Thinking of Buying a CW?

[Digitalwoodshop]

Over in the Sawmill Creek forum is a old thread from our buddy Mr. Richards with tons of pictures.... A new post asking basically.... "What do you think today"....

Here is my Readers Digest reply.... A PRO LHR post in my opinion that lays out some of the questions and some of the answers to assist in making that decision.



Wrtten by me on Sawmill Creek:


I won't comment on Mr. Richards as it is not my place. The answers to that question can be found on the CW Forum. I hold Mr. Richards in very high reguard in his many skills and abilities. I am also Retired Military.

I have had the CW machine since 2007 and just today ran one of my machines in my 10 degree Wood Shop cutting 2 sheets of plastic tags for the fire side of my business. It is better to run the machine in a warmer envioriment but I am careful and know the limitations and have been lucky.

So back to your questions... The Carvewright machine is divided into two areas of discussion.... Software and Hardware. The Designer Software, a Hobby Grade Program that has been in Continious Improvement Mode from the start. Free updates have been the Norm for a very long time for the basic Designer with some of the more complicated functions released as a "Pay" Option. This gets a lot of press time in the forums. For me I have a few of the "Add On's" and since I use it for my Business it has been a easy decision to buy them. Others I would like but have not seen the need yet.

"THEN"... Things changed in the Designer Software where a Complete Rewrite happened to aid in future Designer Developments. This was the 2.xx Series with the old Designer being the 1.xx versions. The 2.xx versions started out as a "PAY" option leaving the 1.xx being still free but with no future updates. This has been a very active topic and one that has tainted a few long time users. I am still using 1.184 a pretty old version as for me, "It Works" and does very nice work for me. I use the CW in my business and really depend on it.... So I have always been very slow in loading the latest update.... Updates that I have not loaded in the 1.xx series give me the ability to do things like test the machine and motors from the keypad. But Comma.... I use a ROCK Chuck that was the first after market chuck and have been very happy with it. Later versions have made some changes that tighten up the length of the bit loaded into the machine that is slowely being Customized to the LHR Carvetite Bit length. The CT Bits have a Sleeve and Flange and LHR controls the length and closed the window of bit length and if I install a bit in my ROCK Chuck at slightly TOO LONG bad things happen.... The work around is simple... Just find the correct bit length for a bit with my ROCK by trial and error and use a locking ring. Done... Works every time... with 1.184 my current version.... IF I upgrade... I am not sure.... I have seen postings where ROCK users were frustrated... So for me... It works... Don't fix it... The Down Side.... Many projects have been posted on the Forum in a 1.xx version higher than I am running that I would like to open but at 1.184 I cannot.... So I can't offer advice on a problem... I like to offer fix it advice.. And any project in 2.xx I can not look at either... And if someone opens a 1.184 project in 2.xx, it WILL open but it will save in 2.xx and I am locked out... So this thread here and many on the CW Forum post the frustration over the question of a Hobby Machine with Pay Software and limitations.... I have choose to stay out of the mix and just be happy with what I can do....

Next is the Machine.... You will need to spend time and actually read many of the Troubleshooting Posts on the CW Forum.... The Machine HAS gotten more reliable over time and the proof is in the forum.... The machine DOES have a few weak areas like the Bearings in the Y Gearbox but if you follow simple recommendations like changing the 2 little 685ZZ Bearings at the same time as you change the Cut Motor Brushes at 250 Cut Hours you will be FINE.... The Maintenance list is small but the trick is to actually do Preventive Maintenance every 250 Cut Hours and you will have many troublefree hours of carving.... AND have a Properly Grounded Dust Collection System to remove the Sawdust that causes binding.

Honestly... I still support the machine 100% and the Company. As far as used machines.... I always recomend a used machine as a 2nd machine after you learn the limitations and maintenance required. The Warranty of a new machine helps...

I post over on the CW Forum as Digitalwoodshop and I give repair advice from time to time... The machine has many common faults and likely any problem you have it has been posted and answered and FIXED on the Forum. The Tips and Tricks written by many users is things you need to know to run the machine like the 7 inch rule of wood. A funny term because it is about 7 inches between the two rubber rollers that hold the board FLAT to the Sand Paper OR Rubber Belts. IF a board is held by only one roller the board can tip up and cause problems. You will need to understand the question the LCD asks and what each response will do like Scalling the artwork down real small..... A Common first post next to I cranked the head up and now it only clicks and won't go down.... The answer for the Clicking is actually in the Operators Manual.... Many toss it aside.... and never open it....

MANY options.... The CW is just ONE..... It could be a Stepping Stone to a bigger machine.... One year I made about $20K using the machine in my business.... Last year... $3.5K... So it depends on everything including the Economy.... The Month of January is almost over and I have already past last year's total.... so things are looking up and Firemen got "Grant Money to Spend"....

Too bad Designer didn't do it like Corel Draw where I am still happy using VERY OLD CD 12 and many users of the latest can save a
project in Corel 10, 11, or 12 and I can use it..... Done Right.... Corel Draw...

AL