I'm a hobbyist who wouldn't mind making a buck now and then but I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it, so I don't pursue commissions. If one falls in my lap, so be it. One thing I will not do is buy a machine that does carving for me and try to sell it as my work. That's dishonest, in my opinion. Like I said: If I tell someone I made something, I want it to mean something. If it looks like garbage, so be it! But, it will be MY garbage totally created by ME.
Bill - believe it or not - I fully agree with you. I am a hobbyist also - that is why I think it should a departure from the rigid and move towards the fun. My friend Dan sells millions and millions of dollars worth of stuff and he also calls it fun. I also considered a Epilog laser as a hobby machine but I could not afford it.
My machine is used and cost me --- sorry guys -- but it was $250, and I did a little repair work to it - totalling maybe $750 - including the initial cost. Since then I have spent a lot on software.
I call it a self sustaining hobby - selling where I can - to cover the cost of my hobby.
I sell - and I do NOT say my work is
hand carved. I do NOT hide the fact that I use CNC - and I don't trick anybody into anything. YES - that is dishonest.
I also DO NOT - "warn" anybody that I use CNC. I also do NOT warn anybody that I use a table saw rather than a hand saw.
I am a very techie guy - I design in CAD - and - CAM. I do computer generated previews and I sell based on design time then creation time.
My painting is not CNC - and I actually do - do a little sculpting by hand.
When I say that I made something - it is true - I make it. It is never robotically created.
There is no need to be sneaky or deceptive. It's all cool and fun. LOTS of times I will include a DVD of the process - including the machining process when I sell something.
My leaves that I posted about were made by me. YES - CNC. I did not create the model - I bought that. Then I programmed the machine - set it up, and cut 5 leaves - all identical. The painting - was done bu my hands and imagination. They hang in my shop with a lot of other stuff. They are not even wood. There is no way I would tell anyone that I hand carved them - but I did make them. That is not even deceptive. I could sell them and make a decent profit. Some day - I will. I think I posted a video on youtube of those being cut on my machine.
Several of my youtube videos are of things I have sold. Customers are FULLY aware that I use CNC. NOT warned - but aware.
I also sell bandsaw boxes, and cabinets and lots of other stuff that never touch the CNC machine.
I am sure - we can have lots of great discussions on the virtues and downfalls of CNC. It does NOT replace the hands, and neither process is better or worst that the other. They just are what they are.
I cannot do a beautiful hand carved and painted hummingbird the way a carver can do it. Heck - I cannot do that at all.
Nah - CNC - is not for everyone - but neither is my 1929 Stanley Bailey #3 Hand plane that is beautifully fettled and that makes a wonderful swooosh sound when I use it.
I can flatten a board with my Stanley #7 too.
I can do hand cut dovetails too - but I prefer my dovetail jig and PC 690 router.
I also prefer router cut dados over a dado cutter in a table saw. Actually, I sold my table saw dado cutter.
CNC - is my passion over all.