Inventables
Inventables X-Carve Feeds & Speeds Calculator
Starting feeds and speeds for the Inventables X-Carve, with the numbers already adjusted for its spindle range and frame. Grab a starting point from the chart, then open the live calculator to watch the cut and fine-tune it for your exact bit.
Open the live calculator for the Inventables X-CarveDialing in the Inventables X-Carve
Two things set the numbers on the Inventables X-Carve: how fast the DeWalt DW611 spins, and how much the frame can take without chattering. It runs a working range of about 10,000 to 30,000 RPM, on belt drive. The Inventables X-Carve is a middleweight frame, so we keep the passes on the shallower side and let it take more of them.
So for a 1/4" two-flute bit in softwood, a sensible starting point on the Inventables X-Carve is around 17,000 RPM and 102 inches per minute, taking about 0.075" per pass on a slot. The full chart below covers the materials you are most likely to cut. These are conservative starting points: always test on scrap and let your ears do the final tuning.
Inventables X-Carve starting feeds and speeds
Two-flute bit, slotting cut (the toughest case for clearing chips). Feed in inches per minute, depth per pass in inches.
| Material | Bit | Spindle RPM | Feed rate | Depth / pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Softwood | 1/8" | 25,000 | 100 ipm | 0.037" |
| 1/4" | 17,000 | 102 ipm | 0.075" | |
| Hardwood | 1/8" | 30,000 | 90 ipm | 0.019" |
| 1/4" | 20,000 | 100 ipm | 0.037" | |
| Plywood / MDF | 1/8" | 25,000 | 100 ipm | 0.037" |
| 1/4" | 17,000 | 102 ipm | 0.075" | |
| Acrylic | 1/8" | 25,000 | 100 ipm | 0.028" |
| 1/4" | 13,000 | 104 ipm | 0.056" | |
| HDPE / Plastics | 1/8" | 17,000 | 102 ipm | 0.028" |
| 1/4" | 10,000 | 100 ipm | 0.056" | |
| Aluminum | 1/8" | 30,000 | 60 ipm | 0.009" |
| 1/4" | 25,000 | 100 ipm | 0.019" |
Numbers are generated by our feeds and speeds calculator using the Inventables X-Carve's spindle range and a middleweight-frame rigidity factor. Aluminum needs a single flute plus lubricant. Always confirm your bit maker's chart and test on scrap.
Want to see it cut?
Open the interactive calculator loaded with the Inventables X-Carve. Change your bit and material, watch the cut run live, and hear the difference between a dialed-in cut and a bad one.
Open the Inventables X-Carve calculatorInventables X-Carve feeds and speeds FAQ
What RPM should I run on a Inventables X-Carve?
For most wood with a 1/4" two-flute bit, 17,000 RPM is a good starting point on the Inventables X-Carve. Its working range is about 10,000 to 30,000 RPM. Go higher for smaller bits and finer detail, lower for big bits and heavy stock removal.
What feed rate should I use on a Inventables X-Carve in hardwood?
Start around 100 inches per minute with a 1/4" two-flute bit in oak or maple on the Inventables X-Carve, at roughly 20,000 RPM. Listen to the cut and adjust: clean chips mean you are dialed in, fine dust means you are going too slow.
Can a Inventables X-Carve cut aluminum?
Aluminum is a stretch for the Inventables X-Carve. Its frame is on the lighter side, so if you try it, use a single-flute bit, very shallow passes, lots of lubricant, and low expectations. It is happiest in wood and plastics.
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CNC chip load chart
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