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KITCHENER - For decades, Gregory Dent was a woodworking purist.

The 52-year-old was a carpenter for more than 30 years. Over the past four years he has been doing fine woodworking, upcycling and restorations in his Kitchener workshop. He uses a combination of power tools and hand tools to get the work done, but never once considered using an automated, computer-controlled carving machine to do the work for him.

"I was one of those purists," he said. Even Dent's business card features a photo of an old-fashioned hand plane. "Why would I want one of those machines?"

That all changed about two years ago when a customer placed a large order for custom wooden coasters, and Dent quickly realized he'd never fill the order on time or to the high quality he demanded of his work.

So he started searching the internet for an affordable CNC (computer numerical control) machine, which uses a computer to operate a carving tool called a router to automatically cut almost any design imaginable. Most of what he found was outside his price range, though, with many of them costing $10,000 or more.

That's when he stumbled across Sienci Labs.

Founded in 2016 by University of Waterloo mechanical engineering students Andy Lee and Chris Thorogood, the company designed a sturdy, reliable and affordable desktop CNC machine that was within the price range of most hobbyists.

It offers three sizes; the Mill One unit for beginners with a 10-inch by seven-inch cutting surface, and two larger Long Mill units (12 inches by 12 inches and 30 inches by 30 inches). Prices range from about $550 to about $1,500, depending on the configuration.

The Mill One was the startup's first design. It raised more than $60,000 from 120 backers on Kickstarter in 2016, but it really hit a home run with its Long Mill Kickstarter campaign earlier this year, raising more than $436,000 from 324 backers.

Sienci has received about $50,000 in grants over the past few years, but there is no private equity or outside investment helping to finance the business. The startup has been so successful that Lee dropped out of school to run the company full-time. Thorogood is just wrapping up his degree.

The machines are built from a combination of 3D printed plastic (which Sienci produces at its office space at 44 Gaukel Street in downtown Kitchener), aluminum and steel. It ships the parts around the world for the customer to assemble.

The machines use a router (to carve a wide range of materials, including almost any species of wood, plastic, soft metals such as aluminum and brass, and a variety of foams and waxes used for model making or metal casting.

"The level of detail you can get with this is insane," said Lee, holding up a piece of aluminum with a design of a lifelike head of a Tyrannosaurus rex carved into it.

Sienci 3D prints the parts in batches. It is about to embark on a 400-unit build process. It has pre-sold about 370 of those, but Lee expects the remaining units will be sold by the time they're all built.

The startup keeps the units affordable because it 3D prints its own parts using a dozen or so 3D printers in its office and most of the other materials are from local suppliers.

It has shipped to customers in more than 30 countries. Woodworkers make up about 70 per cent of customers, Lee said.

"This is still early stage, but as we saw with 3D printers the potential is huge," he said.

"People know what (the machines) can do, but this is really the first time they've been accessible."

Sienci's two founders are just 22 years old, while many of their customers are in their 50s and 60s, which has made for an interesting and insightful dynamic.

Sienci has 10 beta testers around the world to assess and evaluate the machines, along with any enhancements to the design. Dent, whose workshop is within walking distance of Sienci, is one of those testers.

"It really opened my eyes to the possibilities," he said of joining the team.

Dent uses a Long Mill machines in his workshop. In many ways it's like having a second pair of hands around, he said. The machine can be carving decorative designs for one customer while Dent is building a bookcase for another.

It's made him more efficient - and less tired - at the end of every work day.

And for those who remain skeptical of the machine, or who might scoff at the thought of using a computer to help in the shop, Dent draws parallels to the days when electric table saws, jointers and drills were first introduced.

"It if makes the process simpler so you can get more done at the end of the day, why wouldn't you?" he said.

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