1st Question from a Newbie

[blade57]

Hi Folks

This is my first post so please be patient if I've posted in the wrong place or asked a stupid question.

I live in Southern Alberta, Canada and my wife wants to start a small woodcarving business. What I was wondering is whether the CarveWright is the right machine for her to do this with. Is reliability an issue? What are the pro's and con's of this machine? Is the software really as easy to use as it shows on the commercial?

Thanks

Dave :)

[MikeMcCoy]

Welcome Dave - what you're asking would take about an hour to answer and do your answer justice. I would suggest reading several pages of posts in the software forum and it will probably scare the bejiggers out of you. You will see that many have absolutely (or at least not major) problems and some have many. A big majority of initial start up problems are operator induced (me included) and wouldn't have happened if the user had taken the time to learn the machine and do a good initial checkout of the machine. LHR support is phenomenal and there aren't to many things on the machines that can't be fixed if you are mechanically inclined. Preventive maintenance is probably one of the biggest things to keep track of. The software is relatively easy to use and for those things that can't be figured out - there are some of the most helpful people that I've ever seen hanging out on these forums. I'm not sure of numbers but I get the impression that many of us that use these things commercially (especially if it's going to be a main part of her production), have more than one machine so that cost needs to be added to your consideration.

[ChrisAlb]

Hi Dave and welcome to the forum,

What Mike say is very true. I've found my CW to be very reliable and I use it on a fairly large production scale meaning it runs on average about 8 hours a day.

All I would add to what Mike says is...you can download a fully functional trial of the Designer software to see just how easy it is to use.

http://www.carvewright.com/cms/downloads

Like with anything, there is a learning curve but it's not very steep.

Make HEAVY use of the search function on this forum as just about anything you'll probably ask has been answered before. Of course if you can't find the info you need, this forum is just PACKED with friendly, knowledgeable folks who are happy to help.

Again welcome and happy carving!

[jspringertx]

I agree with the previous posters...read all you can about the CarveWright before you decide that it is what you need.

There are many helpful people on the forum and a great deal of patterns available..free and for sale..on the websites.

Just remember the machine is noisy and generates a bunch of dust. You will require a dust collector and a set of ear protection to operate the machine. If you don't protect your ears, is not a question of if you will lose some hearing...it's when.

I have had my unit since February last year. I have sold only one sign, but I sure enjoy carving items for my friends.

One item to consider is where the unit can be repaired or are you mechanically inclined to make any repairs yourself? Unless there is a local repair facility it is a long way from Canada to Pasadena, Texas. 99% of the problems can be fixed over the phone with the technicians from LHR. They are grea!

[cnsranch]

All you've read from these guys I echo whole-heartedly. I've learned a ton of stuff from the Forum, from techniques to maintenance - they (and I) are more than happy to help.

Although Chris is right when he says the the learning curve with the software isn't steep, I do believe that the more computer experience you have, the better off you are in getting started. I'm not talking about your knowledge of technical software, I just mean how to use word processing, spreadsheet, etc., software, and how to navigate the 'Net. How to cut and paste, how to crop, rotate, use all of the keys on your mouse - the basics, etc. will take you a long way.

The machine and the software is an absolute blast. You can make money, I'm sure, although I haven't tried. What you can't learn, here, and what most don't really have the time to teach, is how to market your product. Like ANY business, if you're looking to make a living right away, you better have a plan. That said (forgive me, those of you who are making a legitimate go of it), my sense is that if you want to have a ball, and make a few bucks while you're at it, you're on to something with the CW. If you have some connections, i.e., a camping club, an organization that does charitable work, local knick-knack or tourist shops, even better to display your wares.

Best of luck, and welcome to the best, and least selfish bunch of people on any forum, anywhere.

[cdg]

It really depends on the scale of your operation in my opinion.

I really like my CompuCarve machine. It is still having some problems but I'm hoping it all gets resolved. You can buy several CarveWright machines for the cost of a high end router. The software is easy to learn, and the machine is easy to set up. It measures its own tools and it is nearly impossible for the machine to destroy itself by accident. That is the good.

I don't want to step on any toes but using this machine for production work would be something of an interum solution at best - a joke at worst in my books. A commercial CNC router can cut wood at fearsome feed rates with shockingly high spindle RPMs and optimize waste down to little skeletons that you can crumble with your fingers and toss into your dumpster.

Were I to own a production shop, I would have a Morbidelli, Routech, Busellato or similar industrial tooling brand. You could produce your own jobs and then some with just a single such machine in your shop. Do your wood carvings and on the side get your local concrete guys to specify you their forms, pick up some bucks by having your machine cut plywood forms.

There is a slight difference in price to contend with though and it all depends on your credit rating and how far out on a limb you're willing to go with things.

[ChrisAlb]

Well, this isn't and has never been considered a "production" machine. However, I can say that I run mine about 8 hours a day on average and while not as fast as the bigger CNC machines costing tens of thousands of dollars, It does a darn good job. I direct you to my latest projects......by far not my most intricate.

http://www.carvewright.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8329&page=2

Start with post #1.......

[mtylerfl]

Hi Folks

This is my first post so please be patient if I've posted in the wrong place or asked a stupid question.

I live in Southern Alberta, Canada and my wife wants to start a small woodcarving business. What I was wondering is whether the CarveWright is the right machine for her to do this with. Is reliability an issue? What are the pro's and con's of this machine? Is the software really as easy to use as it shows on the commercial?

Thanks

Dave :)

Hello Dave,

Welcome.

Your wife will certainly appreciate the addition of the CarveWright machine to her new business. She will be able to augment whatever woodworking she already is doing, as well as do complete projects using the CarveWright machine alone. Most people who see CarveWright projects for the first time, go "ga-ga" over them. Visit the CarveWright Customer Gallery (http://www.carvewright.com/gallery) to see a wide selection of finished projects and get an idea of what can be accomplished.

One tip recently given by a couple folks here on the Forum was to make a few "freebie" projects for other businesses to display in their stores (creative signage or whatever). When people see them, they'll likely be impressed enough to ask the business owner where they can "get one too". This is a method of "seeding" your local market and get some word of mouth going rather quickly. I think making a freebie for hospitals, service clubs, doctor's offices, day care facilities, and the like could give you some good exposure to kick things off.

You can also learn a lot by reading the back issues of the Tips & Tricks Newletters. You can download them for free (http://www.carvebuddy.com/learning_center.html) at anytime. Of particular importance for new users are the Dec '07 Issue and the Jan '08 Issue. These will teach you how to avoid common "pilot errors" when first starting out and teach you proper maintainance as well. Subscribe to the free newsletter by visiting http://www.carvewright.com and filling in the "Join Our Mailing List" box.

All the best!

[cdg]

Well, this isn't and has never been considered a "production" machine. However, I can say that I run mine about 8 hours a day on average and while not as fast as the bigger CNC machines costing tens of thousands of dollars, It does a darn good job. I direct you to my latest projects......by far not my most intricate.

http://www.carvewright.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8329&page=2

Start with post #1.......

It all as I said must depend on the scale of your shops and the scale of your hopes and dreams. While you can buy 100 carving machines for the cost of the Morbidelli I am familiar with, even 100 CWs put together don't add up to the capability of the larger router.

My only point is to be careful not to write off a high end CNC machine too quickly for commercial application. There are lower line models out there too that are very capable, very big, and at least a little bit more affordable that would serve a production shop much better, albeit with a much steeper learning curve (although with a higher end machine you typically get training from the manufacturer and skilled setup from trained techs).

Just be realistic about the scale of your company and the potential for growth and do your homework very carefully before deciding what toys you're going to buy.

To me the CW is my interim fix while I borrow time on other CNC machines and save for my own 3 axis model.

[ChrisAlb]

It all as I said must depend on the scale of your shops and the scale of your hopes and dreams. While you can buy 100 carving machines for the cost of the Morbidelli I am familiar with, even 100 CWs put together don't add up to the capability of the larger router.

My only point is to be careful not to write off a high end CNC machine too quickly for commercial application. There are lower line models out there too that are very capable, very big, and at least a little bit more affordable that would serve a production shop much better, albeit with a much steeper learning curve (although with a higher end machine you typically get training from the manufacturer and skilled setup from trained techs).

Just be realistic about the scale of your company and the potential for growth and do your homework very carefully before deciding what toys you're going to buy.

To me the CW is my interim fix while I borrow time on other CNC machines and save for my own 3 axis model.

Who's writing anything off? I think anyone who bought a CW fully realizes (as advertised) it's NOT a production machine designed for high output work. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you but you seem to be bent on comparing steak knives to chainsaws here.

What this machine is to me, is exactly what I bought for. To augment my 30 years of woodworking by adding another dimension to my shop. For instance, I build coffee tables for one example. Now I can add nice carvings to the tops and put them under glass. Or nice carvings on the legs. Or any other infinite possibilities.

If I wanted to stamp out a 1000 of something in a week, then yes, the CW would not be the tool of choice. Did you buy one thinking you could do that?...:confused:....I hope not.

[Cbrown]

Dave,
Another good thing is that the CarveWright is now available in Canada. Saw the email the other day, CarveWright Corner August 08. And like Chris or someone said in an earlier post, download the trial version of the software. You can play with it for 30 days.

[cdg]

Who's writing anything off? I think anyone who bought a CW fully realizes (as advertised) it's NOT a production machine designed for high output work. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you but you seem to be bent on comparing steak knives to chainsaws here.

What this machine is to me, is exactly what I bought for. To augment my 30 years of woodworking by adding another dimension to my shop. For instance, I build coffee tables for one example. Now I can add nice carvings to the tops and put them under glass. Or nice carvings on the legs. Or any other infinite possibilities.

If I wanted to stamp out a 1000 of something in a week, then yes, the CW would not be the tool of choice. Did you buy one thinking you could do that?...:confused:....I hope not.


No disagreement Chris. I don't know the scale of your business but I'm sure that what you do the machine is just fine. I'm 20 years old, have about 3 years of various experiences and want to enjoy being a shop teacher someday with the possibility of running a small millworks or custom cabinet shop.

Now in my opinion the CW system is awesome for what I use it for - a way to adorn my personal furniture projects. As a tool to operate a business with, entailing in my books, contracts, deadlines, and semi production custom work, then unless you're getting a premium for each piece you produce, this machine should be passed over for something bigger and better.

I'm sure it's possible to make money with, I just don't think it's possible to make enough money to earn a good living with one.

If we're still stuck in this moral stichomythia tomorrow than I will give up. :-D I'm offering my opinion of the tool as a serious business venture and I say it's a bad idea as such.

[blade57]

Hi Guys

Thanks for all your help and comments. Definitely food for thought

Dave.

[Digitalwoodshop]

I think the CarveWright is a stepping stone to a bigger machine in my future and the future of many others.

AL

[liquidguitars]

20 years old, and you own a carvewright the world is yours!


optimize waste down to little skeletons that you can crumble with your fingers and toss into your dumpster.

Any CNC will do this if you know how..

Now where is my Hass manual. :)

LG

[brady.schwyhart]

Dave,
There have been a lot of great posts in reply to your question so I won't waste time trying to rehash them all. I can tell you from experience that it is possible to make money with the CW. I purchased mine in Febuary and have not only had a wonderful time using it, but have sold enough products to pay for it completely and then some, and I don't do it full time, just in my spare time in my garage. You just have to find a product that works for you. The machine is not only reliable, but highly versatile as well. I have made a variety of projects ranging from military plaques, clocks, and even a small jewelry box for my daughter. The folks on the software and hardware support lines are not only highly knowledgeable, but extremely friendly and helpful. And as for the "Forum Crew" I can't say enough good things about em. If someone has a question that can't be answered here, I haven't seen it yet. In my humble opinion, a CW would be a great addition to any woodshop.:)