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There simply are no decent jobs in my area without a long commute in really bad winter weather that kills several locals every year.
Not young enough for the manual labor market or tolerant enough of crazies for retail type work.
So looking to "Be my own boss" again.
3 Ph. power is limited to my 10KW generator so no more CNC machines.
That leaves me looking at "Obsolete" tech and niche markets.
Not sure what the real market is for wood dashes these days, I am aware there are companies already doing several of the most common model cars using CNC.
Pin Router only needs a pattern, no programming, no PC or servoes.
Industrial grade machines are readily available for under $1,000
Anyone here obsolete enough to have used them?

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If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

I've been looking too but not for wood or metal carving. Find one that uses a standard router, screws instead of timing belts for accuracy, and the most Z axis you can find. $1000 is about right imho.

Disregard.I'm talking about cnc.

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I worked for an electric guitar manufacturer for a while and we did a lot of pin-router work before we got 3 axis CNC machines. Even after we moved many operations to CNC, we still did a lot of work on the pin-routers. You can do quite a lot with them by getting creative with your patterns. It wouldn't be that hard to build your own with a decent sized router table and adequately rigid overarm pin. Especially for something like dash boards where you don't need a lot of throat depth or thickness. Over and under router each have their advantages and may or may not work for specific applications, but with an under router, your pattern is on top, making it easier to follow the pin.

I guess I fit your bill for obsolete

There are youtube videos of guys using them to carve foam for aluminum casting too.
One guy makes his own custom intakes and even carburetors, using a pin router.
My casting outfit is too small for anything significant but fine for practice.
There are a couple of commercial foundries nearby if I could make my own patterns.
Thinking of valve covers and maybe uprights.
I'm so obsolete I used to have telephones with dials on them.

_________________
If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!