Replies

1. 
   StanleyNiemiec | Aug 14, 2002 07:55am | #1

   To my knowledge there is no good reference on the subject that discussed operational parameters and practices.

   The Association of Woodworking and Furniture Suppliers sponsors the Anaheim Woodworking Show in late July and early August   --  if my info is correct, their web addresses are http://www.awfs.org and http://www.woodworkingfair.org  They might have a list of exhibitors by catagory such that you could get a list of CNC machine manufacturers.

   Publications like Cabinetmaker, Custom Woodworking Business, Furniture Design and Manufacturing, Modern Woodworking and Wood & Wood Products often have some yearly edition that lists all types of equipment suppliers and the various types of machine centers they offer.  You will have to key word these names into a search engine to see if you can locate their sites or a phone number to contact their office.  They would probably ship you a copy of the most recent directory for some fee that is probably not too unreasonable.

   And there is also the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America (WMMA).  The web address I have for them is http://www.wmma.com  Their literature says they represent some 200 US manufacturers of tooling and machine centers.

   Hopefully this should get you started!!!

   Price and capacity are extremely important and will probably determine your limits but do not shop entirely on price.  If this is new equipment and you do not have experience with it, you could waste and incredible amount of time tinkering about.  To me an essential criteria is the support they can provide and your ability to work with their local area reps.  Support services, like where do the parts come from and the language of factory reps may over-ride price unless you are willing to air freight items from Europe or Asia or are fluent in German, Korean, Italian or whatever.........

   From what I have heard in the past, CNC routers in the industry generally are operating at only about 40% of capacity.

1. 
   dpearce | Aug 14, 2002 03:45pm | #2

   thank you so much for the generous amount of information.  Hopefully I will be able to find what I am looking for from all of the links you have provided. dpearce

1. 
   rslatm | Aug 14, 2002 04:37pm | #3

   You should also check out the http://www.woodweb.com  forum on cnc and check out suppliers. It will take some time to sort it all out but you will be buried in info soon.

   Rick

1. 
   Adrian | Aug 14, 2002 06:37pm | #4

   The Woodweb CNC forum is good, and so is the one at http://www.cadcode.com.

   Ken Susnjara, the head of the Thermwood Corp. (a router manufacturer), has written three books that are a really good intro to the technology; they are available at the website, I imagine. I don't have the one on 3d trimming, or however it is titled, but the other two are a good introduction, and not very biased towards Thermwood. Some of the other manufacturers (Komo, CMT etc.) have booklets or other educational material available too. Except for Susnjaras books, I haven't been able to find much on CNC router technology for woodworking past the magazine article size, although there is a lot out there on the metal side, and some of it is transferable if you are careful.

   What's really important is to find a reputable vendor with exceptional support who is interested in making sure you get the right machine for what you are doing, not just the machine they want to sell you. They'll help you with training and education materials.cabinetmaker/college instructor. Cape Breton, N.S