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c_mjenkins
11-07-2011, 12:08 PM
hi guys im new and was hoping to get some advice. Im thinking of buying a used a series machine for 600 it has zero cut time and was never registered. my ques. is that a fair price. i know it probably needs upgrades of around 400 so would i be ahead to just save a little longer and buy a new one. thanks im anxious to here your thoughts

chebytrk
11-07-2011, 12:43 PM
Doesn't sound like a bad price. Not sure how much you really need to spend to bring it up. All depends if it's a "A" or "B" series machine. If it has the old QC installed, you definately need to upgrade that for sure (either the Rock Chuck or Carve Tight). Not sure that you would need too much else to start off with except maybe Centerline Software as that helps alot when making projects. If the machine has a Probe and it has not been registered then that will be good to have. At least to be able to use Pattern Editor Software that comes with the probe. Other things you can get as you go and become more familiar with your CW. Be sure to try and locate a STARTU member close by (if possible) and they'll be able to help you get started and point you in the right direction. You should get the serial number if possible to made SURE that it has not be registered with LHR before.

fwharris
11-07-2011, 02:25 PM
hi guys im new and was hoping to get some advice. Im thinking of buying a used a series machine for 600 it has zero cut time and was never registered. my ques. is that a fair price. i know it probably needs upgrades of around 400 so would i be ahead to just save a little longer and buy a new one. thanks im anxious to here your thoughts

If you have the serial number you can call CarveWright to verify if it has been registered before. They can also let you know what kind of upgrades you might need. Being an A series machine things to look at for any upgrades are the chuck system and the Z pack upgrade.

lynnfrwd
11-07-2011, 02:35 PM
FYI - he has done his homework and called us with the serial number. He wants to know from you guys, if he should buy new or go with the A series machine.

dbfletcher
11-07-2011, 02:43 PM
I'm still sticking with first time buyers should "buy new". Nothing can take the fun out of this quicker than buying a used machine, with no warranty, and quickly develops issues.

After you get up to speed and have a better understanding of how the machine works, then by all means, go with a cheap used machine if you can get it.

atauer
11-07-2011, 02:45 PM
I'm still sticking with first time buyers should "buy new". Nothing can take the fun out of this quicker than buying a used machine, with no warranty, and quickly develops issues.

I am seconding this. Unless you are already familiar with the Carvewright machine, I would recommend buying new. Sure the price of a used machine is a big factor in purchasing, but after you factor in the costs of any upgrades/updates, repair costs, etc., you could potentially have a brand new machine. Not to mention that we have numerous sales throughout the year.

eelamb
11-07-2011, 02:54 PM
I am with Doug, and atauer, first time buy, buy new. Will cost you less in the long time. Think of it like this you said 600 plus 400 for upgrades. That is 1000 without a warranty. Add another 600 or so and you have a new machine with a warranty. Which will probably save you the extra 600 in repairs alone. Plus right now they have a very good deal for about $2000 which includes a lot of extra's.

chebytrk
11-07-2011, 03:09 PM
After thinking about this I also agree that for a new user it would be easier to just start off with a new ("C" series" machine). Older model (like mine.. "A") there would be more of a learning curve and would have some costs involved to upgrade. I guess by the time I factor everything that I've added to mine, it is about the price for a "C" nowadays. Only advantage with mine right now is that I got it thru Sears and have the 4 year warranty so any repairs don't come out of pocket. Upgrades I pay for, but that's all I pay for. So... yup... a new machine would be better in the long run.

c_mjenkins
11-07-2011, 04:02 PM
Ok thanks for all of your input. I think ill sleep on it tonight but im probably leaning towards the new machine unless if when I tell the guy I'm not interested he comes down some more on the price then it would be hard to pass up. Either way in the near future I'll have one,so I'm sure you'll be hearing from me in the future with more questions. Thanks. One more thing in the last few weeks i have read alot of reviews on cw both the machine and their customer service. Some good and some very bad i dont know about the machine yet but my experience with customer service today was all good. I called in the middle of the day and was on hold for maybe 30 seconds and both reps were very nice and answered all ques. Considering I called saying i wanted to buy a used machine I'm surprised. Thanks again

chevytrucking
11-07-2011, 04:16 PM
I'll take the other side, I guess. I bought a used Craftsman version having no experience with Carvewright at all. As far as I know, it's never had any upgrades. I've been using it without any major issues for over a year. I still have issues with the software sometimes and I still get confused with the "auto jig" stuff, but I think that's going to happen either way. I think I paid $700 for mine, but it came with the whole set of bits, already mounted on nice stand, Centerline, some patterns he'd bought, and the guy even threw in some Walnut boards with it. If the previous owner will give you a good demo in person when you're buying it to prove that it works, I'd say go for it.

Deolman
11-07-2011, 04:17 PM
Just to through my 2 cents in, I have an "A" machine that has done a great job for me. I have had the carvetight chuck for a while - I guess it's time to install it. If you are comfortable working mechanical problems, I would not hesitate to purchase it new. All of the bugs on the "A" model can be found here on the forum. Believe me, the people here on the forum can get you past any difficulties you may encounter.

A couple of items to really consider adding - The probe with the Pattern Editor, Centerline, and Conforming Vectors. These will add greatly to your experience creating projects.

kool69sporty
11-07-2011, 06:59 PM
c_m, lemme add my thoughts to this. I now have 3 used CWs and have been surprised at the overall low maintenance. With that "A" machine, change out the QC chuck, get good dust control, pay attention to the cut time and you will be pleasantly rewarded. The CWs are amazing. You don't need to be a certified mechanic, just some mechanical skills. Did I say good dust control? FWIW. Joe

c_mjenkins
11-07-2011, 07:20 PM
Can you give me some good tips on dust control. I know there is a third party item for that but is that the
Best way.

AskBud
11-07-2011, 08:20 PM
Can you give me some good tips on dust control. I know there is a third party item for that but is that the
Best way.
Here are three Top Mounted Vacuum Heads of equal value. each will do the job.
http://www.wix.com/littleredwoodshop/cnccorner/dust-collection

The real consideration is the dust collector that you select to attach to these units!
A shop vacuum will not perform the job due to the extensive time that it will need to run. Most are not designed to run constantly. However, a "Dust Collector" (DC) is designed for constant operation. You need to select a DC that is rated at 600 CFM or larger. You will find that most of these DCs will come with a 4 inch port rather than the smaller ports on a shop vac.
AskBud