Unpopular opinion: Keeping old CNC machines for years is just lazy and hurts the planet

I run a small shop and we tracked our power use. Our older mills suck up way more juice than the newer models doing the same parts. Switching to efficient drives and motors could slice our energy bills and cut emissions. It's time to stop pretending these dinosaurs are fine just because they still make chips.

4 comments

4 Comments

jakejones1mo ago

Our power bill dropped in half after we upgraded.

nora6911mo ago

Wow, that's really good to hear! We had a similar cut in our bill after some home improvements. It feels great to see those savings add up over time.

the_thomas1mo ago

Man, I wish I had your luck. My DIY attic insulation project just made a huge mess. Found out I trapped a family of squirrels up there, and now they're chewing through wires. My power bill might actually go up from the repairs, which is pretty ironic.

kim.jake26d ago

Oh man, trapped squirrels are the worst. You gotta get them out before fixing anything. I used a live trap with peanut butter, then sealed up the entry point with steel mesh, not just wood or insulation. They'll chew right back through otherwise. Had to redo a whole section of wiring once because I didn't do that first.