Saw a big argument on Facebook about hand-cut dovetails vs CNC stuff

Honestly, I was scrolling last night and saw this guy say hand-cut dovetails are the only mark of a real cabinetmaker. Then another guy jumped in and said using a CNC is just working smarter not harder. It got me thinking about my own shop. I do mostly custom built-ins and I use a router jig for dovetails on drawer boxes, but I hand-cut them for visible work like blanket chests. What side do you all land on? Does using a CNC take away from the craft or is it just another tool in the box?

4 comments

4 Comments

stellat462d ago

Did you know hand-cut dovetails were actually the standard long before cabinetmaking was even a trade?

jordan_henderson131mo ago

Man I've been going back and forth on this same thing in my head for years.

young.michael1mo ago

Years? Man you're stuck in a loop. Sometimes you just gotta pick a lane and go, even if it's wrong. You can always adjust later.

sammartinez1mo agoMost Upvoted

What's the thing you're most afraid of getting wrong that keeps you circling back?