move over sawstop and bladestop

and all other power equipment makers where hands can end up in harms way

it is called cnc

wonder how many conventional equipment makers will be around in 5 or

10 years

laguna has certainly pared down their machine offerings and have added more cnc

seems like the right direction to me

Reply to
Electric Comet
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Try and sell yer machinist tools.

I have a NIB Mitytoyo 1"-2", 0.0001 resolution, mic. I can barely give it away! 8|

nb

Reply to
notbob

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Reply to
Spalted Walt

Electric Comet on Wed, 22 Nov 2017

12:14:24 -0800 typed in rec.woodworking the following:

Hmmm - how long does it take to program CNC to rip a panel into 4" boards?

Heck - power tools were suppose to do away with the need for hand tools.

Reply to
pyotr filipivich

Uh, not so fast.

I spent two months last year learning how to use a ShopBot (the large one). I can tell you that there is a learning curve. First off the drawing softw are (and you really can't use SketchUp), while not difficult, does require some learning. I took a class and we only touched base on a few of the prog ram's abilities to draw the item desired.

Then after you create your drawing, you need to work on creating the tool p ath for the CNC router. Fortunately, you the software included with the Sho pBot has that function built in, but if you use another drawing package, yo u'll need a software package. In creating the tool path, you have many MORE options and parameters to set before you even get on the CNC machine. You many opportunities to screw things up if you chose wrongly. Then, after tha t is all done, you then have to know how use the CNC machine. You need to s et the 0,0,0 point, aline the item to be cut on the CNC bed, put in the dri ll bit and load the software. Lots of steps.

On top of all this, the ShopBot I used costs on the average $25,000. That's sort of barebones. You need a big space (the big one can cut 4x8 plywood). Can you put one in your garage? It doesn't roll away like a tool on a cart .

Will CNC make a difference in creating wood items - oh, definitely, but the table saw, bandsaw and all your hand tools aren't going to fade away quick ly, certainly not in 10 years. I'd love to have a ShopBot, but until I can justify spending the money on the software, the machine and the maintenanc e required, I'd look seriously at a SawStop.

I think CNC usage will come strongly for cabinet shops, and people who prod uce multiples of items. Oh, I've yet to see one turn a bowl. There might be one out there, but I've not run across it. I see shops opening up to allow people to get CNC work done, but there will be a cost. The TechShop was a prime example of that (now sadly lost).

MJ

Reply to
MJ

The thing that people don't get about robots of any kind is that they fill the gap between manual production using general purpose tools and fully automated production using purpose-made tools. For the last to be cost effective there has to be enough production volume to pay for the custom made tools, which are not cheap. For robots to be cost effective there has to be enough volume to pay for the robot and for the programming time.

If you need to cut one piece of anything then it makes no economic sense to program a robot to do it unless there is something unusual about the circumstances or the cost of error is very high. On the other hand, if programming a robot is recreation for you and you can afford one, by all means go for it.

Reply to
J. Clarke

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