Just Bought One.

[NLAlston]

When you order the rubber traction belts ask if they can be installed on the machine you ordered. It will save you some steps when you get your machine. They do a great job in the shop and will insure your machine is recalibrated before it leaves.

FW, I had been here, very anxiously awaiting my CW (which was supposed to arrive tomorrow), but learned - just yesterday evening - that it couldn't be shipped because of the fact that it was discontinued. Not the machine itself, but the machine as it had initially shipped. Now, I haven't seen anything on this, anywhere else, which is to say that I don't know how many prospective buyers may know this, but the machines will no longer have the sandpaper belts. From this point on they will be outfitted with the upgraded rubber belts. Very good move (IMO), as the benefits of incorporating them has been sung, in very loud voices, by those who had forgone the sandpaper relatives of the rubber belts.

An LHR CSR (Mary) called me yesterday, and she was as sweet as candy. She had been in communication with Lowes,regarding my CW order, and didn't wait for them to get in touch with me. She did so, herself (leaving me impressed). She explained the situation about the discontinuance of selling the sandpaper belt driven units, and I explained that I understood. The only issue was that's had already ordered rubber belts. She checked on it, and learned that the order was already in the UPS hands. She's going to try to intercept its delivery, and send me one of the units with the upgraded belts already installed. In fact, she was going to try and handle things soon enough to have the CW shipped out today. But she did promise to call me back, this evening, to let me know of the developments.

The company seems to be as great as I believe the machine to be.

[fwharris]

FW, I had been here, very anxiously awaiting my CW (which was supposed to arrive tomorrow), but learned - just yesterday evening - that it couldn't be shipped because of the fact that it was discontinued. Not the machine itself, but the machine as it had initially shipped. Now, I haven't seen anything on this, anywhere else, which is to say that I don't know how many prospective buyers may know this, but the machines will no longer have the sandpaper belts. From this point on they will be outfitted with the upgraded rubber belts. Very good move (IMO), as the benefits of incorporating them has been sung, in very loud voices, by those who had forgone the sandpaper relatives of the rubber belts.

An LHR CSR (Mary) called me yesterday, and she was as sweet as candy. She had been in communication with Lowes,regarding my CW order, and didn't wait for them to get in touch with me. She did so, herself (leaving me impressed). She explained the situation about the discontinuance of selling the sandpaper belt driven units, and I explained that I understood. The only issue was that's had already ordered rubber belts. She checked on it, and learned that the order was already in the UPS hands. She's going to try to intercept its delivery, and send me one of the units with the upgraded belts already installed. In fact, she was going to try and handle things soon enough to have the CW shipped out today. But she did promise to call me back, this evening, to let me know of the developments.

The company seems to be as great as I believe the machine to be.

Yes I knew at some point the sandpaper belts on the machines was going to be discontinued. All machines will be standard with the rubber belts. I also agree this is a great move.

Great to hear Mary was "Mary on the spot" and got the ball rolling for you.

[aokweld101]

I would suggest, getting you wood at a sawmill... home depot and lowes will put you in the poor house you can get two times more wood at the sawmill search around to find out where there are.

[Ton80]

First thing to buy is a dust collector for the machine. This is essential. If not, you will be constantly fighting board sensor errors. I don't have the RingNeck dust collector, but if I buy another machine, that is the one I will get. I bought mine without any input, it works good, but I believe the side hookup of the ringneck dust collector would work better. Regardless of the one you buy, make this your first purchase.

Dust collection is about the most important add-on investment you will make. Don't make the mistake of not doing this. I would opt for the Ringneck solution if I did it again on a new machine but I went with the version the machine itself carves out and it actually works quite fine at grabbing the smaller stuff which is what's going to work it's way into parts and cause problems.

[QUOTE=NLAlston;215184]

The most used bits will be the 2 V bits (used for centerline text and vector carvings) and the 3/8" straight bit (used for pocket cuts and calibration procedures.
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Ok, then. So, there are just the three bits that I should be concerned about. Good. I think I recently read, somewhere, that V bits (for machines such as ours) should be at a 45 degree, and at a 60 degree cut. Is that right? (I don't know if they come in different angle cuts, other than the two angles I mentioned - which is why I ask). I also don't remember, but I think that the diameter of the shafts are to be 1/4". As soon as I hear back from you, I will head out to pick up the three bits you have mentioned. I will get carbide tipped bits.

You can use many different 90 and 60 Vbits. I use a 1/2" Freud bit that my local lumber yard has in stock and for the 60 the last one I purchased was a CMT bit with 3 or 4 flutes that works as good if not better that the one CW offers.

I would suggest, getting you wood at a sawmill... home depot and lowes will put you in the poor house you can get two times more wood at the sawmill search around to find out where there are.

Just remember, no matter where you get your wood you must make sure any cupping, warp or "out of square" issues are taken care of before feeding the machine a board. Some very minor cupping is OK but out of square will cause binding as the board slides through the machine. You will need some standard woodworking tools in the shop for such tasks or have the mill you get your wood from square and surface the wood ahead of time. Since you are up in Western NY, you should have access to at least one good saw mill that will sell you wood that is S4S so you have no worries and you won't have to pick through the bins at HD or Lowes hoping for some good pieces. You'll also be supporting a local business!

CW customer service is very helpful and should be your first call if you have problems and then the folks here are very good also if it's after hours.

BTW, don't go lubing your new machines flex shaft when it arrives.. you should only do that if the operation temperature is too high as these are supposed to be lubed at CW and ready to go. Adding lube when it's not needed can lead to other problems.

Enjoy your machine!

John

[NLAlston]

Just remember, no matter where you get your wood you must make sure any cupping, warp or "out of square" issues are taken care of before feeding the machine a board. Some very minor cupping is OK but out of square will cause binding as the board slides through the machine. You will need some standard woodworking tools in the shop for such tasks or have the mill you get your wood from square and surface the wood ahead of time. Since you are up in Western NY, you should have access to at least one good saw mill that will sell you wood that is S4S so you have no worries and you won't have to pick through the bins at HD or Lowes hoping for some good pieces. You'll also be supporting a local business!

John

Over the years I have really been blessed with some woodworking machinery - two of them being a jointer, and a thickness planer. So, I would be kinda good to go as far as treating my stock for flatness, and squareness. I do wish, however, that my Shopsmith jointer (4") had more width real estate than it does, but it is what it is ��. I will certainly look into dealing with a sawmill, for my stock. Also, I am glad that I read what you wrote against giving immediate attention to the Flex Shaft. I WAS going to pull it off, and really give it a good dosing of a lubricant. But, now, I will wait on that - and just keep a feel on that component, for excessive warmth. Only then (or when the required time for maintenance arrives) will I address that.

Thanks, John.

[Capt Bruce]

[QUOTE=fwharris;215187]

Well maybe a bit of a stretch, but thanks sir!!

Naahh,
I'd give you awesome too Floyd.

Nathan,
I neglected to add Welcome Aboard the Forum. We're all here to help whenever you need a question answered as you've seen already. Enjoy the new quantities of sawdust you will soon be producing!

[NLAlston]

[QUOTE=Capt Bruce;215404]

Naahh,
I'd give you awesome too Floyd.

Nathan,
I neglected to add Welcome Aboard the Forum. We're all here to help whenever you need a question answered as you've seen already. Enjoy the new quantities of sawdust you will soon be producing!

Thanks, Capt Bruce. 'Means much.