How CNC helped grow a lifelong love of woodworking
CNC technology can serve as an invaluable resource for all types of people, whether youre a seasoned professional or an impassioned hobbyist.
For David Queen Sr. of Monarch Home Furnishings in Folsom, CA, CNC has served as both over the years, beginning in childhood and growing with him as hes moved through his professional career and now looks toward retirement.
Here is a closer look at Davids experience with CNC technology and how he still uses it today to fulfill his lifelong passion for woodworking.
From finance to cabinetmaking
Woodworking has been a passion of Davids ever since his youth. He first began woodworking in 7th grade and enjoyed it so much he decided to take the class again in 8th grade and all through high school, growing his skill and his love for the craft along the way.
But it wasnt always a primary career path for David, who worked as a finance manager until 2005 when he decided to make a change. After reaching a point in his life where he wanted to spend more time with his family and wanted to have a business of his own that could be a family business, David started thinking about opening up a cabinet shop.
It was scary, because when youre going from a large salary job to the unknown, its a scary proposition to think about, David said. But after missing so much time with my children as they were growing up, it was something that I really needed to do.
Davids introduction to CNC
David opened the shop in 2005 but quickly realized his capabilities were limited. Initially, he was building all of his cabinets using hand tools and table saws, but soon decided he needed a CNC router to scale his productivity and his business.
As part of his research on CNC machines, David went to the International Woodworking Fair and was blown away by what he saw from a technology standpoint. He went into the event thinking he was going to purchase one brand and ended up going another direction.
David purchased an Italian-made machine, and while there was nothing specifically wrong with it, the manufacturer lacked easy access to technical support due to their headquarters being on the other side of the world. David soon found he was no longer spending time in the shop doing what he loved because he spent so much time in the office trying to reach tech support and managing employees.
It was at this point that David decided to go back into the finance field while shifting his love of woodworking to a part-time hobby.
From profession to hobby
Despite the fact that David had returned to the world of finance, he still knew he wanted to keep woodworking as a leading passion in his life and that he needed a CNC router to fully fulfill that passion.
In 2018, David decided to restart the research process in looking for a new CNC router, considering how far the technology had come since his previous purchase in 2005.
This time, I didnt want somebody to sell me one. I wanted to sell myself one.
David looked at an extensive list of brands ranging from cheap and low-end machines to the best of the best. He recalls seeing some that werent even welded together, but were simply bolted together like a bunch of LEGOs and were for sale for high costs.
Then he found ShopSabre.
David meets ShopSabre
When David first discovered ShopSabres line of CNC routers, he was immediately drawn to the quality and technology it offered, but was somewhat concerned about the amount of space it would take up. However, he knew that even though CNC was now a hobby, he still wanted to be able to make anything he wanted, from cabinets and musical instruments to furniture and beyond.
It doesnt matter what I want to make, David said. I want to be able to have the capability of doing that, and I didnt want my hands tied by buying a small machine and regretting not going with the larger machine.
After his purchase, he saw and still sees the value in owning a machine that is well-made, strong, and made in the USA especially in the ability to work with U.S.-based tech support any time he needs to.
Looking back
Today, David strongly recommends purchasing a CNC machine from ShopSabre and loves all the features his CNC router offers particularly the 4-axis capability.
I never had a fourth axis on my other CNC router, and Ive got to tell you, its fun. It is truly fun To me, being able to do fun things is the key.
Looking back on his purchase and forward toward retirement, David is excited to have the technology and versatility in his machine to make whatever he wants, along with anytime support from the ShopSabre team.
I cant stress enough how much I love this ShopSabre CNC router You cant beat the value, the durability, and the technology on it.
Take your production to the next level with help from ShopSabre
ShopSabre manufactures world-leading CNC routers and CNC plasmas to provide hobbyists and shop owners alike with unmatched precision, efficiency, and versatility. Whatever your goals may be, we are dedicated to helping you produce outstanding results at a fraction of the labor and cost.
OurIndustrial Series (IS)andPRO SeriesCNC routers provide industrial capability for a fraction of the price, while ourSideKick CNC plasmasdeliver professional quality at an entry-level cost.
Here are a few of the reasons ShopSabre is able to develop and produce such revolutionary CNC technology:
- Experienced in-house engineering talent
- The ability to totally fabricate and test designs onsite
- The ability to place the designs into production in-house
These are just a few of the advantages of being an American machine tool manufacturer. We offer commercial financing on our CNC equipment to help meet the needs of your budget.
Shop our unmatched collection of CNC routers and CNC plasmas in Minneapolis today to experience CNC the way it was meant to be.
