Thread: Future of cabinet making...
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dpb dpb is offline
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Default Future of cabinet making...
On 03/02/2016 11:59 AM, wrote:
....

The thing a machine cannot find a clever solution on its own to
accommodate project design features, nor can it change anything on site
to adapt to job site conditions. Although there is a real WOW! factor
with a fully automated machine, they are best foot forward at demo time
and work within the strict parameters of their design and program
limitations.

Precisely...what this will do is produce replicas of a given design w/
minimal _additional_ investment in labor after the initial purchase. It
does have the flexibility a stock cabinet doesn't of being able to
adjust to fit any given opening which is an advantage and would work
reasonably well with the kind of precision you normally work to where
the layout is defined before Leon heads to the shop.

_IF_ (yes, the proverbial "big if" ) the preprogrammed profiles and
such are acceptable to the client, then all have to do is punch the
button once the material is loaded, assemble and finish (or vice versa
). But, as you say, if there is a hiccup in a wall or there's a
specific design feature not in the current software base, it comes to a
halt.

....

But could Leon sustain his current level of craftsmanship, design,
and artistry over a period of several years? We both know (as does
anyone that checks out his WIP photos) that he is not only hard
working and dedicated to his craft, but actually gifted as well. IME,
skill only gets you so far. Leon is beyond that.

But... in context of making a living for himself and his family,
could he do that? It is an unfinished conversation between us. ...

There's room for a rare Sam Maloof here and there but even he followed
the model that virtually all that I know now do -- they teach either
classes on their own or in another cooperative or other arrangement
school, write, have other outside sources of income as well as simply
surviving on commission work.

I'm sure there are some in the country who can and do survive that way,
but I surely can't think of any I know of by name at the moment that
don't have something else going on as well. However many of them there
are, it is "a precious few"...

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