Seeing all the new shops use only CNC routers worries me about hand skills

I've worked with wood for years, and now every new cabinet shop I visit relies completely on computer cut parts. People act like this is progress, but I think we're forgetting how to fix things or adjust on the fly. Just last week, I had to recut a piece by hand because the file was wrong, and it felt good to use my hands. That moment made me sure we still need to teach the basics, not just software. Let's not let machines do all the thinking for us.

3 comments

3 Comments

west.uma2d ago

Watched an old carpenter eyeball a cut perfectly, no measuring tape needed.

logan_ellis2d ago

That "eyeball a cut" skill is more about muscle memory and feel than just sight.

brian_fisher652d ago

Ever think about what we lose when nobody knows how to fix a mistake without a computer? Like, if the file's wrong, can the next guy even handle it? Or are we just hoping the machine never breaks?