Is the CarveWright suitable for my needs?

[hobbycentral]

Hi, I'm thinking of buying one of these machines. But the more I read, the less sure I that it will work for me. I was contemplating purchasing a laser engraver to cut out model aircraft ribs, firwalls, etc.. My wife/business partner isn't to hip on the idea due to the cost. I was in Sears looking at tool boxes and saw the Compucarve and I decided to investigate. But, there are no real specs posted anywhere. I want to cut out parts from sheets of balsa 1/16x4", 1/8 x 4" and 1/4" x 4 and also from Basswood. The parts are from vintage plans. By scanning this forum I believe that the wood I want to cut is too thin - but I assume I coulde lay it on top of foam? Most of the posts from 2 years ago state that the software cannot import Dxf files, but may in the future. Does the current software support DXF files ? Several post state that it would be difficult to reproduce parts to exact same size without difficulty - is this correct? I would also like to cut out foam 2d templates. As you can see I wouldn't be buying it for actuall carving and I understand that a laser engraver or xyz cnc router would bet better, but they are cost prohibitive. I hate to say I'm an impulse buyer and I had to turn back from Sears and do some more research LOL. I own a couple of hobby shops and would like to be able to produce a few aircraft, not a production run.

Thanks
Bill
Hobby Central

[GrammaPam]

I suggest finding people (maybe not all the same company) who have all four types of cutters and paying for a couple samples before you purchase any machine. Talk to the people working the equipment to find out about the work needed to convert files and what to expect with your depth and size of pieces. Some trophy shops aren't as imaginative or willing to be creative as I think they should be, so before you choose someone to do your samples, see if the company is receptive to working with your idea.

Having operated all three: Carvewright, Epilog Laser and Dahlgren Rotary engravers, I do think a rotary would suit your particular needs best. If you want an outline cut with no 3-D, a clean straight cut in relativly thin material without the burned edge or cost of a laser. The fourth possibility is a vinyl cad cutter. I haven't personally operated one but have had work done, only question there is the blade needed for the depth. Then I'd check trophy shops upgrading or closing up shop for the best buy, you'd probally not have customer support, that a bit of a problem but it's a cost tradeoff.

Then ask yourself if you want to run the business or create the product. It is very hard to do both and you won't be as good as you can be without devoting yourself to it sufficiently.

I wish you the best of luck
G.P.

[hobbycentral]

Thanks for the reply. I know I could do it with the laser engraver, as Epilog demonstrated it to me at Hobby Trade show in 1999. I will look at the rotary engravers. I just sold a Roland Versacamm 30" vinyl printer/cutter and they cannot cut the likes of balsa. I also understand what you mean about being the producer or the retailer. I had my Versacamm for 2 years and when I bought it I had plans to do lots of custom printed vinyl skins. The equipment distributor convinced me that there was no artistic talent needed. I fell for it hook line and sinker and although I had fun with it and made a lot of in-store signage, I could never really justify it. I saw that Sears had the Compucarve for $1170.00 refurbished and thought at that price it would be worthwhile. Of course my wife sees another Versacamm incident lurking LOL. I'm not really looking at creating products. I want to make up some short kits of some small control line (U-Control) airplanes that kids come come into the store and put together. My thought process was that these carvers don't have the length limitations that a laser has. I would stack up and register three 1/8 sheets of balsa and cut out several planes at once.


Bill
Hobby Central

[AskBud]

In my opinion, I do not think you will be able to stack Balsa as you plan.
1) You would need to use double sticky tape on each layer, and your stock could be ruined as you take it apart. It's not like veneer!
2) anything other than the 1/16th" cutter will tend to ruin your thin wood as well, and the 1/16th" bit only goes 1/4" deep.
AskBud

[Digitalwoodshop]

Here are some comments from Sawmill Creek Engraving Forum.

The Consensus is that with cheap overseas models flooding the market it would be hard to make a buck at it.

CarveWright, Rotary, Laser.... Laser would be the best..

I have a CarveWright, Rotary (9 x 12 table), and Laser.... (12 x 24 Table). Laser would be my first choice.

You might end up hand tracing most of the scanned artwork because you need Vector Art to let the Laser cut a line. Just scan an image of lines, it will raster burn the scan much like the CarveWright carves a image. Vector is like Cut Path.


To be fair to the CarveWright, I plan on making a Vacuum Sled to cut plastic name tags with my machine. If you traced each part and had enough of a part that the vacuum sled could hold it might work with the 1/16 inch bit... If you also used tabs it could work....

AL

Early start... 5AM and in the shop.... Must be the full moon....

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I bought a laser for my hobby viz. radio control aircraft to cut my own planes and parts of planes. I also do a little bit for other people who wants to do scratch builds. To get plans is not a problem they are available on the internet - the problem is tracing them to be used in coreldraw. To make money out of it - I don't know- especially if you have to convert to format for the laser machine. When I do cut for other people I charge them per piece cut plus replacing the material I used. If you are a scratch builder and have plans then the laser is a wonderful tool.


Carel F Kriel

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This is the program I use to make all my ribs and bulkheads.

This is the best program out there that I know of.

But more and more people are going to foam kits and the balsa planes are going the way of the dinosaur.

http://www.compufoil.com/index.shtml (duh forgot the link)
__________________
Epilog Helix 45
Corel Draw X4
Fully outfitted woodshop
"Wearing a turtleneck is like being strangled by a really weak guy, all day. Wearing a backpack and a turtleneck is like a weak midget trying to bring you down."

Mitch Headberg


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Last edited by Anthony Scira; 03-29-2009 at 1:16 PM.



I thought that I could make a bit of cash cutting balsa for airplane people. In four years I have had two enquiries from my advert at the local model shop.

No 1 fancied making kits to sell. He supplied all the drawings and I cut his parts for the prototype, which was apparently a successful flier. After that, the model shop started to import a similar 'plane - ready built (from Korea) - and sold them at less than the cost of the balsa! No more kit project.

No 2 recently enquired about having a great load of ribs cut. There were a LOT with many different sizes. I quoted £50 (~$80) for scanning the drawings, laying out in Corel and all the cutting. Have not heard anything back - presumably he wanted them done for free.

I recently needed to cut some foam (for packaging - not modelling) and thought that the model shop might supply a hot-wire cutter for the job. No chance - not available any more as everyone buys ready-made 'planes.

I think it a huge shame that so few people are even slightly creative these days. The Creek is an oasis in an ever enlarging desert.


Michael Hunter


You hit the nail on the head. There are fewer and fewer people no a days that can make something from scratch and even fewer willing to try. I amaze my kids on how I can think out of the box, all they want is what comes out of a box. Creekers, no matter the forum, for the most part are some of the most creative people and I thoroughly enjoy reading of their projects or how they have improved others. That's one of the things that happens when you take industrial arts out of the education system.
__________________
Steve / Sandy Wallace




Hi Michael,

Have to agree here. A new Hobby shop opened up here 6 months back and I asked about cutting balsa and the guy said, "I have no idea where you will get balsa, we only sell foam kits."

He added, " I have not seen a balsa plane for about 2 years.

Ahhh, progress.
__________________
Dave J


Hello, I fly rc airplanes and have cut out parts for planes. Quite a few ARF's (almost ready to fly) are an already built up balsa wings and bodys. It's nice to be able cut out parts to fix crashes. Course that's for the other guys. There's still a lot of Balsa used.

Nick Napier

[hobbycentral]

Thanks I appreciate all of the input. Just to be clear I understand that it is not financially viable to produce model kits for a profit. I own two full line hobby shops and a hobby web business. There are very few made in the U.S.A model kits any more due to the fact you can import a 90% built model cheaper than a American kit. I do have a large CNC foam cutter and had a large vinyl cutter/printer and so I use cad, Corel and Adobe Illustrator for vector drawings, Photoshop and the CNC software for the foam cutter. The CarveWright doesn't have to be profitable by itself i.e. I don't have to sell a bunch of kits to pay for the machine. As mentioned in the previous post, it is difficult to get new blood into any type of construction hobby - everyone wants instant gratification. We are currently trying to get some old fashioned control line flying going - I'm sure some of you remember the old Cox aiplanes with the .049 gas engines. We have plans for small airplanes with 1/8x4x20 balsa wings and 14" x 1/4 balsa fuselages. The idea is to get kids/moms and dads to come in on a Saturday afternoon assemble a small airplane (they take about 2 hours). The following week they bring in their airplane and we fly it on electric motors. It is hoped a percentage will want to buy their own motors etc. and some will become active in the hobby. But, based on some of the inputs here, it may not be viable if the bit will tear up the wood.

Bill
Hobby Central

[hobbycentral]

We also sell yo-yo's and I'm intrigued with the idea of producing some yo-yo's with our name on them. I saw the yo-yo project on the projects page. Obviously I'm a gadget freak LOL.

[Kenm810]

Hi Bill,

I've carved a few for the Grand kids and their friends
with their names carved into them and painted,
plus a couple carved from some exotic woods
with Lacquered Finishes, Display Stands, and Glass Bell Jars for myself.

Hmmmm -- Maybe a fun item you could add to your sales inventory or catalog -- :wink:

[liquidguitars]

it may not be viable if the bit will tear up the wood.

Use a sled for you wood and the Carvewright will cut your thin wood with ease.

Inporting DXF and STL file formats are in the works "i do it now but use my 3D program" and the Carvewright cut control will even make tabs for you.

Thin wood goes to work note, you would setup a bigger sled..

http://96.9.54.101/liquidguitars.com/assets/images/HeadstockR003.jpg



LG

[hobbycentral]

I broke down and ordered one. I tried to download the trial software, but I never received the email. Where is the best place to educate myself on building a sled?

Thanks
Bill
Hobby Central

[Kenm810]

Here's good place to start

ISSUE 7 April 2008 – Carving Jigs – Carrier Boards, Sleds and Rails (http://www.carvewright.com/downloads/tips/CarveWrightTips&Tricks_Apr08.pdf)

All the Tips and Tricks are a really "must read" for these machines :grin:
http://www.carvewright.com/cms/tips-and-tricks
http://www.carvewright.com/cms/downloads

Plus Tons of Info at CW's Home Site

[hobbycentral]

Thanks Ken I will start reading.

Bill
Hobby Central