Our ShopBot flat bed router arrived on June 14 and finally today we ran our first job. So, it took over three months...whose counting?
It was really an adventure for Mike and me to put this thing together, but it eventually all came together in the right order. We worked in between jobs and when there was some spare time. The electrician hooked up the lines last week and the final tweeks were done over the last few days.
Have you ever noticed that the manuals do not say the same thing each time you read them? Trying to wrap an old brain around new technology is rather amusing at times.
This job was just a simple cut-out of MDO, but it is a start. There are four of them - mascot heads (Wildcat) for our local high school. It was really exciting to see the router do such a slick job of routing them to shape - without having to wrestle a jig saw...and no dust to clean up.
Now, I know that Sawhatshisname is reading this and giggling, but at least the thing is running. And, by the way, the very first product was a PAYING JOB!!...not four months of samples. You will notice that the first lines produced were wiggly.
There's still a long way to go and lots to learn. The only limit is my own imagination and I'm sure that my work will never come close to the outlandish stuff that Dan does, but I'm excited about the possibilities.
Side note: Thanks to all who noticed that I haven't been around lately. It's nice to be missed. Dan has called several times checking with me, as well as the Short Okie. There has been a lot going on lately, both business wise and personally. Some family situations have taken a great deal of time and energy as well as just having a lot of signs to get out the door. And I've been on the road with workshops every month this summer. Baltimore left me a little down and depressed because I just didn't do a very good job there, and no one showed up for the hand lettering demonstration.
Business has dropped off considerably in the last month, but I'm certain that things will pick up...especially now that the ShopBot is up and running. I'll just keep repeating all those "Danisms" over in my head.
From time to time I'll show up here with some samples of what the "pea shooter" can do. Grandpa may just be just a little saddened when he finds out that my ShopBot can do the same things that his expensive whale can spit out.
Now, I can't decide whether to take a nap or go coat out some MDO. Decisions, decisions.
Edited to add this photo. Just so Dan would know that's IT'S A SHOPBOT!
[ September 21, 2006, 12:58 PM: Message edited by: Raymond Chapman ]
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I just had to laugh as soon as I read the title of this thread! GOOD FOR YOU! And paying jobs right off the bat, too! Too cool, Ray! Bummer about the hand lettering- I thought your class was ACE! Cat
-------------------- Catharine C. Kennedy CCK Graphics 1511 Route 28 Chatham Center, NY 12184 cck1620@taconic.net "Look at me, Look at me, Look at me now! I't's fun to have fun, But you have to know how!" Posts: 2173 | From: downtown Chatham Center, NY | Registered: Feb 2004
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Good for you, you got a spindle... while it's not quiet enough to nap thru, at least you can carry on a conversation while it's running.... Keep up the good work!
-------------------- Rose Davidson Sleeper Woods Design Honoring Tradition with Technology Lakeport, CA 95435 Posts: 104 | From: Lake County, California | Registered: Nov 2005
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Good for you Raymond and Mike! I'm proud of you guys!
I've taken a LOT of flak about us doing a FEW practice pieces on the MultiCam before we put some paying work on the machine...
quote:RAYMOND... Our ShopBot flat bed router arrived on June 14 and finally today we ran our first job. So, it took over three months...whose counting?
We spent those three months practicing our technique instead of trying to bolt together a machine. Guess who had more fun?
Next question Raymond.... so far yours is a real expensive jig saw.... can it route in THREE DIMENSIONS???
Does this mean ROUTER WARS II is officially underway?????????
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8739 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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For those that might be interested, I thought I would add a few photos of our setup.
We bought a new Dell computer that is dedicated to the ShopBot and will have no other files and no hook up to the internet...and hopefully, not viruses. All the design work is done at another station and then the file is taken out to this computer in the shop with a Memory Stick.
In order to keep the dust as minimal as possible, we picked up a small base cabinet unit at Lowes. Mike added a MDO top, strengthened the bottom, and added rollers. The tower unit and all the tools are kept in the bottom and the keyboard is in the drawer.
One of our neighbors is a upholsterer and he made us a clear covering for the monitor.
To help with ventilation, Mike cut out the back of the cabinet and added an ordinary A/C filter. Everything else is sealed up...somewhat, anyway.
The Delta dust collector does a good job of keeping everything sucked off the table. We bought a few extra lengths of clear hose to make sure that we could see if anything tried to clog up the system. It is suspended with springs to allow movement without binding.
This photo is just for Dan. The earlier one had a bright spot from the flash. Even though it is blue, Sawatzky, it is a SHOPBOT!!...and it cost a lot less.
PLINK!
Matthew - the software is ArtCam Pro along with ShopBot Wizard. Designs will still be in combination with Omega, Adobe Illustrator, and Corel.
What would I do different? Well, probably not take three months to put the thing together. It didn't actually take a long time for assembly - it was just spread out over lots of weeks. Right now I am extremely pleased with the purchase and look forward to lots of exciting adventures.
Harding - I think that part will really come in handy. Sawhatshisname will want one...only he will spend three times as much for it.
Rose -the Colombo spindle is super quiet. Most of the noise is made by the dust collection system. Until the bit touches the material you actually cannot tell if the spindle is running or not just by listening. It's that quiet - much better than a router.
Dan - yes, it will cut in three dimension. And did I mention that it cost a lot less?
[ September 21, 2006, 06:53 PM: Message edited by: Raymond Chapman ]
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Congratualtions Ray! Looks like you will be having alot of fun with that thing! Hope you are going to post pics too!!!
Hey, I find that when business slows down, there is a lot going on in my life that needs paying attention too. Sounds like everything is timed just right for you.
-------------------- The Word in Signs Bobbie Rochow Jamestown, PA 16134
724-927-6471
thewordinsigns@alltel.net Posts: 3485 | From: Jamestown, PA 16134 | Registered: Oct 2002
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