Don’t think it’s fair to call this a gimmick…Looks like a gimmick that would be expensive to purchase and expensive to repair. I have heard that Festool owns SawStop so go figure. The germans have a way of over-engineering the simplest of things.
I'd have to totally agree on this. That guy is basically making the prototype that will be copied and sold to businesses and consumers in the years to come.Ultimately a reliable and repeatable version will developed. Any business with fair volume and repetitive jobs would be interested in this. It would allow them to hired less experienced operators and reduce setup time.
I AM a curmudgeon but I have to disagree as Ive told others on other sites. In particular the use Of CNC in woodworking. Are they for everyone? no. Can they remove or change how a "woodworker" does things? Absolutely. It is merely another tool in the toolbox. In the wrong hands, useless, in the right hands, irreplaceable. Can it save time and laborious work, definitely. For instance, I rarely plane lumber anymore. I will joint my boards and glue them up and then load them on the CNC to flatten the glued panel on both sides. So, why not cut the profile perfectly while its on the machine?. Want to make a large edge curve? Piece of cake. I use mine to cut complete 4x8 sheets of plywood cabinet parts as well as 3D contouring. Im not a fan of all the "woodworkers" whove popped up creating 3D harley emblems with dragons and flames from purchased files online. Those machines will be a dime a dozen soon. But a CNC router in a shop requires a new skill set as well as wood working to build something, its just another tool.One has to wonder....at what point with "I made this" lose all practical definition? If we continue to automate every process in home woodworking shops....when should we re-define this hobby/industry as "hand glued" or "hand nailed"? I am not being a curmudgeon...I too think it is "cool". But - it also further lessons the need for skill and human involvement in the process of creation - and emphasizes computer skills....all in the name of progress!