V carve panel PART 2

[kevin]

I started this thread last week I loved Steve's panel.But i thought it would be to much for this piece .

I have a kitchen to go with this island

There is a mini debate among cabinet maker is a cnc taking the skill level away from cabinet maker .It has to be on of the silliest debates there no way I would be making this with out the cnc .The cnc is a tool period

[steve_g]

Wow! The panel is perfect, any more would be a distraction!
SG

[dlcw]

Yeah, Kevin. I see that debate all the time. "Do CNC's take the craftsmanship out of woodworking".

To me, a CNC is just another tool, like the jointer, planer, drum sander, hand router, hand plane, hand chisel, had saw, etc., etc. I recently purchased the Festool Domino 500 and 700. Not because I can't do operations without them, but because I can do operations much faster with them. I just built a 10' x 4' by 2" thick rustic hickory dining table with breadboard ends. Could I have done the breadboards without the Festool 700 - you bet. I've done it. But the Festool enabled me to do it in about 1/4 the time and the results are identical to doing it the old fashion way.

Another thing the CNC enables me to do is to incorporate very unique and personalized features into a product a lot more efficiently and cost effectively then I can do without it. I have been hand carving wood for 40+ years. I could carve a 10' fireplace mantle by hand if someone had the money to pay me. With the CNC, many more people can afford this type of project where in the past it was limited to people like Bill Gates, the Kennedy's and the Bush's.

Can I do a kitchen without it, yes, I've done many kitchens prior to getting the CNC. Would I do a kitchen today without it - hell no! Just like I can flatten an 8" wide board with a hand plane, but why would I when I have an 8" jointer and a 20" planer. Then I can sand it with a 22" drum sander instead of a piece of sandpaper strapped to a wooden block. And that large dining table from above, I flattened it with the CNC. I could have done it with a hand plane, but WHY?

It is about being more efficient, more productive and delivering a high quality product sooner. It's business. If I was a hobbiest, I would not own a CNC. A lot of money to invest and I have the time to do things using the other tools I had prior to buying the CNC. However, as a professional, custom woodworking shop, I wouldn't be caught dead without one.

[myxpykalix]

Some see a cabinet in the picture...I see art. Part of your tools with which you create your art is a computer. Unless your name is Roy Underhill why do things the hard way? I believe in the saying "Work smarter, not harder"...

I also believe in the phrase i made up.."If i can't do it with a powertool, I don't do it"

What i see is a perfect mix of 3d relief carving and vcarving.

[scottp55]

Kevin, Didn't realize there was so much stuff going on around it. Steve's right, any more and it would have been as busy as a cuckoo clock, The eye needs a place to rest. I Like the basket weave. Good work! Ready for Spring yet?

[kevin]

Scott spring seems so far away
What I did was try to get more comfortable with the indexing head spent the last month trying new things.And using a 1/8 bit with out breaking

Don also the feet before shop bot would have a template jig saw then trace with a router was also hard doing different length now couple of hrs. including design time

The reason I brought it up was at the woodweb there was a post with a carving he said his company did it by hand I know that's its a 3d clipart.Of course someone said its not a true carving unless done by hand yet that person has no carving or turn legs in there work

Also are school here has the same attitude cnc is no skill . I love seeing the post from the schools embracing the technology with guitars etc.

Steve I will try thoughts window I love the story you can tell in your work .Like there talking to you

Jack thanks for the words

[gc3]

very, very nice works kevin

[danhamm]

Gorgeous work Kevin, your skillset is as good as any I have seen, Nice..

[rej]

beautiful work and very inspiring.

[Ajcoholic]

Kevin, that is really nice work. Looks great!

Yes, 100 years ago some cabinetmaker who couldn't or wouldn't buy a power planer probably said unless you plane your boards by hand it's not really woodworking... As can be said of all the equipment through the years that has allowed work to be done more productively.

CNC is a machine, a tool like the others that are accepted by everyone.

Generally IMO the ones saying negative things about CNC technology are the ones who don't understand what's involved or can't afford one.

Furniture and cabinets, and decorative aspects don't design themselves. Obviously the operator still has to tell the machine what to do.

Once again love the work.