CNC Capabilities

[Pwk5017]

After rounding out the shop with the pm209 and laguna LT20, I found myself in a tool lust lull. What else is there to buy other than the domino and rando hand tools and accessories? Wrong question to ask myself, because my mind started to wander to digi-land. I used a CNC in college, but i never used it very often. They were always for topographic site models. I used the laser cutters much much more than the big CNC we had, so my understanding of the tool isnt all encompassing. Furthermore, that was a 5x10 8 trillion axis blah blah blah. Hardly comparable to any of the machines I could possibly afford or fit in my basement. However, the idea of owning something capable of reproducing digital files does interest me. It is something I always thought I would have 5-10 years down the road when I have the space and funds available. Maybe its frank howarth's CNC videos he keeps producing. Anyways, the idea of a benchtop 2x4ish CNC has been on my mind the last week. For those exposed to CNC in woodworking, what are some applications that would be useful to a non-professional woodworker? I feel like I only see woodworkers using CNC routers as autonomous robots in the cabinet industry, or tiny desktops producing stupid nic nac crap like coasters with stars on them. Other than Frank's turning videos, I havent seen a compelling reason to own a small-medium router powered CNC. I know I must be missing 100 awesome reasons to own such a machine. For the record, I am talking about a router powered machine with a 2x3 or 2x4 bed that doesnt retail for $12,000. 

[Gixxerjoe04]

I bought the shapeoko 2 a couple years ago having plans to use it a bunch with my work.  Wasn't the best machine and i wasn't the best at using the software so it collected dust then I sold it.  What frank does with the cnc is really cool, of course all of his work before his cnc was amazing so not much of a game changer for him I don't think.  One of my buddies was just a turner and started to get into flat work.  Then he bought a cnc and now he's a manufacturer not a woodworker.  He posts and sells the stuff on facebook and I see people say how talented he is, I find myself cussing at my computer because of stupid people on facebook haha, mdf signs cut out by a machine and painted isn't talent.  A lot of the youtube woodworkers got cnc machines but it seemed to be a fad for them, and a lot of them don't seem to have any interest in them as well.  So there are guys who can find a regular use and guys who think they will but don't, so if you have tons of things you think you'd use it for, go for it.

[krtwood]

I use mine fairly often.  Sometimes it's just to make a template for a curved part that I will then use in the conventional ways.  It just gets me from CAD to template without having to fuss with getting the curve just right.  And then I can toss that template when the project is done knowing that I can always make another one just like it if the need arises.

Anything drilling lots of holes like a cribbage board becomes much easier.

I'm finishing up a project for another video now that required a 15 sided base with 15 slots in it.  I wouldn't have even contemplated making such a thing without a cnc.  Not that it's impossible, just that it's so easy to do it with the cnc that there's no reason to avoid doing it or to water down the idea and make it 8 sided because that's easier to do.

[AstroDave]

I'd recommend checking out cncrouterparts.com. I just bought the 4x8 pro version and am setting it up now.

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[Janello]

If I had one, the first thing I would do is make new wooden covers for the lights on my deck stairs. I'm thinking there are plenty of uses for a cnc but it's more of a luxury tool than a must have. 

[Pwk5017]

I forgot to mention templates. That is one item that I saw immediate use for. Even with a 2x4 table, you could break a template down into 2-3 pieces very easily. CNC each piece so it dovetails to its mate, and everything would be perfect for the full size template. However, templates are easily produced with a plotter, spray adhesive, bandsaw, and some sanding. Krt makes a good point though, that its truly never "perfect". There is also the speed and repeat-ability to keep in mind. Does your channel or website have a few projects using the CNC? I would be interested to see what you do with it and expand my understanding.

 

Ha, Joe, that is actually one of my fears. I would buy the machine, and immediately think how to mass produce some crap to sell. That right there could be a legitimate reason to go out and buy one, but woodworking is enough of a job some days. Atleast CNC is convenient that I can set it and forget it while I go do something else in the shop.  

 

I need to do more searches on furniture makers using CNC and report back. That is the trouble with the tool, it has limitless possibilities and uses, but my feeble mind and creativity limit its use. Carving, inlay, and templates are about all i got. Seems like it would make the sculpted rocker's seat pretty easy. Same goes for complex carving. What I am failing to express in this thread is right now I think of CNC as this really lame family sign(no offense to anyone that cnc's these signs, keep making that paper), when my mind needs to go beyond basic 2d cutouts to how multiple layers can really create beautiful and complex objects. And, this corbel could be 100x more attractive with more detail on the outside faces. 

[krtwood]

The software I use is what I would refer to as 2.5D, it's not true 3D but rather you get X,Y plus depth. So it lends itself to cutting out 2D shapes and if you want 3D you have to cheat, like I did with the cribbage board.  So much of what I do with it is things you could certainly do with other conventional tools.  It just gives you a lot of freedom knowing that you can make an arbitrary shape and it's going to be exactly what it was supposed to be. 

If you like to make pretty normal stuff with lots of straight parts, well, you aren't going to use a cnc for much.  If you are an IT person and you do woodworking to get to physically make things you aren't going to come home and program the cnc to do the woodworking for you.  For me, woodworking is my day job and so when I get to make fun stuff I just want to see it all come together and I don't really care how I get there.

I did quite a bit with the cnc on the Liana coffee table, but the cnc didn't cut any parts that actually went into it.

These drawer fronts are all cnc'd with pockets for the "stones".  Certainly could have just scroll sawed the walnut and glued it on the face of the drawer front, but this way I got exactly the spacing and orientation I wanted.

This is the piece that used the 15 sided shapes.  The base and top have two layers with slots to trap the wires that hold it all together.  It's nice to be able to rotate them in any orientation with respect to each other and it's still symmetrical.  

I have some plans for future cnc stuff I want to try.  If you imagine a topographical map cut out in layers on the cnc and then bend those layers around a box, like the night stand above.  You could then come back and power carve it all smooth so you'd have a 3d shape with the plywood layers showing through.  I wouldn't do it on a full size piece of furniture but I think it'd be cool for a jewelry box.

In the end if you don't know that you need a tool you probably shouldn't buy it.  You should have a project in mind where you're thinking this would be so much easier if I had a cnc.  All those youtube woodworkers who got offered free machines... well they took them but didn't really know what they were going to do with them and most of them have done nothing with them.

[Pwk5017]

17 hours ago, krtwood said:

I have some plans for future cnc stuff I want to try.  If you imagine a topographical map cut out in layers on the cnc and then bend those layers around a box, like the night stand above.  You could then come back and power carve it all smooth so you'd have a 3d shape with the plywood layers showing through.  I wouldn't do it on a full size piece of furniture but I think it'd be cool for a jewelry box.

In the end if you don't know that you need a tool you probably shouldn't buy it.  You should have a project in mind where you're thinking this would be so much easier if I had a cnc.  All those youtube woodworkers who got offered free machines... well they took them but didn't really know what they were going to do with them and most of them have done nothing with them.

Exactly what I was considering. Those corbels were kind of an example of the topographic method. If you wanted, you could model your item and cut consistent sections of 1/2" increments in whatever program you are using, lets say rhino. Then, split your sections out onto different sheets and you would have minimal carving/smoothing to do for most pieces. You wouldnt have to be a master carver to get really fluid and awesome looking forms if you did it this way. That is what I wanted to discuss when I started this thread. Yeah, CNC can do great things on its own, but what about combining it with more traditional methods and tools? I think we will see more of this from Frank as he progresses. Starting something on the CNC and then moving to the lathe, bandsaw, bench, whatever, and then returning to the CNC. 

 

haha oh yes, I am done for awhile. These last two purchases were pretty big, and I am at the point where I need to start banking money. Eventually, you need to cut it off and make do with the awesome stuff you have. What sparked it is i have a CAMaster Stinger I for sale in my area, and it got me thinking about the machines in general. If I bought that Stinger for $5, what would I do with it? That is why i started the thread. After the responses here, If I did buy the stinger for $5, I would most likely sell it for a profit and move on.