Showerthought: I used to cut all my drawer fronts by hand before assembly

Switched to a CNC for that step about two years back after a big kitchen job in Boise, just for the consistency. Anyone else find they still do certain small batches the old way, or is it all automated now?

4 comments

4 Comments

paulw5329d ago

Got to disagree there. For me, consistency is the character I'm selling to my clients.

jordancarr29d ago

My uncle still hand-cuts all his drawer pulls from scrap walnut. He says the slight wobble in his jig gives them character. I tried to show him a template once and he just laughed. Some habits are about the feel of the work, not just the speed.

corap2123d ago

You see this everywhere once you start looking. Like people who refuse to use GPS because they "know the back roads," even when they get lost. Or my neighbor who mows his lawn with a push mower from the 80s because the sound of the engine "feels right." It's not about being better or faster. It's about keeping a personal touch in a world that's all about perfect copies. That wobble isn't a flaw to him, it's his signature.

graceowens29d ago

My grandpa was a cabinet maker for forty years. He always said the jig should be rock solid, but your hands give it the life. The wobble isn't character, it's a mistake that becomes part of the story because you chose to keep it. I get the feel of the work, but I think your uncle is celebrating the wrong part of the process.

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