An expensive way to cheat at woodworking?

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[carlslater]

A very reasonable video ... the advice is quite fair. I am a retired Mech Engineer with a decently equipped wood shop. I have a 4'x4' Onefinity Elite Foreman with a 3Hp spindle and ATC, my shop could not support a bigger footprint. I have VCarve pro and use it 30% of the time, I also use FreeCad 70% of the time. Parametric 3D CAD with assemblies. The CNC is just another tool in the shop to but not always the right one. Knowing what machine to use is where the magic is.

[PiefacePete]

Really excellent 'heads-up' and presentation... Informative, useful, visually interesting, easy to listen to, and nicely paced.
Many thanks... Liked and Subscribed.

[InspiredCraftsman]

I built my own vacuum table using vacuum motors from centralvacuummotor. I used multiple motors that let's me tailor the amount of hold down to the project and 12 zones piped with pvc and manual valves. All together in about $1, 000 in costs.

[heathmichael]

Very helpful video. Detailed but also direct and to the point. Thanks!

[alangalloway]

Great content! And well presented. Makes me want to buy a CNC 🤣😂

[Kathyoftheglade]

big fan of the tape. but if im doing a repeatable then im also using big set screws screwed into the threaded inserts on my spoilboard. those and a swivel cam hold the work pretty good and i get the same results every time

[MCsCreations]

Thanks for all the tips, man! 😊
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[ifiwooddesigns]

Great! Great! Great video! As a hobbyist woodworker, I finally dove in and purchased a CNC in January. Not knowing a soul who had one or software, I taught myself by watching YouTube and using trial version of VCarve Pro. Couple months later and I make just about everything out of it. Only thing left is I’d like to make standard furniture and leads me up to today and your channel. Since you make lots of furniture, what do you recommend (book or website) that’ll list all parts of all types of kitchen furniture? If I can get all the measurements, I’m sure I can make my own or customize for shop or oddball sizes. Love your content and maybe now that you are full time, you can do more CNC projects or create another channel just for CNC’ing. Keep up the great work!!!

[robertkrueger]

I have a CNC and I probably under utilize it but I still love having it. I got hooked on having a CNC when I purchased the Shaper Origin. That was my gateway into all of it. That is an expensive kit but it is a lot of fun for small things. Doing something large is where it will test you and how much patience you have . That unit will also test your arms on large projects. I wouldn't recommend it for anything too large . Where the shaper really shines is with the use of the Plate with the plate you can do brilliant cnc work on a project and it will elevate your ability to place hardware and do engraving like a logo on a piece .

I also am wishing you much success in your YouTube career move.

[jlivewell]

This was a great video on how powerful a Cnc can be. You made it very clear to understand. Thx

[Chuck.S.]

Hi Matt. Perhaps not completely related, but just an old cabinet makers history with it from our side of the fence. CNC has been around for quite a while. It didn't really start in the format most people use it for now ( in the woodworking or hobby realm that is ) but as a machine to replace repetitive tasks in a high volume factory environment. When frameless "Euro" style cabinets became extremely popular in the 90's, it was a must have machine. We built on a 32mm principle, which all measurements of the cabinet were based around that number. Like the holes in your table being 96mm or 3 x 32mm. We had a monochrome screen where we had to input every number at the X, Y, Z position. Yes, you could save the programs but you had to be extremely accurate that each new sheet was in the exact same starting spot. Also, back then, material quality and accuracy wasn't even remotely close to what it is today and that's saying something because it is still relatively bad. So you had to make adjustments constantly. Yes, we still had CAD but internet / wireless / networking was just getting started, so these machines were not hooked centrally where a designer could change things and send it directly to a machine. Every number was done manually. A new design could take hours to set up for and program. Plus, it had to be tested. Anyhow, just a short history lesson of the beginnings of CNC in the industry. A lot more to it but just my 2 wood chips worth.

[Jeffdoeswhat]

My goal is to have a big CNC in my YouTube studio by end of year. Hopefully it happens.

[chrisrichardson]

Definitely want a CNC but real estate in my shop is at a premium right now. I think I just talked myself into redesigning my shop.

[garymiller]

Thank you for the introduction to CNC woodworking. I'll refer back to this video if and before I would buy one. 😊😊😊❤❤❤

[MCsCreations]

The last option remembered me of Anakin, I mean... Early Darth Vader... "You underestimate my powers!" 😂
(Sorry, watching the video now. 😬)

[AngieWilliamsDesigns]

Great video. I have a small desktop cnc. Right now it’s been sitting not being used for well over a year. I really want to get it up and working again. But I think an upgrade is necessary.

But there’s the dilemma . I’m not using what I have… so how do I justify an upgrade? At this point… I have some options. Get rid of it and regain that space if I’m not going to use it. If I’m going to keep it… I need to get it running. It’s an older xcarve and is needing some attention. New belts and some calibration. I think the old belts is what’s causing my biggest issue. I’ve leveled the bed and still have one side cutting deeper than the other after using the machine a small amount.

[garryr]

I think a CNC would be great for all the reasons you mentioned but I do not have the $ or the space in my "shop"

[gaiustacitus]

CNC machining is far different today than it was decades ago. When I started in the industry, G-code had to be manually written, output to paper or mylar tape, and input into the machine tool using a tape reader. I developed a behind-the-tape-reader (BTR) interface and software written in Z-80 assembler that ran on a Vector Graphic computer (ironically, the "graphic" part referred to 80 x 25 text on a monitor) running CP/M to transfer the program via the serial port.

Knowing how to manually write G-code still provides benefits such as being able to optimize code output by modern CAD/CAM applications, allowing elimination of dwell marks, needless wasted motion, etc.

[skippylippy]

I don't need a CNC.
I enjoy working with wood as a hobbyist.
I'm retired and have no need to produce an income from my hobby.

[davidcole]

I think CNC's defeat the whole purpose of woodworking, at least for me. Programming a computer to mass produce pieces? Yuck. Now if you're doing it for a living, then hell yeah, give me one.