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View Full Version : I am thinking of buying



avboy5000
01-15-2007, 09:54 AM
I am thinking of buying on of the machines, but I trying to figure out if it would be worth it. I have downloaded the free trial of the software and that is pretty simple to figure out. But I have seen mixed reviews from everyone, some people really love it and some people really hate it.

What I am thinking of doing with the machine is making plaques are such to sell at the flea market or something like that. I am a college student who has some money in savings and dont really want to start dipping into it and I was just wondering if I would be able to make extra money with the machine (of course after it paid for itself).

rgant05
01-15-2007, 01:03 PM
I think the whole idea of using it to make money is a very sound one on your part. I know that there is a fair amount of problems being discussed on the forum but am convince #1 that they are all correctible and will be taken care of by the CW people.... #2 that they are mostly (the ones now at least) the growing pains of going from a well designed product to mass production, which can sometimes be frustrating as my experience as a product designer for Dover Elevator taught me years ago. Not just to defend CW, but there is no way to eliminate this procedure of working out bugs of going to production, but if you have a good and extremely usable idea as they do, it is worth it... for both company and customers. My theory, prediction or what ever you want to call it, is that they will work ALL the problems out, which sometimes means frustrating some customers and even alienating some (which is unavoidable) but that everything will work out, and they (Sears) will determine that they will have to sell it for a little higher price than originally determined and that if you wait it will probably be more like a $2500 machine once the bugs get worked out. In the mean time you may never have any problems or may have some that are mixed in with you working with it, but none the less if you wait till it is a pristine product you not only waste time that you could be paying for the machine, but you also will have (in my prediction at least) a higher price to work off by waiting. Personally, to get in on the cutting edge of this product is where I want to be. You will have the chance to get a big chunk of experience and maybe be the first in your area to be producing stuff like this to sell, which will put you on top of the game as compared to other late comers. I saw all the problems being discussed but still ran just as hard as I could to order one and get the best price I could. I ordered mine last week at $1684 and got 12 mo, no payment/no interest.

I think that the software is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome. All though it is good and geared towards the somewhat novice consumer, it is not a program that everyone will put the effort into learning. You will spend a lot of time learning it and learning all the neat little techniques that go into making unique products that people will love. I think you will easily be able to produce sellable items right out of the box with just the experience you have gained with the software so far, but you will also have the potential to really dress them up and make things that people will go crazy over at flea markets... like personalizing a design... photo engraving etc. I think you could get the last retirement dollar a person has if you produce a wood carving of their granddaughter or grandson on wood LOL. Personally I am hoping for some income as well as payback from the unit or I wouldn't have bought it. Even with all the problem discussion I think I have made a sound decision to buy it. BTW, all the discussion shows that there is strong interest from the consumers AND responsiveness on the part of the manufactures.... ie you have support to deal with the problems which is not always the case with products of this complexity. For me, now is was the time to buy it, and I am eagerly awaiting the opportunity to get started with it.

Roger