About to take the plunge. Two pre-sale questions first.

[Cavallo]

I'm planning to finally do it, and place an order this week. First, two questions which may have been hinted at elsewhere, but I need to ask anyway if for no other reason than to get me over the nervousness that comes with such an expense.

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1) Is this website the absolute best purchase value for a new machine? I'm more than happy to order here, but am not wedded to it if I can get a better value elsewhere. This might seem a bit of a ballsy question to ask on LHR's own website, but I have to be practical.

2) I have a desktop and a laptop. Is the software allowed to be installed on multiple machines as long as they are mine? A lot of software is licensed this way, and it would be extremely handy for me.

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Thanks in advance.

[Dale]

Welcome to the Carvewright world. I don't know the answer to your first question but I do know that you can install the software on two computers.

Dale

[Cavallo]

Thanks, Dale! Very helpful info.

[Cavallo]

Also, I guess I have one more question. Extended warranties. In my head, I'm weighing the 'delicate' reputation this machine has against the awesomeness of this forum in helping people with troubleshooting. Is there a general consensus about warranties? Something like "OHMIGOD never get a CW without one," or "don't bother, not enough stuff is covered to make it worthwhile and anyway they charge too much shipping for everything," etc….

[chebytrk]

I think that the web site is a good deal. I THINK that some people MIGHT get a little better if there is a Woodcraft Show close to you and there is a CW rep there. Sometimes they may have a "special" going. I also have a desktop and laptop that I keep both programs on so I can do work from either machine. I'll even share a folder between the both just to keep the same thing going from both PCs.

[Digitalwoodshop]

I believe everyone should buy the 1st machine from LHR with the Warranty... That is the way I did it.... But in my case from Sears in 2007 when they sold them. Then once you have the machine down and all the In's and outs of project setup and PREVENTIVE Maintenance you will be very comfortable with the system. The Warranty will aid in learning the machine and make it much more cost effective.

So it will come a time that you want to add a 2nd machine, you can take advantage of the MANY used units that show up here and on eBay and Craig's List. By that time you will be a Professional Operator and Maintenance Person on the machine.

Other than a Cracked Frame Machine from Shipping Damage there is little that cannot be repaired. Even a "A" Series machine without the Frame Improvements of the "C" is a really GREAT Machine... As long as it has the FSC Cable upgrade known as the A907 I believe.... A 18 pin to 14 pin change to that big flat cable that carries the Z power and Data.

Last I knew you could have 2 computers registered for each machine you own... I have 4 and will be calling as I have 2 more back up computers and will find out first hand soon.

Finding and reading Tips and Tricks will do you more good than anything as many of the faults are what we call Pilot Error as in the crash was caused by the operator.

And the 'Delicate" Reputation has pretty much gone out the window... Many little improvements have turned this machine into a pretty impressive Hobby CNC. Spend some time reading the Troubleshooting Forum and look at the LACK of any serious problems... Sure if you look at 2007 posts it was different.... But Like the Actress Jane Fonda.... She will always be known as "Hanoi Jane" for going to North Vietnam and getting her picture taken on a Anti Air Gun and gave Notes passed to her by the POW'S to the NVA General.... No matter what she does as an Actress...

Good Luck,

AL

[Cavallo]

And the 'Delicate" Reputation has pretty much gone out the window... Many little improvements have turned this machine into a pretty impressive Hobby CNC. Spend some time reading the Troubleshooting Forum and look at the LACK of any serious problems... Sure if you look at 2007 posts it was different.... But Like the Actress Jane Fonda.... She will always be known as "Hanoi Jane" for going to North Vietnam and getting her picture taken on a Anti Air Gun and gave Notes passed to her by the POW'S to the NVA General.... No matter what she does as an Actress...

What a great analogy. Seriously.

So, if the machines really are beefier now, I think that my plan is to rely on the 30-day warranty, my wits, and this forum to get me through, since that's $200 that could be put into the DXF importer. It seems mildly evil to charge extra for such a seemingly common feature, but then I'm used to print publishing where these shenanigans would not be tolerated. I get that vertical markets just work this way. I have a friend who does machine embroidery and the software in that market is much worse. At least LHR has a sort-of-almost-Mac version, even if it does rely on X-Windows. But I'm rambling.

I'm thinking the upgraded traction belts, and Scanning Probe will be necessary. I'm wondering about the DXF importer, however. I mean, being able to import vector art from Adobe Illustrator would be brilliant, but couldn't I just rasterize my art in Photoshop, and import raster height maps to carve? If I needed a cut path, could I use the built-in trace function to trace the raster into a vector and cut that, or is there a quality hit? Who is the CW software guru hereabouts?

[Cavallo]

Wow! And within minutes of posting this, I found the free utility ai2mpc! As I was intending to work largely in Illustrator anyway, this is ideal, and probably just saved me $200, which now makes more sense to spend on the warranty. The author of this utility should be given some kind of medal.

[cnsranch]

Don't really know if I was one of the lucky ones on the past or not.....

I've had my machine 5 years (hard to believe) - I think it's a "B" machine.

Aside from upgrading to the CT chuck a while back (QC finally shelled out), and replacing the X gear (both of those issues were clearly Operator Error) I have had zero problems.

I bought the probe and centerline text with the machine, got conforming vectors when it came available. All must haves, IMHO.

I was one of those $1,899 purchasers, plus the add-ons - never paid that much for a tool in my life. As a result, I treated the thing like glass in the beginning - NEVER did anything with it unless I was positive I knew what I was doing. I spent more time here on the Forum than I did in the workshop - I picked the brains of these guys here (probably made them nuts), but I really learned the machine back to front (except for AW's knowledge of the electrical ends of the thing).

So, was I lucky, or did I make my own luck? Not really sure, but I can tell you that I have never regretted buying the machine, and I use it in almost each project I do any more.

If I knew how it was going to turn out, I wouldn't have bought a warranty (no choice back then) - of course, the guy who's selling you the warranty is betting you that nothing will go wrong, and the guy who's buying it is betting that it will.

Warranties are gambles, any way you look at them.

[Cavallo]

I've always looked at warranties and insurance the same way myself. My intent is to do much as you describe - treat the thing like glass initially, and thoroughly research everything I ask the thing to do before I do it. I also plan to make/acquire a dust collector and moly-lube the shaft before I even turn the thing on. I'm a programmer/IT guy by trade. I tend to be analytical about absolutely everything. It has stood me in good stead so far.