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

[Digitalwoodshop]

Centerline Text would be on the top of my list for a add on too... It just makes nicer text most of the time.

Good Luck,

AL

[Cavallo]

Centerline Text would be on the top of my list for a add on too... It just makes nicer text most of the time.

Good Luck,

AL

Noted. I don't see myself doing a lot of text, however.

[fwharris]

Then add "conforming vectors" if you have plans of importing vectors into your carvings. Great feature even with out the centerline...

[Cavallo]

I know what Conforming Vectors does, but how does it do it? Does it carve the basic shape, and then cut the vectors into the carving as if they're still vector cut paths, or does it just convert the vectors and add them to the carving so the whole thing carves as one big carving? If the latter, I can probably just get the same effect with a grayscale image using layers in Photoshop to create a composite heightmap. I've already done similar things with the demo of Designer. It seems as if quite a lot can be done by just importing an appropriate bitmap.

[fwharris]

I know what Conforming Vectors does, but how does it do it? Does it carve the basic shape, and then cut the vectors into the carving as if they're still vector cut paths, or does it just convert the vectors and add them to the carving so the whole thing carves as one big carving? If the latter, I can probably just get the same effect with a grayscale image using layers in Photoshop to create a composite heightmap. I've already done similar things with the demo of Designer. It seems as if quite a lot can be done by just importing an appropriate bitmap.

It is two separate carves. The raster/pattern carve will be done first and then it will ask for the Vector bit to be installed to carve the vector.

If you have the software knowledge to do such then it would be done in one carve. Not to sure how the final look would be compared the the vector cut but guessing it would be very close...

[Cavallo]

If you have the software knowledge to do such then it would be done in one carve. Not to sure how the final look would be compared the the vector cut but guessing it would be very close...

If it would carve out the basic design before cutting the vectors anyway, there would be no time savings to using CV. The only thing I'd worry about is any possible quality hit. I'm glad to hear that it might be very close. I'd see for myself, but this is all still theoretical for me at the moment...

[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.

[cnsranch]

Even in the early days most of the issues were Operator Error - guys would get frustrated, and bitch about the machine.

Case in point - a few years back I had two pieces of 8'x8"x2" thick Maple my son wanted carved for the sides of his mantle. I tried to keep them natural as possible to preserve the thickness of the wood. We had error after error while the machine was trying to measure the boards - tracking roller errors, front and back roller errors, on and on. My engineer son was bitching about the piece of crap machine when all along we were trying to use boards that didn't have good edges along the tracking rollers, and not enough support on the infeed and outfeed sides. I knew what was wrong, I just didn't want to plane the boards anymore than I had to.

But I had to, and once we had the boards square, parallel, and enough support, the projects went through without a hitch.

Someone new would have had the attidude that the machine was no good when it was clearly Operator Error.

[Cavallo]

Someone new would have had the attidude that the machine was no good when it was clearly Operator Error.

Wow, good anecdote. I'll definitely be doing long boards at some point, so I may pick your brain about supports. Fortunately, I'll be handling the CNC end of things, and my dad the lifelong woodworker will deal with the other things, like firing up the planer to get things forensically square.