From Manual Fab to CNC Plasma: Lift Arc Studios & ShopSabre

In this customer spotlight, we head to Roanoke, Virginia to visit Tay Whiteside, the founder of Lift Arc Studios. After 15 years of manual metal fabrication, Tay decided to branch out on his own, spending three years completely renovating an abandoned 1800s milling building to house his new custom fab shop.

When it was time to upgrade his shop’s capabilities, Tay knew CNC automation was the key to scaling his business. He breaks down why he chose a 5×10 ShopSabre CNC Plasma table equipped with a Hypertherm 85 power source, allowing him to easily handle full-sized plates from local steel suppliers. Tay also shares the massive advantage of receiving a fully assembled, “turnkey” machine that was ready to make sparks on day one.

If you are a manual metalworker wondering how CNC automation can act as a “cheat code” for your prototyping, custom signage, and high-end fabrication, this video is for you.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:00] – Introduction to Tay Whiteside and Lift Arc Studios in Roanoke, Virginia.

• [00:56] – Tay’s 15-year background in manual metal fabrication and architectural salvage.

• [01:54] – Renovating an abandoned 1800s building to build the ultimate custom fab shop.

• [03:32] – Why a 5×10 CNC plasma table paired with a Hypertherm 85 was the perfect choice.

• [03:52] – The massive advantage of receiving a fully assembled, turnkey CNC machine.

• [04:47] – How a CNC plasma table acts as a “cheat code” for custom fabrication and signage.

• [05:37] – Advice for buying your first CNC: Matching the machine to your shop’s specific problems.

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