Can I V-carve a sign on my Carvera?

Yes, the machine can; MakeraCAM just doesn’t make that toolpath. Pick Fusion or VCarve as your CAM program in our editor, and the README and guide match that program.

Do I need a 1/2 in V-bit?

No. The recipe is written for a 1/2 in bit, but any 60° or 90° V-bit wide enough for the cuts works: about 1/4 in across at 90° covers the bevel.

How to Carve a Wooden Sign on a Makera Carvera

MakeraCAM is Makera’s free CAM program for the Carvera and Carvera Air, and it pairs with Carvera Controller to run the job. It handles raised-letter signs well. It has no V-carve toolpath, though, so this guide also covers what to do for V-carved letters.

V-carved letters: MakeraCAM (version 0.2.1.9) offers 2D Contour, Pocket, Drilling, Chamfer, and thread milling, but no V-carving. For the V-carved style on a Carvera, choose Fusion or VCarve as your CAM program in our editor (Makera supports both) and follow that guide with Makera’s post processor. Makera Studio, the newer combined CAM and controller, is still in beta, and we haven’t confirmed its toolpath list.

Updated October 3, 2026.

The recipe in MakeraCAM terms

Your README lists only the steps your sign needs, in this order. Here's what each layer becomes in MakeraCAM:

Layer	Bit	In MakeraCAM
VCARVEV-carved letters and border	V-bit	No V-carve toolpath: use Fusion or VCarve for V-carved letters.
POCKETBackground around raised letters	End mill	2D Pocket on the rim and letters together.
HOLESScrew holes	End mill	2D Pocket on the circles, through the board.
CHAMFERBeveled edge	V-bit	2D Chamfer on the outline, outside, 1/8 in deep.
CUTOUTCut the sign out	End mill	2D Contour, Outside, with tabs.

Bits and board size on a Carvera

The Carvera, Carvera Air, and Z1 come with a 1/8 in collet, and every bit needs a collar for the tool changer. A 1/8 in end mill is the natural choice here. A 1/4 in end mill needs the optional 1/4 in collet and collars.

For the beveled edge, the V-bit must be at least as wide as the bevel: a 90° bit 1/4 in (6.4 mm) across, or a 60° bit 3/16 in (3.7 mm) across, cuts the recipe’s 1/8 in deep bevel. A small 1/8 in chamfer bit falls short, so choose a square edge in our editor if that’s all you have.

The work areas are small: about 14 x 9 in on the Carvera, 12 x 8 in on the Air, and 8 x 8 in on the Z1. The editor checks the board against your machine before you buy.

Import and set the stock

1
Open MakeraCAM and use Import 2D Model from the File menu to bring in the .dxf. It reads SVG too, but the DXF keeps the layer names.
2
Check the sign’s size against the README.
3
In the Stock panel, enter the board’s width, length, and measured thickness, and place the sign so its lower-left corner is at the stock’s lower-left corner.
4
Leave the work coordinate at the top of the stock, so every depth is measured down from the face.

Raised letters: 2D Pocket

MakeraCAM sorts nested shapes for you: in a pocket, it clears between the outer edge and the shapes inside, and leaves those standing. So select the whole POCKET layer at once, rim and letters together.

5
Create a 2D Pocket with your end mill and select all the POCKET outlines.
6
Set the depth to 3/16 in (4.8 mm).
7
Check the preview: the letters stand, and the centers of letters like O are cleared.

Screw holes

Make a 2D Pocket on the two HOLES circles with the 1/8 in end mill, to the README’s through depth. 2D Drilling only plunges at the center, which suits a drill bit, not a 5 mm hole with a 1/8 in end mill.

Bevel the edge with 2D Chamfer

The bevel runs before the cutout, while the board is still clamped all around. A 2D Contour set On Vector with the V-bit at 1/8 in deep gives the same result if you prefer.

8
Create a 2D Chamfer with your V-bit and select the outline.
9
Choose Outside, so the bevel falls on the sign’s edge.
10
Set the chamfer depth to 1/8 in (3.2 mm) and add a small tip depth offset, so the point doesn’t ride exactly on the corner.

Cut it out with tabs

11
Create a 2D Contour with your end mill, select the CUTOUT outline, and choose Outside.
12
Set the depth to the README’s through depth.
13
Tabs are off by default: switch them to Custom, then click to place them, or let MakeraCAM space them by count (version 0.2.1.7 and later). Four to six, about 1/4 in wide, hold a small sign.

Save and run in Carvera Controller

On a Carvera, tool numbers match the tool changer’s slots, so put the end mill and V-bit in the slots you assigned. On a Carvera Air, a new tool number pauses the job for you to swap the bit by hand.

14
Order the paths: pocket, holes, chamfer, contour. Preview the whole job.
15
Right-click Path and save all paths as G-code.
16
In Carvera Controller, upload the file over Wi-Fi or USB.
17
Set the work origin to the board’s lower-left corner and let the machine probe Z on the face before it starts.

Finish the sign

Cut the tabs and sand them flush. Paint the background of a raised sign if you like, let it dry, and sand the letter tops back to bare wood for crisp contrast. An exterior clear coat on every face protects a sign that hangs outside.

Questions about MakeraCAM

Can I V-carve a sign on my Carvera?: Yes, the machine can; MakeraCAM just doesn’t make that toolpath. Pick Fusion or VCarve as your CAM program in our editor, and the README and guide match that program.
Do I need a 1/2 in V-bit?: No. The recipe is written for a 1/2 in bit, but any 60° or 90° V-bit wide enough for the cuts works: about 1/4 in across at 90° covers the bevel.