I hear ya, and completely understand.
I’m a woodworker trying to enter the digital world. I find that most users are computer guys with software experience trying to enter the woodworking world.
It seems - and I realize that this is bias speaking - that it (CNC - or at least for this company) is geared for those who understand software programs more than they do woodworking, not so much for us analog guys who understand woodworking and less about computers and software programs.
For me, I need to be able to mass produce product to stay competitive. I can do many of the tasks that I do in the CNC as quickly with a hand plane or chisels and a mallet, but that’s for one-off’s and custom work where there are higher margins. I can’t stay competitive doing work by hand while others can mass produce and under-price me, and saw the hype of CNC as giving me the capability for production work to stay competitive.
I know that is still possible, its just the thought of working all day, AND having problem after problem with the software and the machine, and then find the time to give the attention to learn different software programs… just seems that there is not enough hours in the day. This (CNC) didn’t exist when I was in school, so I couldn’t learn it all when I was living without the cares and expenses that accompany us in the later years.
Said it before, I’ll say it again (just in case anyone from Inventables stumbles upon this), Many of Inventables competition invest in their customers with classes and software support. I get invitations to weekly classes from Shaper (I had considered that product instead of the X-Carve Pro when making the decision to go full-time and add CNC production in my shop). There are no such classes with Inventables.
Not complaining mind you, I embrace lifelong learning, its just that I feel like I’m trying to learn calculus with neither a professor nor a textbook. But alas, such is life in the digital age.
Well, back to work. Its all good, I’ll muddle through somehow.