That CNC panel router I swore I'd never touch is now my best tool

Back in 2018 I was dead set against getting a CNC for my shop in Portland. Thought it was cheating and took away from real craftsmanship. Then a big commercial kitchen job came through with 40 identical door panels and I was drowning. Bought a secondhand ShopBot for $3k just to get through that contract and man, I was wrong about them. Now I use it for all the repetitive stuff and spend my time on the custom details. Anyone else here cave and buy a CNC after swearing them off forever?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix8241mo ago

Didn't my buddy Dave swear he'd never own one, then he named his "The Cheater" after buying one six months later?

danielhenderson1mo ago

Haha man that's the classic story right there. So what's the most "cheater" thing you do with it now? Like are you out here routing dovetails on drawer boxes you'd normally do by hand, or is it just the big panel stuff that makes it worth it?

the_lee14h agoMost Upvoted

@felix824 oh god maybe I need to name mine "The Cheater" too lmao. Worst part is I caught myself telling a client "yeah I hand cut these dovetails" while standing right next to it.