Last week, I learned how to use a CNC router. As a bit of an old-time computer geek (I was an early adopter on both the Commodore 64 and Atari 800s – eight-bit computers were the bomb), I was confident that I would eventually get the hang of it, and sure that it would be a rocky path at the beginning. At the end of the day (well, three days if someone was counting), I was able to make the machine do what I wanted – mostly. Tool-path-wise, there are more Rubicons to cross, but I am eager to do so.
But, as my workshop efforts often do, this raised a question in my mind. Is CNC routing right for home shop woodworking? Is it cheating, or just the natural next step for technology in a shop? I am thinking that you might have an opinion … and I would like to hear it. And, as always, if you send me a piece of your mind, it will likely end up in our Feedback department so that other woodworkers can benefit from your offering.
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
