Giving up, going back to sears

[potentialbuyer]

Thats it for me, had the thing for about 3 weeks. Started having problems, broke the carve bit, error codes. I think the software is very limited and the price of this thing for the amount of "tinkering" that is needed is not worth it, to me anyway. I understand this is a complicated piece of equipment and nothing similar in its price range. But come on, $2K and screws fall out switches dont work, cable is not lubed in the factory, problem with the sensors, problems with other components, read the forums. I just dont see this company being successful unless the quality control is quickly improved or the price is dropped.
I think it is a great idea and has a lot of potential but dare I say its almost a piece of junk, or at least a model T with a crank handle.

[Bubbabear]

shame you feel that way but if you have $10,000.00 or more to spend on a bigger one then more power to you.

but i as many have found once you get attached to the unit you cant stand to be without it

[woodknack]

The machine is not for everone thats for sure! And the price is high to for what it is. I guess im just one of those lucky ones. I bought mine at sears it was a return. A cabinet maker bought it and it was not fast enough for him or maybe to limited. My machine had under 19 hours on it and ran fine. I purchased it from sears for $400.00. Now that was a steal! I then bought the probe and some bit holders for it and still have under $800 dollars in my whole setup.
My biggest gripe is there firmware updates. And I believe im not alone here. BUT hopefully CW will listen to the needs and wants of the buyers in the future.
As we speak my machine is ripping out another item right now. I havent had any problems with the machine itself just the software.
I also make sure my machine is clean clean clean. Some times I stop it many times during a project to vacume and blow all the saw dust out. Also think that the dry graphite spray lube it a must and a key to keeping it running the way it should.

If you get to know your machine and dont be afraid to tear it apart to check things out. Use your head and keep everything clean and lubed (with the right lube) you will be a happy camper.

I believe these thing are made in china or put together in china. That why you should go right through your machine before even starting it up. I have bought metal lathes from china that are pretty good machines for the money. But I had to go right through them first.

I see alot of post on here of people with problems. When told exactly what to do, they dont. And then they post the same thing again all upset. When asked if they tried what was suggested, they hadn't. I read these post and made notes months before I decided to buy. I was ready for most problems and what to look for before I began.

But if your truly not happy then id take the machine back and wait for something better to come along.

Ive been in the hobby cnc for along time and things are starting to come down to where your average joe can buy it. What another 5 years and see what you can get for $2000. I bet you'll be amazed!!

[bizbiki]

I too have had some problems with my machine. But first and formost the end user should understand that the cc is not meant to be for a production shop. And while the price tag may seem fairly high for a hobiests tool (albeit a good one) it is in line with a higher end set of golf clubs when you include driver, woods, putter, bag, etc.

My advice to any one that this is a machine, not with out its problems, yet still a good value.

I also have found that most errors are user errors.

If you TAKE YOUR TIME and keep your machine clean the cc is a wonderful tool.


Louie

[usmcgeek]

I'm getting close to the same resolution myself. I read the forums prior to making a purchase and I carefully went through my machine before my first attempt at making a cut.

Sadly, even after trying to be as careful as possible, I've gone through two power supplies and a sensor within the first two months. To date, I've been unable to cut a single complete project without errors or the machine drying.

I'm a very techie guy and have been all my life, the software is a cake walk and I've had no trouble creating some great projects. Unfortunately, the machine just hasn't performed.

I've waited on hold for tech support for over two hours more than once. To date, I'm waiting more than a week for a returned phone call or email from support. I'll try and call LHR again tomorrow.

I love the idea of this machine and I was very excited when I first made a purchase even after reading a few of the posts but it's really left me disappointed...

[John]

Sorry, I can't relate to a set of $2000 golf clubs. However, I am glad I don't have to send any of my $150 set back to the manufacture every time there is an "operator error."

More importantly, to the issue in this thread. I think men in general have a much, much harder time admitting they bought something less than expected, and will "deal with it," rather than admitting a mistake and returning it. If a gal bought a "computerized" blender that had problems like the product at hand, it would be returned in a second.

Hmmmm...wonder why GPS is so popular this Christmas?

Hmmmm 2....I'd like $50 for every dead CW sitting in garages/workshops across these US.

John
An upgraded beta owner, and still "dealing with it!"

[Ron Baird]

Send it to C/W and let them update it for what it needs. It should work much better after that. They are very dedicated to aking their customers happy. If this does not suit you take it back to Sears and order one from C/W. I have a 2 year old Beta with probably 300 hrs on it and I won't give it up. As a tester I have had many problems but C/W has updated it to the best it can be and it only has the occasional problem now usually in an area where the new ones have been redesigned to eliminate the weakness but the Beta can not be converted due the design. They do such good carvings when you learn the soft ware that in my opinion they are a bargain at $2000

[3dmapmaker]

I have the same delima on weather or not to return the machine. Great concept poor execution. For the money it should be dialed in not ready to vibrate apart in the fist 10 hours. Guess they gotta pay the assemblers more than 25 cents a day.
I have bought several machines lathes mills from china and you get what you pay for. Not at the CW prices. There way to high for what you get.

The loss of exporting the scan information via a third party app due to CW's copyright has I think put the nail in the coffin unless the little app can read the new format soon. I need to export to my bigger machines.
I sent a email to CW asking for help and info 7 days ago but still have not received any thing other than a Christmas flyer from them.

Hope to keep the machine but its almost a expensive paper weight.

Donny

[Gallaher]

I have had mine for about 3 weeks now also.
I was ready to bring it back to Sears after I started getting all the alarms.
No broken bits yet but parts have fallen off.

It is a maintenance hog, no question about it.
Most of the time it is switches that are causing the alarms.
Once you figure out where they are and how to correct the problem, be it cleaning, repositioning, or by passing, your off and running.
Then you must make sure you keep it properly lubed and clean like any other piece of equipment and it sounds like it will last for a while.

I just learned where the pressure switches were for the rollers today.
The run program stopped at load board.
Until there is enough pressure on the switches to indicate a board is present, the screen will just stay at load board. :rolleyes:
After lightly pulling up and down with a board until I heard the switches click, the problem cleared.

I came home today to make this project because my sisters dog died today.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb300/Weitisme/Memorial.jpg

It is stained in walnut and I'm giving it to her tomorrow with pictures of her dog in the side windows.

Every time I get a fault I think about returning it.
But then I make something that it would have taken days to get made somewhere else and I change my mind.

[grege01]

Thats it for me, had the thing for about 3 weeks. Started having problems, broke the carve bit, error codes. I think the software is very limited and the price of this thing for the amount of "tinkering" that is needed is not worth it, to me anyway. I understand this is a complicated piece of equipment and nothing similar in its price range. But come on, $2K and screws fall out switches dont work, cable is not lubed in the factory, problem with the sensors, problems with other components, read the forums. I just dont see this company being successful unless the quality control is quickly improved or the price is dropped.
I think it is a great idea and has a lot of potential but dare I say its almost a piece of junk, or at least a model T with a crank handle.

I think it all boils down to how much do you value your time. Reading this forum, I guess there are alot of (retired?) folks out there with $2000 to throw down and spend hours upon hours tearing apart and reshipping with this thing back to get it to work.

I work in the software industry, and we *pay* to fly people in the beta test our prelease software. I know its not an apples to apples comparison, hardware to software. But why people willingly spend their own money - at any price - and time to troubleshoot a product that doesn't perform without fulltime babysitting is beyond me. But hey, thats just me.

My advice to the company - please DONT drop the price, raise it if you have to to create a decent quality product. When this or another company figures that out, I will be a customer.

Greg

[rcdages]

Great carving!!! my question on the carving is this.
I am interested in the font name you used and the depth of carving & point size of the letters you carved it at. You have held all the font letters in tack.
At that size it is a job well done.
rcdages
Robert

[Bubbabear]

forgive my even worse than normal typing as i am the one armed bandit for a few days.
now i know greg afew things look flustering. i am not retired but i know i could never manually carve any of the things seen here. but all softwares and hardwares have issues while in their infant stages and this unit is still an infant


I think it all boils down to how much do you value your time. Reading this forum, I guess there are alot of (retired?) folks out there with $2000 to throw down and spend hours upon hours tearing apart and reshipping with this thing back to get it to work.

I work in the software industry, and we *pay* to fly people in the beta test our prelease software. I know its not an apples to apples comparison, hardware to software. But why people willingly spend their own money - at any price - and time to troubleshoot a product that doesn't perform without fulltime babysitting is beyond me. But hey, thats just me.

My advice to the company - please DONT drop the price, raise it if you have to to create a decent quality product. When this or another company figures that out, I will be a customer.

Greg

[TerryT]

This machine is NOT for everyone. Those of us that have had our machines for awhile are pleased with the work it does and feel it is worth the extra work. The carvewright isn't like a table saw that you can throw a board through every once in a while for thirty years with no problem (that's how long my last table saw lasted). So if it doesn't suit you, taking it back may be the best bet.

Terry

[mykee50]

I was going to buy one of these units a year ago for Christmas. I decided to wait after reading all of the negative comments about quality. Well it's been a year now and I'm on the forums again trying to figure out if CC has addressed most of these issues. It seems that they haven't. I reading of the same issues. If you went back and read the archives it will read the same. Kind of like I've been here before.

I really like the idea of these machines. I thought if I waited a year they would have "ironed out the bugs". Guess not. I'll wait another year I guess. Like the others have said, "I'm not plunking down $2K to a company and then do THEIR beta work on MY time".

CC please let me know when you are going to release an improved model. I will be your first customer (even at a higher price, just so it works).

Thanks, Mike, Issaquah, WA, USA

[TIMCOSBY]

some don't???? my first machine is filthy dirty i only vacume the right side never by the keypad and it carves away with no errors.... went and bought a second machine it has an error ervey attemted carve of some kind. looks like its a qaulity control issue with the sensors or construction. new one going back to sears. couldn't pry my old one away from me.

[3dmapmaker]

Well Sears has my machine now. I hated to see it go. I think it has so much potential but it just has to many problems.
Great concept. Poor Execution.
If anyone is sitting on a machine they bought from sears that you no longer use for whatever reason. Take it back. They will take it back for 3 months no questions asked.

For all the rest of you. Keep plugging away. I wish you well. Maybe one day I'll buy another. I keep hoping for a better machine and software. I think it will get there. I'm just not that patient.

Thanks for everyones help on the forum. I never got any from CW just you guys. Thanks.

Donny

[beester]

I'm on my third machine.First one ran 12 hours and died. Second one made it to 73 hours before things started to fall off of it. And now #3. Less than 2 hours and z truck wheel fell off and bit holder is all screwed up. Came without the plugin for the scan probe and the cable had not been lubed. Quality control is non-existent at CW. They have some serious problems that they really need to address. I'm going to look for a better machine. I will probably have to spend 3x the money but, I will get something I can use and depend on in my business.

[Bubbabear]

Beester you need to get a commercial unit. cc\cw has never been intended for commercial use. many do use it for that but it is hard to expect a hobbiest unit to luve up to a commercial unit

[coyotekd]

Agreed. Had high hopes when purchased. Software is great. First carve died midway with no apparent reason. Reloaded flash memory but carver reported bad card message when inserted. Formated card but no improvement. Returned card for replacement. While waiting, purchased new card. When I placed the new card into the carver and turned the on switch, the silence was deafening. Nada, Zip, I had enough. Concept is good, execution is seriously flawed. Note to CW - use a USB port on the carver or put an ejection button on the flash drive socket. Those of us with a bit of Arthur in the hands have a miserable time trying to get the card out of the machine. After reviewing many of the postings in the forum, it is quite apparent that CW needs to place more attention to fail-safe & recovery schemes for the carver's computer system and better engineering for the chuck release system. My unit had 30 minutes of service when I took it back to Sears (the carving bit was left in the chuck). Anyone want to buy 2 new flask memory cards? $40 for both.

[cncwoodcarver]

I am so glad I decided not to get a CW! Since the wonderful response from other members and feeling so Not welcomed I see more and more people giving up and returning their machines!

Just thought I would give my 2 cents and happy holidays!

[Dirtydan]

What you see here is from a few people who have had trouble with their machines... If only the forum users had the machines, it would still be less than 1% who have had problems... I would guess if you counted all the machines sold to individual users, it would be more like .5%.

Starting next month, Woodcrafter will also be selling the CW machine. I don't think they would be selling it in their stores if they thought it was such a bad machine.

Just a thought....



I am so glad I decided not to get a CW! Since the wonderful response from other members and feeling so Not welcomed I see more and more people giving up and returning their machines!

Just thought I would give my 2 cents and happy holidays!

[mtylerfl]

Hello Dirtydan,

WoodCraft is now selling the CarveWright machines. Check it out...

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=20437

[Dirtydan]

I saw that in my Woodcrafter newsletter.... just didn't remember when it started, I knew next month for sure... LOL...

Merry Christmas Michael...



Hello Dirtydan,

WoodCraft is now selling the CarveWright machines. Check it out...

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=20437

[mtylerfl]

Merry Christmas!

[zeke]

Just a note, months ago when I made a purchase from woodcrafter I was asking about their equipment and return policies and they said all sales are final.