You can make almost anything with a CNC router or mill!
CNC routers and mills are one of the most versatile ways to unleash your creativity. They allow you to make parts out of almost any material with high accuracy and without having to spend years learning tedious techniques that are required for hand tools and some manual power tools. Below are just a few of the hundreds of pieces I've made with my CNC router over the last couple of years...
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Thanks to the digital revolution you can now make parts and artwork in your home workshop for pennies that used to cost thousands of dollars each and several weeks to have made by machine shops. You can turn pieces of scrap metal, plastic or wood into precise parts that make up complex machines, signs, sculptures, artwork or any number of gadgets and gizmos that you can dream up. Your imagination is now the only limit to what you can make. Even if you don't want to dream up your own creations you can download thousands of plans and files that can be turned into real parts and pieces before your eyes with a simple download and the push of a button.
You will hear many old school craftsmen say, "CNC machines take the craftsmanship out of woodworking". But if you ask them if they use power tools they will say, "Of course! It would take too long to make a piece without power tools". They wouldn't think of an electric table saw or router as limiting their creativity at all. In fact, they would defend these tools as ways to unleash their creativity by eliminating the monotonous had tool tasks and freeing up time to build whatever they can imagine. Old habits die hard but we are in a new world where many digital fabrication tools often cost less than a table saw. Not to mention, many popular software options are free and well supported by growing communities of makers, like the Shop Hack's community, who are able and willing to help newcomers learn how to use these tools. We are living in the future so it is a great time to embrace the future.
You will hear many old school craftsmen say, "CNC machines take the craftsmanship out of woodworking". But if you ask them if they use power tools they will say, "Of course! It would take too long to make a piece without power tools". They wouldn't think of an electric table saw or router as limiting their creativity at all. In fact, they would defend these tools as ways to unleash their creativity by eliminating the monotonous had tool tasks and freeing up time to build whatever they can imagine. Old habits die hard but we are in a new world where many digital fabrication tools often cost less than a table saw. Not to mention, many popular software options are free and well supported by growing communities of makers, like the Shop Hack's community, who are able and willing to help newcomers learn how to use these tools. We are living in the future so it is a great time to embrace the future.