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Which V-bit should you use for CNC signs: 60° or 90°?

How the angle of a V-bit changes a CNC-carved sign, and which angle to start with.

Safety first: read the safety notes before you use any of these.

Our drawing: a V-bit sitting in the V-shaped groove it carves in a board

Short answer

Start with a 90° V-bit, then add a 60°. Woodsmith's CNC Basecamp recommends the 90° for most lettering: it's a tough bit, and it cuts wide letters without going very deep. A 60° bit cuts steeper walls, which gives letters more relief and shadow. CNCRouterInfo gives the same order for hobbyists: start with 90°, then add 60° for fine detail. Narrow 30° or 45° bits suit small lettering but cut very deep in wide areas and have more fragile tips.

What the angle changes

On a V-carve, the software drives the bit deeper where a line is wider (CNCRouterInfo), so the angle decides how deep each letter goes. In Woodsmith’s CNC Basecamp, that plays out like this: a 90° bit keeps wide letters fairly shallow, a 60° bit makes steeper sides that throw more shadow, and a 30° bit handles small text but needs much deeper cuts wherever a stroke is wide. Our V-carved name sign works the depth out for both 90° and 60° bits.

Drawing of four V-bits, 90°, 60°, 45° and 30°, each sitting in the same 1/2" wide groove in a board. The 90° groove is 1/4" deep, the 60° groove 7/16", and the 45° and 30° grooves go deeper still.
Our drawing, to one scale: the same 1/2" wide groove cut with four angles. The narrower the angle, the deeper the bit goes for the same width. For a 1/2"-diameter bit, a 90° point is 1/4" long and a 60° point 7/16".

What to look for in any V-bit

  • Carbide, with a shank that matches your collet. CNCRouterInfo suggests a 1/4” shank and a 1/2” cutting diameter for a first bit.
  • Know the bit’s real angle and tip. In a 2021 Woodshop News column, a bit the author took for a 90° V-bit had a small flat at its tip. It cut deeper than the software expected, leaving fat lines and dull corners. The author says a small flat is fine if you enter it in your software. CNCRouterInfo says the real angle must match the angle set in your software, and recommends a shallow test cut in scrap before a real job.
  • The maker’s specs. Enter the bit’s real angle, diameter and any flat tip in your software, and stay within the maker’s listed RPM (Whiteside lists a range and a maximum for each bit).

More CNC projects are in our CNC build ideas.

Your options

90° V-bit

A V-bit whose two cutting edges meet at 90°, cutting a wide, fairly shallow groove.

Good for: Most lettering and pattern work, and signs with broad strokes.

  • Tough, and cuts wide letters without going very deep (Woodsmith's CNC Basecamp).
  • CNCRouterInfo calls it the standard, most versatile V-carving angle, but less crisp than 60° on tiny text.
  • Shallower grooves mean less shadow on small letters than a 60° gives (Woodsmith's CNC Basecamp).
  • For example, Whiteside's 1/2"-diameter 90° bit has a 1/4" point length (from the maker; an example, not a pick).

Budget: We don't quote a price. CNCRouterInfo suggests a carbide bit with a 1/4" shank and 1/2" cutting diameter as a first V-bit.

60° V-bit

A narrower V-bit whose edges meet at 60°. It cuts deeper for the same groove width.

Good for: Smaller text, finer detail, and lettering where you want more shadow.

  • Steeper side walls give more relief and shadow, so letters stand out (Woodsmith's CNC Basecamp).
  • CNCRouterInfo finds it less forgiving than 90°: its very sharp point shows even small runout.
  • For example, Whiteside's 1/2"-diameter 60° bit has a 7/16" point length, against 1/4" for its 90° bit of the same diameter (from the maker; an example, not a pick).

Budget: We don't quote a price.

Narrow 30° or 45° V-bit

A steep, narrow V-bit for fine work.

Good for: Small lettering and fine line work.

  • Well suited to small lettering, but in wide areas it has to go very deep, or it reaches its depth limit and leaves flat bottoms (Woodsmith's CNC Basecamp).
  • CNCRouterInfo says the tip is fragile, especially at 30°.

Budget: We don't quote a price.

What we'd start with

A 90° V-bit. Both Woodsmith's CNC Basecamp and CNCRouterInfo suggest it for most lettering and first signs: it keeps wide letters fairly shallow, and it's the more forgiving angle.

See 90° V-bit

Add a 60° V-bit. Its steeper walls give smaller letters more depth and shadow (Woodsmith's CNC Basecamp; CNCRouterInfo).

See 60° V-bit

Add a 30° or 45° bit for small, fine lettering. Woodsmith's CNC Basecamp recommends a 30° bit for small lettering, but plan for very deep cuts in broad areas, and CNCRouterInfo warns the tip is fragile.

See Narrow 30° or 45° V-bit

Sources

  • Woodsmith CNC Basecamp: Episode 016, V-carving beyond lettering (independent guide, January 2, 2023; checked October 15, 2026): Covers three V-carving angles: 90°, 60° and 30°. It recommends the 90° for most lettering, as a sturdy bit that keeps wide letters fairly shallow; the 60° makes steeper sides that throw more shadow; and the 30° handles small text but needs much deeper cuts where strokes are wide, or it runs out of depth and leaves flat floors. The page carries the publisher's own commission-earning product links.
  • CNCRouterInfo: V-bits for CNC routers (independent guide, updated October 2026; checked October 15, 2026): Compares 30°, 45°, 60°, 90° and 120° V-bits: 90° as the standard, most versatile angle, 60° for fine text but less forgiving, 30° and 45° for fine detail with fragile tips. Recommends hobbyists start with 90° and add 60°, buy carbide, and check that the bit's real angle matches the software with a test cut. The site uses Amazon and AliExpress affiliate links.
  • Woodshop News: Using the wrong bit was an education (Ted Bruning) (independent guide, May 1, 2021; checked October 15, 2026): A 2021 column: a demo sign carved with what the author took for a 90° V-bit came out with fat lines and dull corners because the bit had a small flat at its tip, so it cut deeper than the software expected. The author suspects it was a chamfer bit rather than a true V-bit, and says not all V-bits are the same.
  • Whiteside: 90° V-groove bit 1502 (maker spec page, no date shown; checked October 15, 2026): A bit maker's spec page: carbide-tipped 90° V-groove bit with a 1/2" cutting diameter, 1/4" point length and 1/4" shank, for 1/4" collets, with a recommended speed range and a maximum RPM.
  • Whiteside: 60° V-groove bit 1550 (maker spec page, no date shown; checked October 15, 2026): A bit maker's spec page: carbide-tipped 60° V-groove bit with a 1/2" cutting diameter, 7/16" point length and 1/4" shank, with a recommended speed range and a maximum RPM.
  • Carbide 3D: Machine safety (maker spec page, no date shown; checked October 15, 2026): A CNC maker's safety page: wear impact-resistant eye protection, hearing protection and a mask suited to the dust; keep clothing, hair and jewelry clear; never reach into the working area while it runs; handle end mills with care; never leave the machine running unattended.
  • Carbide 3D: Shapeoko HDM 3.0 manual (maker spec page, no date shown; checked October 15, 2026): A CNC maker's manual: engage the spindle lock-out before tool changes and turn off the power before adjusting; inspect end mills before each use (sharp, not chipped) and make sure the collet holds them securely; secure the workpiece; the e-stop cuts the machine's power; consider fire from friction and keep an extinguisher handy; sawdust can combust spontaneously.
  • Carbide 3D: ER collet basics (maker spec page, no date shown; checked October 15, 2026): A CNC maker's guide to collets: snap the collet into its nut before inserting the bit, and periodically wipe dust off the collet and spindle taper, because dust throws off accuracy.
  • Sienci Labs: Mill One safety manual (maker spec page, November 18, 2025; checked October 15, 2026): A CNC maker's safety manual: clamp the work, never hold it by hand; bits are sharp and can crack or break without notice, so check them before running; stop the router if it wobbles or vibrates, which can mean a damaged or badly installed bit; don't leave the machine running unattended.
  • Sienci Labs: CNC safety fundamentals (maker spec page, January 20, 2026; checked October 15, 2026): A CNC maker's safety page: hearing and eye protection, a dust mask or respirator of at least N95, never leaving the machine unattended, keeping hands off the machine while it runs, and a warning that materials can ignite during cutting or in dust collection bins.
  • CNCRouterInfo: CNC wasteboard guide (independent guide, updated October 2026; checked October 15, 2026): A guide to spoilboards. Among its common mistakes, it says to use source extraction while surfacing MDF and to vacuum settled MDF dust with fine-dust filtration. The site uses Amazon and AliExpress affiliate links.

How we picked

We didn't hands-on test these. We read independent guides (Woodsmith's CNC Basecamp, CNCRouterInfo and a Woodshop News column), plus bit and machine makers' spec and safety pages (Whiteside, Carbide 3D, Sienci Labs). Every claim on this page comes from a source linked under Sources. We only name a product when it has at least three independent sources from at least two different outlets, each naming that exact product, including at least one independent test or review, plus the maker's spec page. No V-bit met that bar: the hands-on comments we found that name exact bits are forum and store-review anecdotes. So this guide recommends kinds of V-bit, not products. The page's own claims rest on at least three independent sources from at least two outlets. Links were last checked on .

No paid links. Every link on this page is a plain link: no affiliate codes or tracking, and no company paid or asked to be listed (disclosure). Links open in a new tab.

Some outlets we cite get review samples from tool makers; we don't use pieces a maker paid for or sponsored.

We pick tools from independent tests and reviews, not our own testing.