Picked a CNC over a panel saw last year and I'm still second guessing

I had $4,000 saved up and had to choose between a used CNC router and a new vertical panel saw. Went with the CNC because I thought it would let me do more custom work. After 6 months, I'm dealing with constant setup time and software headaches. The thing is great for curved cuts but it slows me down on simple box builds. My buddy got the panel saw and he's pumping out straight cuts in half the time. Anyone else regret going high tech instead of sticking with the basics?

2 comments

2 Comments

robinson.matthew15d ago

Oh man, you just described my exact situation except I tell people my CNC is a very expensive paperweight most days. I spent more time watching YouTube tutorials on feeds and speeds than actually making sawdust. My buddy with the panel saw just laughs at me while I'm still trying to figure out why my bit keeps burning the plywood.

charlie26915d ago

Buying shiny new tools never fixes bad workflow, just a faster way to mess things up.