While looking at peoples x carve projects i notice their waste boards are cut into, I use a piece of 1/4 inch material under my pieces to avoid this. I got my x carve in october and have already burnt the brushes out of the router it came with but only have 3 cuts into my waste board.
If I’m cutting all the way through material, I use double sided carpet tape under the stock and stick it to a piece of corregated cardboard. The bit will cut into the cardboard and tape so some residue needs to be cleaned off afterward. My other cnc has an aluminum bed so the cardboard has saved me on that one in many cases.
that one does have a few scars from lazieness in setting the depth.