# Process Improvement



## ssbackwards (Sep 26, 2017)

I am looking to see how many people have CNC routers in their shops? How many are actually using them and how many have them sitting in their shops wishing they had work for them or don't completely understand how to use them? Do you do outside work or only woodworking with them?


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

Welcome to the forum. I don'have an CNC for two reasons. The cost is really high and if I did have one I would not have a clue hoe to use it.


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## cjhilinski (Apr 25, 2017)

I have one. For me, it's just another tool in the shop. I don't use it just because I have it; I use it where it does things better or faster than I can by hand. For example, drilling a flat bottom hole. A forstner bit leaves a hole where the pilot bit cuts. The CNC cuts a flat bottomed pocket that doesn't have that center hole. The CNC can do any diameter hole/pocket I need; I don't need to have a bit of that size. I make a repetitive item that has 42 5 mm holes in it. I used to spend the time at the drill press boring each hole. Now I clamp a piece of wood in the CNC, start the program and work on something else while it does all the holes.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Mine is cutting cabinet sides as I type. :grin:


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

I have 2 working CNCs in my personal shop. The second one I bought mainly just for more cutting area than the first one had. The second one turned out to have more usefulness due to it's design which lets me open up the bed to cut parts clamped vertically or at almost any angle. I teach furniture design to college students and use my CNCs to cut joinery and textures and rotary examples to show my students their potential. I also often am cutting parts for the students simply because the 3 small CNCs we have at the university are booked solid. 

I'll also use mine for creating jigs and templates that may be used on a CNC or with other shop machines. Theys also come in handy when I'm working on a personal project and the CNC can do something that would be difficult or time consuming or impossible using other tools. 

4D


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

hawkeye10 said:


> Welcome to the forum. I don'have an CNC for two reasons. The cost is really high and if I did have one I would not have a clue hoe to use it.


Both those reasons, plus I don't want one, period.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Theo we'll eventually have to develop a new title for for certain forum members. It will be "Official Wet Blanket". I like to keep things simple too but the term " to each his own" also applies.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Theo we'll eventually have to develop a new title for for certain forum members. It will be "Official Wet Blanket". I like to keep things simple too but the term " to each his own" also applies.


Oh, I don't have a thing against other people having CNCs, they are just something that I personally don't want for myself. They have their uses, can't argue against that. Just a personal choice. So, don't think I'm trying to spoil your fun.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

I got one, and I want another one. Just trying to prove to Mama that I really really need it!!!


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## gkas (Nov 28, 2011)

Isn't it nice to have trolls that come into a CNC forum and say "I don't own one. I'll never own one, but I'll read and comment negatively on posts pertaining to using a CNC." Why do you bother?


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum.


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## rnubee (Aug 2, 2017)

*CNC Routing*

I don’t have one yet, but am looking. My budget is almost nonexistent, so looking to start at low end. Wife owns a small store downtown and sells an enormous amount of small signs and plaques both routed and painted, thought I will get in on the action and make custom signs also. If the CNC works I should not have a problem, I program and operate CNC metalworking machines at work.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

gkas said:


> Isn't it nice to have trolls that come into a CNC forum and say "I don't own one. I'll never own one, but I'll read and comment negatively on posts pertaining to using a CNC." Why do you bother?



Those two guys are just lovable curmudgeons stuck in a time warp. Lots of things I don't want to change either, but can't do anything about it. If the old timers had the tools we have today, they would have used them, sure as heck. They just made use of what they had and tried to improve on it. Unfortunately, craftsman today means computer. Just a different skill to master, or at least try.


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## MoHawk (Dec 8, 2013)

ssbackwards, I have a question for you. There is no information in your profile; are you requesting this information for your personal use or for some type of research?

I do own a cnc router which is only for my personal use in making furniture and gifts. Hands down the best money I've spent on equipment in 55 years of woodworking!


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

I built one last year and use it a lot. But it's just another tool in the shop. It might be the coolest tool in the shop but I use it when it makes sense, which is often. I do work for others and for myself.

David


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## ogre56 (Aug 4, 2017)

I don't have one, but I want one really bad!!!!

Like others here I have to convince my wife that it is necessary. Tools -necessary? Tools are always NECESSARY! She just doesn't understand.....

Larry


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Hey Mrs Larry - - - - - a CNC IS A NECESSARY TOOL. Guarantee you he will spend many many hours with it, thereby staying out of your hair. And he'll even make you a thing or two that will be really cool!!!!


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## MoHawk (Dec 8, 2013)

honesttjohn said:


> Hey Mrs Larry - - - - - a CNC IS A NECESSARY TOOL. Guarantee you he will spend many many hours with it, thereby staying out of your hair. And he'll even make you a thing or two that will be really cool!!!!


I hope Larry's wife reads the forum! lol Mine doesn't however she does enjoy the items I make for her.:smile:


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

gkas said:


> Isn't it nice to have trolls that come into a CNC forum and say "I don't own one. I'll never own one, but I'll read and comment negatively on posts pertaining to using a CNC." Why do you bother?


Just in case you didn't know, "JOAT" is not a troll, but a long time member of this forum. Just want to set the record straight.

And yeah, he is an old fashioned type of woodworker. CNC's don't appeal to him.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

MoHawk said:


> ssbackwards, I have a question for you. There is no information in your profile; are you requesting this information for your personal use or for some type of research?


Crickets?

Troll or what? When I post a question to a forum, any forum, I watch and hope to read responses and always thank the folks for their time. Maybe this guy lost his password! >


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

I have 3 and use 1 primarily for projects, it has the largest router. One I use for prototyping and special projects. The other is a backup and can be used for overload periods. All are Next Wave Automation machines. I have laser, 3D printer and rotary capabilities. I make money with the CNC's and also do projects that don't call for any CNC work at all. 

I also do design files for people that don't want to do the computer work but love having the CNC in their shop to cut parts while they assemble other projects. I also do one on one Vectric software instruction (VCarve Pro and Aspire) as well as presentations at the local CNC user's group monthly meetings. I have done startup sessions with people that were afraid to hit the GO button for the first time, one of those had the CNC for 3 years and had mastered the software but were reluctant to run the machine. I have also been called to do maintenance and repair on several Next Wave Machines.

The CNC is just one more tool to use and will never replace all the tools in your shop. Sometimes a CNC can save a lot of time and do a better job while other times it is best to use your other tools to save time and get just as accurate results. One thing to remember it can be working at the same time you are doing another project. I do custom inlays for a cutting board company and I can cut out the inlay and while I'm cleaning it up the CNC is cutting out the pocket in the board. If I don't have work for other people that involves the CNC I start it cutting a project for me then work on other projects. I can store the parts I cut until I have time to clean them up and finish them so I can concentrate on customer projects.

I'm with all of you who are wanting approval form the wife to buy another CNC or your first CNC because I am looking at bigger and better.


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## rnubee (Aug 2, 2017)

*CNC Looking*

I don’t have one yet, but am looking. My budget is almost nonexistent, so looking to start at low end. Wife owns a small store downtown and sells an enormous amount of small signs and plaques both routed and painted, thought I will get in on the action and make custom signs also. If the CNC works I should not have a problem, I program and operate CNC metalworking machines at work.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

rnubee said:


> I don’t have one yet, but am looking. My budget is almost nonexistent, so looking to start at low end. Wife owns a small store downtown and sells an enormous amount of small signs and plaques both routed and painted, thought I will get in on the action and make custom signs also. If the CNC works I should not have a problem, I program and operate CNC metalworking machines at work.


Chuck what you want to do and what your wife does are a perfect fit. Get the CNC and she would be able to take custom orders. A photo can be turned into a CNC file and the transferred to wood.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

rnubee said:


> I don’t have one yet, but am looking. My budget is almost nonexistent, so looking to start at low end. Wife owns a small store downtown and sells an enormous amount of small signs and plaques both routed and painted, thought I will get in on the action and make custom signs also. If the CNC works I should not have a problem, I program and operate CNC metalworking machines at work.


...and I bet your wife has a lot of customers that have pets! :grin:

Or just funny signs for day sleepers! :smile:


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## ssbackwards (Sep 26, 2017)

I work for a large company that asked me to sub a ton of work out. I turned to the Woodworking world since I have friends in this line of work. When I started calling them I found many had CNC routers but had not gotten any training on how to program, repair, maintenance, etc the machines so they were sitting in the corner. I thought about ebay and found machines almost new being sold due to people not knowing the same information. Same thing with Craigslist. So I found this forum and thought I would try to use it. Sorry this is the first time I have used one of these. The more I get on the better I will be. I don't get to look at the forum everyday. sorry about that. Thanks for the responses. It shows me the same things I had already found out. Do people not investigate several machines before purchasing them? Do they not ask a ton of questions? How about the programming side of them? Are people partially scared of advancement? I mean no disrespect on here. People won't use them and talk about how the past wouldn't have done it that way. If these would have been available many moons ago they would have loved them. They aren't any harder to use than your phone or computer you are reading now. You just need taught. The company I started with 23 years ago had one basic machine. We ran it for 8 hours a day hopefully 5 days a week. We now have 11 cnc Komo routers multi head with 12 tool carousels running 6 days a week 24 hours a day. I personally like the Onsrud routers. I understand that some machines are a lot more expensive but if I have to put it in the corner from lack of whatever support, what is it costing me? I have to prove the benefit of purchasing machines before they will buy them. We have one coming in next week and am working already to see what the backlog has held to, so we can possibly buy 2 more machines. I have found price doesn't always rule the purchase for customer. Many times lead times do. People today want things faster. These bigger name brand machines I understand are more than what most need but the work they push through is tremendous. I don't understand why people are so scared of the machine. I truly love that people have a talent that I don't. I love to look at unique hand craft pieces of art. Most are now making cabinets and furniture. This is a huge time savings. That is why the Menonites and Amish are now using it. Save your body and let the machine do it. I am sure this won't set well with all. I am sorry for that.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

So.......what's your point??


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

gkas said:


> Isn't it nice to have trolls that come into a CNC forum and say "I don't own one. I'll never own one, but I'll read and comment negatively on posts pertaining to using a CNC." Why do you bother?


Read my last post.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Gee, Theo, you've been called a lot of things ........ but a troll is a first.

Don't let it bother you cause we still luv ya!


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