tree to life.
The pipes serve as both the stem and spacers, providing structural integrity. Should you decide to modify the tree’s size, adjustments to the pipe dimensions and potentially incorporating CNC-cut spacers may be necessary.
A creative endeavor that blends nostalgia with craftsmanship, the XL Lego Christmas Tree offers a festive and customizable addition to holiday decor.
- Who designed it? kenyer
- How popular it is? This classic-inspired pine tree has over 1,400 views and 11 likes.
- Where to find it? Instructables
Tiny Rocking Horse Ornament
The tiny rocking horse ornament delivers an endearing flatpack-style rocking horse, initially intended for Christmas greeting cards but easily repurposed as a charming Christmas tree ornament. Its petite size adds to its cuteness, making it a delightful addition to holiday decor.
The clever design allows for easy embossing of the parts and secure assembly with glue dots, ensuring a hassle-free crafting experience.
Whether adorning cards or hanging on a tree, this CNC creation strikes the perfect balance between intricacy and simplicity.
- Who designed it? ZenziWerken
- How popular it is? This design has over 2,300 downloads combined from both sites.
- Where to find it? Cults, Thingiverse
Snowman Family
This snowman family is a lovely milling project, featuring a group of individual snowmen standing on a base. With files provided for each snowman separately, along with an instructional video demonstrating how to combine them and create the base, the project is versatile and user-friendly.
For this project, only the C2D files are provided, which work on Carbide Create. This is free software that you can install and use to export to SVG, which is a more flexible file format.
Once the snowman family has been created, you can ask the kiddos in your life to help with the painting for a fun group activity!
- Who designed it? marshburnw
- How popular it is? This customizable design has over 1,200 downloads and has been viewed over 4,400 times.
- Where to find it? CutRocket
X-Wing/TIE Fighter Ornaments
Injecting a touch of Star Wars into your holiday festivities, the X-Wing and TIE Fighter ornaments seamlessly blend sci-fi charm with Christmas tradition. These classic space fighters, cut from 4-mm beech plywood and spray-painted in gold, are a testament to thoughtful design.
The ornaments are ingeniously designed to snap-fit together, adding an element of simplicity to their appeal. That said, it should be noted that they don’t include a hole for attaching a string if you want to hang them from the Christmas tree – you’ll need to drill it yourself, finding the spot that works best for you.
The overall effect is a well-crafted and visually striking addition to your Christmas tree decor. Whether you’re a Star Wars enthusiast or simply seeking unique ornaments, these pieces are a delightful fusion of galactic flair and holiday spirit.
- Who designed it? ZenziWerken
- How popular it is? This fandom-favorite design has over 5,000 downloads, with 3 3D printed makes shared, including one made with a home-made CNC machine.
- Where to find it? Cults, Thingiverse
Tealight Holder
The tealight holder presents a festive Rudolph-themed design, making it an ideal addition to holiday decor or as a thoughtful small gift.
Crafted with caution in mind, users are advised to exercise care when combining candles and wood, with a recommendation for the safer use of LED candles.
The availability of both DXF and STL files allows for flexibility in choosing milling strategies, catering to individual preferences and possibilities. And with a suggested thickness of approximately 15 mm for the wood, the tealight holder strikes a balance between sturdiness and aesthetics. You can spruce up your own design with the help of some paint or a couple of markers and liquid paper.
- Who designed it? 3TassenCNC
- How popular it is? This cute design has over 700 downloads, and counting!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Simple Automata Ornament
A Christmas automata ornament such as this one introduces a delightful and interactive dimension to holiday decor.
This model, crafted from 10-mm and 4-mm plywood, adds a touch of whimsy with its intricate hand-crank mechanism. While the hand-crank operation offers a fun manual experience, enthusiasts can also explore the option of creating a motorized version, which the creator did, adding a layer of customization for those inclined to tinker.
Easy-to-find supplies such as a 6-mm wood dowel shaft and 3-mm bamboo sticks are necessary as extra materials. Assembling this ornament is a rewarding pastime, offering a unique and engaging addition to your festive decorations, and it’s unlikely that guests will see it and not ask for one for themselves!
- Who designed it? AndrésG62
- How popular it is? This kinetic design has over 2,000 views and 9 likes, while the YouTube video has been watched around 1,500 times.
- Where to find it? Instructables
Santa Sleigh & Reindeer Decoration
This Santa’s sleigh and reindeer Christmas decoration adds a whimsical touch to holiday decor. This piece is versatile, finding a place over fireplaces, doors, windows, and shelves, creating a delightful festive atmosphere.
Thanks to its simple design, changing the size to personal preferences is easy, accommodating different materials based on what’s available and what the goal is. With STL and DXF files provided, users have the flexibility to choose their preferred file format that’ll best suit their setup and possibilities.
- Who designed it? reichwec
- How popular it is? This versatile design has over 70,000 downloads and around 60 makes, some made with a CNC machine, others 3D printed.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
LED Wooden Stockings
The LED wooden Christmas stockings offer a modern twist to a classic holiday tradition. Designed to be placed by the fireplace and crafted with Inventables’ X-Carve, these stockings feature wireless LED lights controlled by a single remote, adding a festive glow to your home, but of course, take advantage of your creativity to use what you have already available.
Crafted with a combination of 3-mm plywood for the front and back, and 38-mm board for the sides, assembly is straightforward. For those without access to a 38-mm board or a mill of that length, just make layering parts with thinner sheets, providing flexibility in materials. For a challenge: customize it by changing the initials!
- Who designed it? TheCarmichaelWorkshop
- How popular it is? This revised classic has over 800 views on Instructables, while the useful YouTube video has been watched over 5,200 times – more than understandable, given how dazzling the stockings are!
- Where to find it? Instructables
Holograms
And last but not least, moving away from woodwork, this series of holograms offers a simple and elegant holiday decoration, blending traditional charm with modern technology.
This mixed technique project requires a 3D printer for the base and a soldering iron to integrate LED lights powered by batteries. The holograms, featuring designs like a snowball tree, wreath, candle, bell, and horseshoe, cater to diverse tastes.
A thin spike routing bit is employed to delicately carve the designs onto an 85- x 85-mm acrylic sheet with a 2-mm diameter to create the holographic effect. The strategically placed LED illuminates the acrylic from the bottom edge, casting a captivating glow that enhances the intricate carvings. While assembly demands attention to detail, the result is a mesmerizing festive ornament suitable for various holiday settings.
- Who designed it? Radim RKG Keseg
- How popular it is? This glowing ornament has over 2,000 views.
- Where to find it? Instructables
License: The text of "The Best CNC Christmas Projects" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.