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Just realized the first commercial CNC mill cost over $1.5 million in today's money, read it in an old trade journal.
Debate: is the insane drop in machine cost the best thing for the trade, letting more shops open, or did it flood the market with undercutting hobbyists?
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robert_anderson696mo ago
My 2008 Tormach was $15k and changed everything.
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the_anthony6mo ago
That "changed everything" part is so true, but in a way people don't talk about. It wasn't just about making parts. It was about the freedom to mess up. You could try a crazy fixture idea or a weird toolpath on a $15k machine and not get fired. That low-stakes experimenting built a whole generation of machinists who learned by doing, not just by following a manual.
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reese_lee296mo ago
That "freedom to mess up" point from the_anthony is huge. But does that low-cost experimenting actually translate into running a real shop? I've seen guys with garage setups undercut real bids by 80%, then deliver junk.
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