Originally Posted by
Mike Cutler
Chris
I will tell you for a damn certain fact that you do not have to spend that kind of money. Take away my drum sander and I barely have $6k wrapped up in all my stationary machines.
I've worked with, and known, some extremely talented cabinet makers that make nothing but high end cabinets for homes, boats, and airplanes. You want to see a kitchen remodel go close to seven figures, before appliances, these guys are the folks that get that work. They have basic machines. Maybe two or three of them that they never change and are maintained by a retired machinist out of General Dynamics, but their "game" is not to process linear feet per minute. Hell, I know a custom framer, that has 4, old DeWalt 705's, and he's been in the custom picture framing business for decades. This guy's work is hanging in museums.
I'll make an inflammatory statement here;
If a person cannot produce a quality cabinet set, or do good work, with a properly functioning, 3-5HP, Powermatic, Jet, Grizzly, Delta, Woodtek, etc shaper. They won't make any better product with a more expensive machine. They'll make the same quality faster, or they'll become more efficient at making an inferior product. There are 100's and 100's of custom cabinet shops all over the US that have what would be termed "light duty' shapers,and these folks are doing just fine with them!
It doesn't take expensive machines, any machine, to do superior work. It takes attention to detail, patience, willingness to learn, and developed skill. A machine is only a reflection of the user.
Buy a shaper, new or used, get a few cutters, maybe a basic shaker style cabinet set, that are within the machine's ability to use, and have at it.
The unfortunate part is that you may have to "teach yourself". But there is a lot of good info access available now to a person.
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