The Truth about Hobby CNC Businesses 

I wasn't even particularly interested in searching for this information, and I watched until the end because of how well you broke that down. Well edited, clear, concise and short is the only reason I stuck around 👍.

Owning a small WW business myself, I can tell you for sure that the most key point you made is that YOU HAVE TO SELL IT...otherwise there is no one to buy ANYTHING you make. Thanks SO MUCH for this video Izzy, just like when you spoke with me about my wooden latch, the real-world info you give is priceless.

This might be the best single CNC video I've seen. I am grateful for your calm. Thank you.

" there was a lot of talking in this video". Yes and I thank you for it. I click on the video for clear and informative insight into CNC and you delivered exactly that! I can't fault you for doing something that I wanted; I appreciate it! So, thank you¡

Great video and well spoken. I honestly got alot out of this and it was refreshing to hear someone speak facts and include all the details unlike alot of the other spruikers on here. Keep up the great work. I think there is some real markets here in Australia and videos like this help alot.

Fellow Brown Coat here! I was pleasantly surprised to see the Serenety on the CNC machine along with the famous line from Captain Reynolds. That show was the best. *sigh* ..the joy and heartbreak that came along with it.. I only discovered the show around a year ago so the wound is still fresh. Thanks for sharing that!

Straight forward and honest as always Izzy. look forward to seeing more on CNC work.

Thanks Izzy. It is nice to hear a pro give a true breakdown on this subject. I love the talking vids as much as all the rest. Keep it coming.

Your video is clear, concise and best of all no music. Thank you

Predictably well done. You're a smart guy and a talented presenter, Mr. Swan.

Izzy. This was incredibly helpful. It would be great to hear updates as you guys continue to fine-tune the sign business.

I REALLY appreciate you being transparent! Thumbs UP!

Love the straight, honest talk on the reality of CNC sign work. Thank you!

As always, love the value and simplicity of your content.

As always, great advice. You definitely inspire others. Thank you Izzy.

Great video explaining the basics on getting into CNC business. We’ll done and excellent info. Looking forward to your future CNC videos. Keep it up man!

I love your approach to all your videos I have watched, but this one has touched apart of my soul that has ignited a fire 🔥

You've been a huge inspiration for over 8 yrs...thank you very much!! For all of your content!!! Excited to see whats next!

Always love your videos honest straight forward and honest. Can’t wait to see more videos.

Best video Ive seen on getting straight up to date information. Thanks!!! I'm a subscriber

I used to run a New Hermes engraving machine at a company that made oilfield equipment. The phenolic plastic laminate we used for tags and instrument panel instructions was extremely durable, even is salt or heat. Just some fyi for anyone wondering if its good for signs.

Great overview of the reality of CNC printing. It's a lot of work. Looking forward to watching the CNC series!

I agree with all the other positive comments, you are smart and make your points clear through your videos! I have been watching you almost a decade and you are one of the best University of RU-vid Professors!

Good video! Having had relatives attempting side hustles via various means, I'm glad to hear you baldly state that you have to WORK at your hustle. My relatives had unrealistic expectations regarding a hobby business and it showed. I have an extensive list of "things I want to play with" when I hit the lottery and home CNC has always been on that list.

great video! thanks for the in-depth look at the potential on the business side. looking forward all the ones the come!

As always, your videos are THE BEST. Understandable common sense advice that is extremely helpful. Thank you Izzy (and Maggie ;-).

Good to see you back. Thanks for the video

Great job in presenting the information you wanted to convey in this video! Thank you!

Nice video as always, thank you for your contributions to the community!

Great overview! Really liked your details on the costs and market rates in your area. This was very helpful.

Thank you, you gave this retired guy a lot of good information.

Now this has me wanting to build a 48x48 router and start a sign business. Just recently got laid off and have very little desire to find someone else to work for, so this is quite tempting. With my professional CAD/CAM and CNC Router experience, it almost seems like a no-brainer.

I agree with the other commenters praising this video - you make some great points. To summarize my favorite - running a CNC business is like having 4 jobs. You have to know how to make it, how to sell it, how to design it, and how to keep the books straight. If you aren't prepared for this, you need to determine how to address each area you will NOT be working in.

As always, an amazing video, but the best part was seeing Serenity still flying! It warmed my Brown ❤️

Excellent, and well laid out information. Thank you for doing this video!

I watch a lot of YT because I am retired and like to stay at home so I have some knowledge about the way videos are done along with my own personal bias in taste and information quality and clarity. This video is one of the top 10 videos I have watched in the last year. You are a great orator, your scripting is spot on and the videography was great. Interesting subject, interesting depth of knowledge, all the bells and whistles that make a good vid a great one... AND you do not undersell the importance of WORK... you have to work somewhere, somehow to make money be it brick and mortar, on line or anywhere there is no free lunch like most talk about now. Thank you sir.

Great video Izzy so glad I found you. Thanks so much

Thank you!! Your content now has me interested. I definitely enjoyed it.

nothing ruins a good hobby like doing it to make a living

Man, so much value in this video. I really appreciate your willingness to share these details - thank you.

GREAT VIDEO! A lot of people don't understand what is involved when you have a small business. 💯

I'm still growing me beehive building business and was only able to upgrade to a 20" planer this year. Your OneFinity is exactly the model I have been eye-balling for a while now. Would love to see more videos on this. Have lots of ideas of some crazy cool bee box designs...

Nice video Izzy! Good to see you and great breakdown! Cheers

Excellent content as usual sir!

Great video! Loved learning from you. Sparked my interest for sure. Thanks.

Great choice on the Onefinity. I bought their X-50 Journeyman last year. I look forward to seeing what you and Maggie share as you get more familiar with it.

Great video guys. We really enjoyed. Very clear information. Great jobs goes xxx

You are obviously very experienced in what you do. I don't have a cnc machine, I have a 20w diode laser and have been having a blast with it for the past month. i will be upgrading to a 50w co2 laser soon. Just wanted to say that I find your content interesting as far as making $$$ working with machines go. liked and subscribed!

Very excited about your CNC series and the knowledge and experience you're going to share! Thanks!

This video is amusing to me because me and my son have watched you for YEARS! and I always joked about your cuts looking like they were done on a CNC even tho I watched you cut the wood etc. This will be a interesting series to watch, We look forward to your videos. Also I noticed it didn't show me subscribed which is odd since I know I have been watch since under 30k subscribers.

Thank you Izzy and Maggie. Helpful information 🎈

Fantastic video thanks for the information. I've been thinking about doing this and 3d prints on the side after I get into the hobby for fun. Good to get an understanding before I start buying or doing anything.

Thank you, we have learned a lot from you...we can feel your passion in explain your content about CNC router project in detail..Great job!! ☺🧡

Thank you for sharing this information. I am retiring and thinking of setting up a home workshop as a way to both keep busy and make some money. This is really valuable for guiding my decision making.

Thank you for the video, I dwfinitely found value in it. I havent considered hobby CNC as a business, but a lot of it translates. Thanks again. All the best.

Lots of great info here. Thanks Izzy!

A very informative video and the talking is great. I had a successful Mobile Laser Engraving business where we'd do markets, fairs and festivals a few years ago and the side benefit was we got to see the countryside with our caravan in tow and the laser mounted in a light truck. Before that I did Vinyl Cut Signs for 25 plus years and now I'm "retired" I'm starting to research CNC possibilities from home for something to do and some extra $$$ wouldn't go astray, so this video was very helpful - Thank You!

Great video. Thank you for the depth you went into.

Great presentation! The Sign of the universal wholeness of all that is

Well said Sir! That was good solid advice, for business beginners.

Well spoken, and every word you said was valuable. Thank you for making this video.

Great Video Izzy! Awesome to see how you can use a Onefinity to start your own business!

When it comes to people investing in business models, you did NOT do a lot of talking. Most YT channels don't do enough talking and mostly dishonest because they are too lazy to cover the bases. Covering all of the bases of a businesses opportunity should be in depth and thorough. So anyone who thinks that there is "too much talking" is not your audience anyway... they think if they buy a machine, the customers will line up at the door.

Great video with loads of very useful information. Thanks.

I agree with others here- you absolutely brought the main points forward with "all your talking." You know, there are a LOT of producers who talk over B-roll video as their default communication workflow. You did that here, with a great balance between interesting shots with voice over, and static shots of you making important points. Hell, keep it up! You've always been good at this balance in your videos! I appreciate your take on this. I've seen and thought about these automated CNC devices (routers, laser, 3D printing,) and figured there would be a saturation point as they became more affordable. Aaaannndd... having been through the film/digital camera thing, and possessing a certain level of disdain for non-handcrafted anything- I decided not to invest so far. But what you've said has always applied to these technologies: it comes down to salesmanship and marketing. I wish I would've made that part a priority in my own thinking, because I think outside the box and can sell very well. Maybe someday... but some CNC is highly utilitarian for what I do and will fulfill other needs so we'll see... Great video once again!

Great video and amazing explanation. Thank you!

You are an excellent teacher! Thanks

As always, practical common sense information that is appreciated. Talk as much as you want .

Great video Izzy! Thank you for the info!

thanks for all the info.looking forward to more videos.

Im stoked for the cnc series

Ive been looking at getting a small cnc to cut gp03 fiberboard for our electrical enclosures at work and your video came across my feed. Ill be subscribing Thanks for sharing

Thanks Izzy, that's a lot of great info!

excellent presentation and video!

Great as always Izzy!

I will definitely be in tune for the op coming cnc videos.

Thank you for the effort put on the video.

Very interesting ... thanks for going through the cost analysis!

Great video mate, really good information without any bullshit.

Great video. The art is in the hustle. There is no shortage of grass signs for people wanting to do "pressure washing" with a gadget they bought. No one though says they want to do exterior house cleaning (which is what I actually need, without damaging anything).

Interesting. Thanks. Look forward to seeing more.

Izzy, I've been watching your videos for 9 years now. I discovered your vids when I was recovering from back surgery in 2014. I had a lot of downtime and watched a LOT of RU-vid. Then as my health improved, I did more and more woodworking. Then I was surprised to see that you ended up having the SAME spine surgery that I did. Hope you're doing well brother! Keep up the awesome vids! 👍

Thanks Izzy, looking forward to the new content

Great ! Looking foreward to some CNC videos.

Thank you for a well-done and informative video.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Izzy! Very informative!

I owned and operated a small format full color printing company for 10 years back in the 1980’s. Before digital and full color copy machines made that business obsolete. I spent the other 33 years of my professional life working as a structural designer in the offshore oil and gas business. Now retired, I have been considering starting a hobby business and CNC router is one of my considerations. My experience in running a small production type business taught me a lot. There are so many things to consider. I would suggest anyone wanting to do this should really, really, really do your homework. The great thing, as I see it, with a hobby business you can avoid the biggest hassle and the biggest problem with owning a business. That is employees. I would never ever again own a business that required me to have employees! Period! Everything else is just technical. Stuff that can be learned. Sometimes the hard way.

Bring the hobby CNC content. I love it!

Thank you and yr both inspirational team making things enticing.

This is super helpful Izzy. I plan to use my CNC mainly for my own projects, but want to supplement by doing jobs for other so I have been struggling coming up with numbers, this was helpful.

Excellent video, Thanks

This was helpful for someone like me who is considering getting into this as a retirement gig. Thank you!

Very informati. Thanks!

Great discussion about the machine and material costs

I'm wanting the Firefly sign... Shiney!

So much good info and so little BS. You've got my sub!

Good information. Thanks as always.

Thankyou very much for sharing Sir!!

Looking forward to the CNC videos!

The Crab on the table at about 3:50... same crab as sign, selling Crab in Juneau AK. side of the road. AWESOME