Hi all just a few questions!

[JAZZCNC]

Hello,

Like Ian says CNC is perfect for your needs in some area's. I'm an Ex cabinet maker who used to run my own business so know exactly how bennificial CNC "COULD" be to your business.!
I say "could" because although CNC is great in lots of areas it doesn't always follow it will be good for every business and will depend largely on the type of furniture you make.

With a little inside knowledge of bespoke furniture making let me explain the area's it will help with and those it won't so much.
I'll also explain a little of the process of how you actually go about getting the finshed CNC piece.

The one area where CNC DOESN'T save time over conventional cabinetry(If you have decent manuel machiney) is if you make small one off pieces that don't have carving or relief type work but does have panel work etc, things like TV cabintes, bedside cabinets etc.
The time required to generate the parts and Code in software plus actually setup and cut the piece's doesn't save any time and depending how tooled up and profiecient you are it would probably take longer.!

Now the area's it does help are meny and if you do lot's of repetitive panel work with drilled holes then Man are you going to love CNC.! With the right size machine It will save hours and also material using the nesting features that some software provides.

Great for doing fancy shaped raised panels, no more spending hours making templates and jigs. Just throw the panel blank on the table and it will raise the panel then cut the profile shape. If you want a bead following the shape no problem will do that at the same time all in one operation also if you want carved relief in the panel centre or rosette in each corner no problem easy peezee.! . . Now heres the best bit.! . . . Throw ten blanks on the table(If big enough) and they'll all be done at ounce.:dance: (With tool changes in between)

Another area it's amazing for is relief work and mouldings with the only limit being your imagination and time invested. It will also open up the possible new area of V-Carved and 3D sign making.

With the right Jig clamping setups it's great for slot morticeing tenon's etc in door stiles making mortice tenon doors quick and easy. Again although a bit more involved if setup with multiple clamping jigs it will cut meny at ounce.

As you can see the options and use's are meny and I've only scratched the surface really. The other best bit being all this can be happening while your doing something else.!!

Now the process to actually do all this in software or the
PC side goes like this.!

First the parts need to be drawn usually in a CAD program, simple stuff like carcase panels or raised panels etc even really fancy shaped designs will just be 2D drawings using lines and arc's nothing taxing or complex.

Relief work and most mouldings will need 3D models and this can be a challenge to create unique designs for someone new but fortunatly there are thousands of models already created that can be bought or downloaded so chances are what you want will be available making this easy.

When you have the parts drawn or models created then you use another process known as CAM. Now I said Process rather than software because often, thou not required (Thou you would be best advised to use), there is software that incorparates both CAD & CAM in one package. The advantage being every thing is in one place.

CAM is the process of creating the path's (ToolPath's) that the tool will follow to cut the shapes or designs also setting up the type/size of tool, depths, feed rates along with other parameters needed. Again nothing too difficult.
There are often several types of path or better known as tool stratagies depending on the type of job being carried out IE: Profileing, Pocketing, Drilling, relief, V-carving etc which again are not difficult to understand and usually your just filling in the depths and feed rates you'd like to cut at.
Here you also select the order each stratagie is carried out IE: Drill 1st then raise panel then cut profile etc.

Cam Also generates the G_CODE file that the machines control software use's to do the actuall machine movements and cutting. It's actually separate process known as Post processing and is specific to the type of Control software that controls the machine. ( I'll get to this next) but often the Cam software ounce told which Post processor to use handles this side.

Control Software:
This is the software that drives the machine, you'll see Mach3 being used mainly by DIY folks but there are others that do the same some free, some that cost hundreds and thousands.!! . . . BUT They all prity much do the same, they interprit the G-code and tell the machine when and where to move and how fast. Along with doing other things like turning on/off router, vacuum etc
Again not difficult but does require some knowledge to setup so it talks to the machine and attachments correctly. Thou ounce setup it's just a case of load the G-Code and pressing start.
(Don't be scared or put off by these comments it's really not difficult just essential it's setup right else nothing happens, moves or doesn't move correctly)

So to recap The PC side:
CAD: Draw it
CAM: Tell it how, the tool, the depth, the speed and the order you want it done.
POST PROCESS: Create the G-code for the control software (Done in CAM)
CONTROL SOFTWARE: Load the G-code and start the cutting. . .
Hope this long winded reply helps.:exclaim:

Edit: OH and don't be scared to ask questions NO MATTER how dumb you think they sound, still ask them. They will have been asked before belive me.!