Published September 4, 2026 · TubeCNC Blog · Video Tutorial
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Custom Tube Lettering with myPIPE — TubeCNC YouTube Channel
In our latest tutorial, “Custom Tube Lettering with myPIPE,” we walk through how to create a custom tube sign directly in myPIPE using rectangular cutouts and precise positioning tools — no separate design software required.
The video shows a full lettering job built up cutout by cutout, with each rectangular feature individually positioned and rotated around the tube to form readable text on the finished part.
What Happens in This Tutorial
- 1Add a new rectangular cutout feature to the tube in myPIPE to start the first letter segment.
- 2Set the cutout’s width and height to control the thickness and length of each letter stroke.
- 3Use Position X and Offset From Center to place the cutout at the correct spot along and around the tube.
- 4Adjust the Rotation Angle and Position Angle so each stroke lines up correctly on the tube’s curved surface.
- 5Set the cutout depth (through-cut) and Contour Base so the lettering cuts cleanly through the tube wall.
- 6Repeat the process for each additional cutout, building up the full word letter by letter until the custom lettering is complete.
What You’ll Learn
In this tutorial, we demonstrate:
- How to build custom lettering on a tube using a series of rectangular cutout features in myPIPE.
- How to use Position X, Offset From Center, and Rotation/Position Angle to place each cutout precisely on the tube’s surface.
- How Contour Base and depth settings control whether a cutout is a through-cut or a partial engraving.
- How to review a complete set of cutouts together to check the final lettering before sending it to the machine.
Why This Is Useful
Custom lettering and signage on tube parts is a common request for fabricators — from branded handrails and displays to labeled components and decorative signage. Building this directly in myPIPE means the lettering is designed on the exact tube geometry that will be cut, rather than approximated in a separate CAD package and imported.
Because each letter is its own parametric rectangular cutout, individual strokes can be resized, repositioned, or rotated independently, making it straightforward to adjust spacing, alignment, or wording without rebuilding the whole design from scratch.
Using This in Real Tube-Cutting Workflows
This same cutout-based approach can be used for more than lettering — logos, decorative patterns, and vent or drainage patterns can all be built up from positioned rectangular (or other) cutout features on a tube. Once the cutout layout is finalized in myPIPE, it flows directly into the CNC program for the machine, keeping design and production on the same model.
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Explore TubeCNC and myPIPE to see how integrated CAD/CAM, automatic nesting, and real-time CNC control can simplify your tube cutting workflow.
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This is part of myPIPE, the tube and pipe CAD/CAM module built into myCNC software. If you’re working on something similar, we’d love to hear about your machine.