It was a great time… CNC is the new MP3

It has been a while since I did any noticeable changes to CNCKing.com, it’s incredible how much the digital CNC market has changed since I started this site back in 2008.

About two years ago, I began CNCROi.com to bring my design expertise to a wider audience along with purchasing equipment to make what I’ve been doing for years previously digitally into the physical realm.

I’ve seen the birth of consumer 3D printing, got to visit 3D Systems HQ because of what I’ve done with this site and saw the fall of MakerBot among many other companies. One thing has remained consistent though through all these years, the fun I have making stuff.

I still have my second generation 3D Systems Cube, it’s a great little machine but it failed in the marketplace because designers couldn’t make money from selling digital files and consumers don’t know 3D modeling. Ironically, this is mirrored across the CNC industry.

Evolution Complete

I’ve gotten many questions from people as to why I haven’t released anything new for a long time on this site and there are a few reasons, in no particular order.

First, I stated another business that’s taking-up pretty much all my time – I don’t have the HOURS of daily free time that I had years ago while traveling the world to just design, create and upload digital files. I still have the experience gathered from those endless hours of modeling, it’s just going in a different direction at the moment.

Second, the value of IP in the CNC field is dead. I hate to say it but too many people just don’t want to pay for quality digital files to cut with their machines anymore. I noticed this a few years back where, when I had a chat system on CNCKing.com and had to turn it off because I was tired of constantly being asked for FREE stuff. Some people still value it, which is why I keep this site going and thank all my customers who appreciate what I and other designers have built into this site.

Third, the market has evolved, CNC’s are now just about everywhere while in 2008, they were in the hands of only a few. As such, the programs to make stuff have simplified and the expertise in the entire field has gone up dramatically.

Fourth, somewhat related to all the above and where CNC laser and router files are going (along with plasma) is just “free”. Do you know what the WORSE category of CNC digital revenues has been on CNCKing.com? 3D printer files. Why? Well, it’s a very different community than the laser and router guys and that has spread across other CNC fields. Designers are now looking for instant recognition and it’s “too hard” to sell your stuff so just make it free and hope you get noticed. That worked years ago but now too many people are trying this approach which turns really hard work and attention to detail worth NOTHING.

Fifth, how many XYZ variations are there to design? I think I have a good selection on CNCKing.com but really, does the time necessary to make 100 variations of different XYZ models really make sense? How many trucks, planes, doll houses and so forth are necessary? What I’ve found is that unlike a few years ago, where people would buy digital files from this site and modify to their needs, many people now want an EXACT model because they don’t know HOW to modify or design. CNC equipment is essentially pressing a button and letting the machine do the work, something anybody can do, what I enjoy is the design aspect. Button pushers are of no interest to me, I wrote books to HELP YOU LEARN, I didn’t start this site to be a custom digital design sweatshop.

Sixth, this stuff DOES NOT GET OLD! A digital file made years ago, if you like the design, doesn’t need any updates or refreshes! This stuff isn’t rocket science where there is a huge evolution. An EPS file of a ferris wheel can be cut just as easily and assembled today as when I first designed it almost a decade ago.

I’m NOT saying anything good or bad about the “share” and “gig” economy but to be honest, once something you spend time and money working on is expected to be entitled to everybody else for free or designers spend time, like I did, without valuing their investment in their craft, people expect to get things for nothing. Just ask the music, hotel, taxi and other industries deeply affected by this shift. What USE to required lots of blood, sweat and tears is now “given” at a drop of a hat and as such, the value has dropped to commodity status.

Why copy?

The amount of rampant stealing and disregard for people’s IP out there is nuts, I’ve seen my models by “designers” being sold on sites across the internet in both digital and physical form as if it was “their designs”. I’ve even had CNC shops SURPRISED that the purchase of ONE digital file didn’t mean they could mass produce and profit from my designs without any further compensation no tell me about it before I found out. What can I do as a sole designer? NOTHING. It’s just one more wack at the pole. I’m not alone, other people in my field have seen the same and the result is the same as well, just STOP and nobody benefits.

I’ve just never understood what is the point behind COPYING to begin with, there is SO MUCH creativity out there to make new and wonderful things, so many ideas to share, the possibilities are endless. So, what’s the point of spending time and money copy/pasting another person’s work? I don’t understand it and probably never will. If you can’t design, don’t call yourself a designer profiting from other designer’s hard work, become an accountant instead. Nothing wrong with that.

Light at the end of the tunnel

Something you can gather is that I’ve never been driven by money in anything that I do, if I like doing it, I do more and money will come of it. It’s useful for buying stuff but doesn’t improve your character or who you really are. As such, I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish with CNCKing.com through the years, it’s been an amazing stepping stone for my life and allows me many opportunities that otherwise, I wouldn’t have had.

I have been approached with many interested parties regarding the future of this site but right now, I just like it for what it is, I enjoy talking to customers around the world who invested their money into my time, I relish talking with designers who make really neat stuff and I always look forward to coming-up with neat new things. As such, I’ve launched physical kits for just about every model on CNCKing.com so people who want physicals of what has been designed can help themselves. They will be made out of plywood using the resources from my other company CNCROi.com. Enjoy!

I’m one of the lucky ones, I still get paid to do what I love to do… designing stuff for companies and people around the world who appreciate my work.

Thanks to all my previous and future customers, your PURCHASES are what make this site possible.