The future of the CarveWright...

[DurhamDev]

This is basically the thought process of someone who bought his machine a couple of weeks ago, and hasn't stopped thinking and creating stuff to create on it since.

First, are the CW Staff considering building a larger footprint machine in the future? With the competitive pricing of the present unit, is there consideration for a machine that can create items up to 24" in width? (It's a semi-standard measurement, sort of.)

Second, and probably the question that is most important in my mind, is there a plan in the works to update the software so that the machine can intelligently determine large carve areas, and request a larger size bit (if available) to carve out these regions? I can see a lot of applications for this, where the 1/16" bit would be able to carve out enough detail surrounding a large carve area, and then, request a switch up to a 1/4" or even a 1/2" flat bit. (Hmm - now that I'm thinking to myself, I believe this could be accomplished by manually massaging the cut areas inside the Designer... If anyone can confirm, I'd appreciate it!)

Anyway, that's where I'm at. I LOVE this machine, and think it's an amazing piece of technology. (So much, that my Wife has just approved my plan for a 10'x16' workshop in the backyard... ...so that's what I worked on designing tonight.)

Thanks, LHR, for an amazing piece of technology!

Rick // The DurhamDev

[TIMCOSBY]

due to engineering problems it has to be 12'x20'!!! that would be my story and i would stick to it.

[Digitalwoodshop]

The machine is designed and Priced for the Hobby Market. As such, it does have limitations as compared to the big boys. That being said, it does a FANTASTIC job in what it is capable of today. Then there is the software and "WHO" it is being marketed to.... NEW USERS of CNC's on a LIMITED BUDGET with FREE Designer that is a VERY USER FRIENDLY program that does have some limitations.

Yes, we have all thought that it would be nice for a 24 or 48 inch version of the CW.... One thing is the WEIGHT.... It would change the way the units are serviced and sold... Just packing it up and sending it to LHR would not be possible... Or at least not as easy.... We would see the formation of the Mobile Technician.... Someone making House Calls..... Or something like that.... Or knowing LHR and it's Innovation..... It could be something like a Video Technician.... They send you a Video Camera and a USB box that sets you up for a "GO TO MEETING" and you set up the camera at the machine and the Tech at LHR asks you to do things while he watches and listens... Doing the Troubleshooting by WIRE..... I can see LHR doing this....

Then there is HOGGING out more WOOD.... Well, the machine does have limitations..... More Hogging = More METAL...= More Cost.... The BIG BOYS have that market pretty much covered for $10K and UP....

SOMEONE needed to come to market with a HOBBY GRADE MACHINE.... And I am Glad it was LHR.... I think in the long run the relationship with Sears and the "Turn in your Machine" with every error code has hurt the reputation of the machine. If users did not have the "Turn In" option they would be more incline to take the steps to learn to troubleshoot the machine and the error codes and failures.... It is all about learning the machine... If you still turn in the machine today with every error, then you are missing out on the JOY of fixing it.... Nothing on the machine is hard to fix... Unless there is a broken housing or frame, any machine can be fixed.

Pretty much at this time, the majority of the users are incline to FIX the machine and the people who don't want to mess with learning repairs have the Sears Warranty and just drop the machine off at the shop like getting your Tires Rotated or Oil changed... Not a bad thing but it takes longer and you don't get the satisfaction of fixing it yourself....

OK... Stepping off the Soap Box.....

Good Luck and WELCOME to the Forum !!!!

AL

[Fletcher]

DurhamDev may be on to something here. None of this is meant to be critical of the current CW, just to think on the evolution of a nice compact hobby level machine. Bare with me here for a minute, I'm not totally crazy.

Based on the current CW design, how difficult would it be to just make it 10" wider? Cut the machine down the center(in design terms of course!) when looking at it with the lcd panel on the left, make the casting wider, the y-rail longer, the rollers longer, etc. No major redesign as far as function goes but heck, while you're at it, make that z-rail an inch longer too for deeper carves. This would only add 10 inches to the width and a few more pounds of weight which shouldn't be detrimental to the shipping cost. It would also "kick it up a notch" as far as projects go while still remaining in the hobby realm.... Hhmmm, new headboard anyone? How about a center panel for a custom front door for your house, in one piece?

LHR being what they are, are onto this, or something similar for sure. Every good company evolves their product line, or they wither away and die. Look how your product line is evolving Al... GREAT to see by the way!

Again, not critical thoughts, just thoughts for conversation sakes...

[PCW]

DurhamDev may be on to something here. None of this is meant to be critical of the current CW, just to think on the evolution of a nice compact hobby level machine. Bare with me here for a minute, I'm not totally crazy.


LHR being what they are, are onto this, or something similar for sure. Every good company evolves their product line, or they wither away and die. Look how your product line is evolving Al... GREAT to see by the way!
Again, not critical thoughts, just thoughts for conversation sakes...

Fletcher you are a designer by trade and I know you can see into the future. Thumbs Up

The only problem I see is keeping it at a reasonable shipping weight. Shipping is a killer now a days. I would be willing to bet that LHR will offer one in the future but with a lot of really cool stuff added.

If you get some time please post some pictures here of the six string that you have in the works. I would love to see where you are on it now.

[lynnfrwd]

(Putting on my marketing and sales cap now....)

You guys are our best sales tool! Word of mouth is everything and pictures are worth a thousand words.

Promote CW everywhere you can, so we can finance the research and development of these great ideas!!!!

See new thread...coming soon! ;) (I'm winking at you!)

[Capt Bruce]

I'd like to add another vote for the 24" wide version to be able to craft door panels and whole signs that wide in one pass. Yes it would be a long slow pass at current system stepping but would be worth it for the total project time savings. Shipping costs are a one time payment versus matching glue-ups that have to be done after all the carving with the attendant risk of messing up already carved components. Just my thoughts for what it's worth.

[gregsolano]

As another newbee I am sure this has been asked but why would LHR not have dust collection built in. I just cut and installed fletchers dust collection and it works great but why did I have to take a brand new machine and cut a hole in the lid and add dust collection to a machine that obviously needs it so it should have had it from the begining? Just my two cents.

[DurhamDev]

I'd like to add another vote for the 24" wide version to be able to craft door panels and whole signs that wide in one pass.

Hear, hear!


(Putting on my marketing and sales cap now....) You guys are our best sales tool! Word of mouth is everything and pictures are worth a thousand words. Promote CW everywhere you can, so we can finance the research and development of these great ideas!!!! See new thread...coming soon! ;) (I'm winking at you!)

That's the one where my idea netted me a free "CarveWright D-Class", am I right?

<wink>

[PCW]

As another newbee I am sure this has been asked but why would LHR not have dust collection built in. I just cut and installed fletchers dust collection and it works great but why did I have to take a brand new machine and cut a hole in the lid and add dust collection to a machine that obviously needs it so it should have had it from the begining? Just my two cents.

My quess and it's only a quess is.... It may have something to do with UL standards (http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/corporate/standards/). It's hard to keep everyone happy.

[ktjwilliams]

An option in the software would be nice... When at the machine U can select sections to carve or repeat the last step.. Like the other day The machine was carving for an Hr and a half.. Then came the bit change for the centerline text.. At this point the machine kept asking me " To re-find or proceed " After several attempts at the refind, I finally gave up and hit proceed.. We all know that in the begining the machine runs through all the bits... So then the bit moves into position and starts to carve the centerline.. However I noticed that the bit was carving just above the wood,, stopped the macine and had a few choice words for it.. So I took the bit out and lowered it in the adapter, put it back in and resumed.. It worked fine from there and carved very nice,,, however I was missing 2 letters one above the other.. After sumthin like this it would be nice to have an option to start from the beging on the last thing it was doing, in this case the centerline, or resume.. In short the carving can be broke down into sections like a b c d e.. And u have an option to say just do part c again...

[Fletcher]

Fletcher you are a designer by trade and I know you can see into the future. Thumbs Up

The only problem I see is keeping it at a reasonable shipping weight. Shipping is a killer now a days. I would be willing to bet that LHR will offer one in the future but with a lot of really cool stuff added.

If you get some time please post some pictures here of the six string that you have in the works. I would love to see where you are on it now.

Thanks PCW! I'm almost finished the guitar(unfortunately I'm not as fast as LG!) and will post some pics here when completed.

[Alan Malmstrom]

What I would like to see different about the machine is getting rid of the flex shaft and the tracking sensor. Then I'd cover up the parts that get clogged with dust. If the spindle didn't have to go back and forth so many times it might prolong the life of the parts but most carving projects have small detail so theres not much you can do about that. I love the way the machine uses two dementional raster images to create 3D depth images and I have not seen anything that can compair to it (I bet they have a patent on that). And the price is attractive also. I have come to think of the machine almost like a 3D printer. If they could make it easier and less maintanance for the average person on the street they could really make a killing on this product. I think it works great as a hobby machine for the maintenance minded person though and I like it so far.

[liquidguitars]

I love the way the machine uses two dimensional raster images to create 3D depth images and I have not seen anything that can compare to it (I bet they have a patent on that).


This system for mapping detail has been around a long time "over 20 years" in the computer graphics world it's called "bump maps" or "altitude maps".. we would make cool landscapes for Trek using the same, but unlike a lot of CAD CAM programs, Designer is extra good at it.

I would like to see a new CNC that could make a one peice guitar necks like in a Les Paul. so it would be nice to have a 2.50" deep DOC.

[cestout]

I would think that a larger machine would have to be marketed as a professional machine, and I would not be able to afford it. It will already do longer boards than the big machines, and you can carve then glue together long pieces to get your 24". And there is the space needed for a larger machine in a home shop. An efficient dust collector is really needed, but I think making this machine bigger would ruin the fun.
Clint