CNC
While I was building my Campi-style trailer I realized that there had to be an easier way to cut complex shapes out of wood. There is; It’s called a CNC machine.
What’s a CNC? Once only the province of machine shops, CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) machines are becoming indispensable tools in modern woodworking shops and for DIY hobbyists. A CNC setup marries cutting tools with CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to realize the designer’s creations. The CAD learning curve can be pretty steep but the results are worth it: you can make almost anything you want! And, because of advances in technology, you can own and operate one yourself.
You can use your CNC on all sorts of materials; in fact most of my projects have not been regular hobbyist CNC fare. I’ve made projects from aluminum and plastic, and some with carbon steel, carboard, foam, epoxy and glass. Here’s the bottom line: modernize your shop with a CNC and you’ll soon wonder how you ever did things without it! After saws and drills, CNC is the machine you need to have.
After a lot of research I purchased a Sienci Longmill Mk1 30×30. Sienci is a Canadian company, and they’ve been great to work with. You’ll need to spend a few days assembling it (if that doesn’t sound like fun don’t buy a CNC).
Click on the photos and learn about how versatile a CNC can be:
If you want to know more about the CNC machine I use, go to the Sienci Labs website.