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Thread: What is your expertise??

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    1,109

    Question What is your expertise??

    Ok, after following this forum for 7 or 8 months now, I have come to the conclusion that this is an extraordinary group of people. I have been blown away by some of the posts on here whether it is the dialog, or the pictures of projects, or accessories being built with or for the CarveWright.

    I thought it would be cool to see what everyone considers their area of expertise.

    Personally, I am a skilled CNC machinist in the plastic injection mold making field. My strengths lie in Mechanical Engineering, CNC programming, and CNC machining. I manage these areas in a small 30+ man shop. I have 27 years of on the job training

    Ron
    To order the "Made in USA" Rock Chuck, and other custom tools and accessories I make for your CarveWright, see my website by clicking here -> http://www.cw-parts.com
    See a quick video of the new Rock Chuck in action here!
    Read up on QC Removal for stubborn chucks here
    See the Rock install video here
    You can also visit here for discussion content.
    Email me by clicking here

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Palo Alto, CA
    Posts
    110

    Default An interesting question...

    ...I'll pony up.

    I'm a 20+ year vet of the Silicon Valley. I've been a software engineer with NASA (Ames Research Center), Apple, Electronic Arts and a half-dozen start-ups whose names you wouldn't know. I'm currently at Adobe Systems, working on the 3D features in the high-end versions of Acrobat and I had a hand in the newer 3D features in Photoshop CS3. My work has always centered around interactive graphics (almost always 3D), and the complex data structures that are involved in display and optimization in real-time.

    I have no rational explanation for my enthusiasm for the CW machine, but mine is down right now with a broken traction belt and I'm going out of my skin. Before this, I had never threatened a piece of wood with a tool and now because of the machine, I'm friends with all the lumber and hardware stores in the greater Bay Area, I'm developing something you might recognize as a shop in my garage and I actually bought a band saw recently. I've seen lots of 3D printers at trade shows and they're interesting to me, but there's something very exiting about the combination of 3D data and the traditional medium of wood that has really gripped me (by the pocket book). My ultimate interest is to extend my amateur interest in Egyptology, by making replicas of wooden antiquities.

    Cycollins

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    East coast
    Posts
    66

    Default I always wondered myself

    I am by trade a full time law enforcement officer in a county that boarders DC (Yes, I stay Busy). Have been for about 25 years now.
    I am skilled in photoshop (Thanks CY as well as CAD, web development, 3d rendering, photographic manipulation, editing, and other graphic intensive programs. I built an opperate a small milling machine and have a "home workshop" that NASA would be proud of. The CC seemed right at home here. The CC is a true time saver as I now can actuall see the results in hours not days. In the spare time I raise quarter horses here on my farm and when the sun sets I can usually be found with some type of musical instrument in my hands.


    Your turn!!!
    Tom
    If you think I am talking about you then you are either correct or guilty

  4. #4

    Default

    I am humbled. I'm a cabinetmaker. I make a living making other peoples dream kitchens & baths. Most of the pictures I have are of the simple jobs, because the big, extravigant, real dream ones are usually trashed, & full of dirty dishes by the time I get my camera there. In a prior life, I was a well driller, managed a ski areas water and wastewater systems & their building maintainence crew. I've built my own home (31 years ago), shop, garage, & live quietly miles off the main road.
    The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.

    Do it on a Mac.
    Vietnam Vet '65-'66

  5. #5

    Default

    I've been a Policeman since 1968 and STILL have 2 years to go before I hang it up. I am working on my 2nd pension right now. I work for the State of Louisiana, as a Lieutenant. I also operate a website selling Fine Writing Instruments (at those prices, I hate to call them ink pens). I've been selling online for 10 years now. It started out as a way to supplement my income so I would not have to work off-duty details - it is now another full time job.

    I have been an avid woodworker most of my life - I have a shop that like most of us, is far too small for the equipment. I finally have everything that I think I will ever need, except a jointer (yeah, I know that should have been one of my first purchases). My wife refers to me as an Avid Tool Collector, not a woodworker (based on the number of projects I actually finish). Well, that's my story, what's yours?
    Bill

    As my Grandpa used to say "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased!"

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Baton Rouge La
    Posts
    146

    Default a lot of talented folks out here..

    A little Bio about me …seems as if I have done a lot of different things in my life. My first love has always been with woodworking of some type. Been doing it now for 40 some odd years.

    Got a degree in electronics when I got back from Nam, worked in the computer field for many years. Then I taught at a private college, web design, computer repair, graphic software, and Chair of the Business Office department.

    Was self employed (home building from the ground up) some years ago which led me into remodeling bathrooms, kitchens, cabinets, and later into wooden furniture design and building.

    Currently I am a Facilities Maintenance Engineer with Bass Pro Shops, which is the best position I have ever had. Just love it, and I get to display my CW work in the fishing, hunting, gifts, marine departments.

    Like Ron said, I also feel blessed to be part of the group, I do enjoy the post, information, patterns and the over all community involvement.



    Thanks Ron for starting this thread, looks like a lot of talented folks out here........


    Dean

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    60

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by rjustice View Post
    I thought it would be cool to see what everyone considers their area of expertise. Ron
    Guess I'll try this again, didn't show up first time!

    Ron: You know what a expert is don’t you? An ex is a has been, and a pert is a drip under pressure.

    In January of this year I retired after having worked for the same machined parts manufacture company for 43 yrs. The early years was interrupted for four years by duty in the US Navy, two of those four years in a shore based air borne early warning squadron covering the area from the DEW line to the south-east Asia area. After four years active duty I spent eight more in the Navy reserve. I have been a machine operator, set-up man, line foreman and machine rebuilding supervisor for screw machine’s multi-spindle and single-spindle, lathe’s’ grinder’s, broach’s, drilling machine’s and others. Those machine’s run from manual/cam operated, NC operated (tape), CNC operated to hybrid manual/PLC machine’s. When I started working for this company it had, including me, five people and when I retired it had one hundred and twenty-three people. As a hobby I ran a restoration business restoring English sports cars for twenty-five years. Ten years ago I sold off that part-time business and expanded my woodworking shop. Few American’s know that most English sports car up to the early 1960's contained many wooden parts, that’s why I said I expanded my woodworking shop. So, I guess, I can say that I’ve been doing woodworking for over thirty-five years. An been a hard-headed do it myself type all my life. But what still amazes me is that one can sit at a key board and communicate around the world in a matter of seconds. The Internet has come a long way from the DOS command days. What is nice today is that I can take a week to do what I use to do once a week.
    DDV

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    117

    Thumbs up I know now where all the craftsman have gone..

    I cut my first metal when I was 14 in a Machine Shop Vocational class and received 2000 hrs of training..........I have been a machine operator, Foreman. Tool Engineer, NC/CNC Programmer, Electronic Repair on NC/CNC machines, Production Manager and Plant Manager for a 450 employee air tool company. I retired in 2001 and needed something to enjoy so took up woodworking as my hobby. I bought my machine in Feb. 2007 and love it.
    This blends all my hobbies as I also am a semi tallented artist and still have my first Timex/Sinclair Computer along with my first desktop IBM PC jR.
    I Enjoy sharing Knowledge and learning from the many talented members of this forum............When I retired I could no longer find young machinist as it seems they have been taught dirty hands mean you must not be able to make it to college.
    Better stop here as I tend to ramble when it comes to our future craftsman
    and American Industry.

    At 66 I'm still learning.................and vertical

    Bob

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    South East, Michigan
    Posts
    6,118

    Default Ron, A 1 or 2 liner – - I think I wrote a book

    In the late 50’s and early 60’s I worked my way through School for find Arts, repairing art works from Europe and Africa that had been damaged in shipping for dealers here in the States, along with a few sales of my own art in a couple galleries locally. (Starving artiest you know.) Then won a national lottery along with a lot of other guys, (I was drafted) started out as an Army Medic, 6 years later I was teaching medical and surgical technology and was a Military Administrator to a Civilian Hospital. After that stint, I had to find a way to make a living again, so I tried my luck at acting with a summer theater group, lots of plays, stories, Shakespeare and the like, but not much money. Finally they decided to try some musicals, Fiddler on the Roof was popular then, and we all tried out for a part. Well after a day and half of hearing all of us singing our heads off. (They made me the lighting guy) thus ended my theater days. Next got a real job and went in to Plumbing and Heating, finally started earning enough for decent living, and opened a wholesale jobbing house for the building trades. After 15 years of sales and paper work I was bored out of my head. Cabinetry that’s it I decided to become a cabinet maker, built kitchens, baths, entertainment centers, drafting tables, you name it after another 15years, cabinets and furniture was coming out of my ears. Luckily I had snuck in sometime to go to school for electronics and started designing passive sonic and inferred alarm components, some still being use today. That and with a back ground in plumbing, heating, and building lead to designing a computer based operating system to control the environment in new homes or commercial building for Numen Computer co. in Ann Arbor, Mi.. Also found time to learn Gold and Silver Smithing, and joint the Gem Carvers Faciters, Lapidary Guild. After building a couple of new homes and rising a family with my wife Barb, --- finally 15 years ago I was able to get back to my first love Fine Art and Antiquities. We have a 28000 sq. ft. environment controlled building with 3 shops and 3 studios, 16 and 24 ft ceilings so the 10 ton crane that can run the length of the building (We get some heavy art). We have air ride climate controlled tucks that pickup and deliver art all the country. I guess our, what you might call expertise is in the restoration, display, and storage of Fine Art, antiques, and Antiquities from all over the world. -- First Emperor Chin’s Terracotta Soldiers from China, Bronze oil lamps from King Herod’s Temple in Jerusalem, Glass and Gold Jewelry, and all manner of antiquities from the Old Kingdoms of Egypt, Weapons and Uniforms form the Napoleonic Wars. Plus art works of all the Masters through the centuries down to the present, and everything in between. And yes we do have vaults and a ton of state of the art security. So you could say I’ve had 40 or 50 years of on the job training to love and enjoy the work we do, and teach our apprentices the expertise to do the same.
    Ken


    Ver 1.182 on XL Pro plus Ver 1.164 and 1.175 on Windows 7 Ultimate
    It Never Fails * Till * You Say It Never Fails

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Yooper now SW Michigan
    Posts
    560

    Default expert at none

    I started working when I was 15 delivering papers, I have not slowed since.
    For a while I dealt poker and was a pit boss at a tribal casino to help pay for college. I worked as a carpenter part time after that. I went to college, then went to work for a furniture hardware company as a draftsman, hoping to move into an engineer position. After a few years I had the drafting process semi automated so a chimp could do the job. I bought an Intergraph Microstation cad system with IRAS add on package, I scanned design sketches (raster images) and placed on a title block with dimensions and production notes (vector). I would layout full size sheet metal stampings for the pattern makers. I had extra time so they shared me with the IS department. I had 2 sets of boss' 2 desks 2 phones, but still 1/2 a paycheck.
    I now work at a community college IT department and do remodeling/built ins and cabinetry on the side.
    I built and operate a small excavator business, I have a dump truck, skid steer and small backhoe. I specialize in precision small work. I often actually dig inside buildings excavating footings for CNC equipment. I recently was commissioned to sink a trampoline flush with the ground.
    I also still support a CNC based manufacturing company I network the machines and keep the PC side of these machines humming.
    Did I mention the custom sign business?
    So expert at nothing but lots of experience.
    Mike G
    Custom wood working, etc, www.gmanind.com

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