Hey Mr. Grumbine...what's in the box???

[Jim Becker]

...could it be??? :p

(I have more "revealing" shots, but until they are shared with Bill, I'll not post them here...sorry for the quality. My phone doesn't shoot as good as my other digicams)

[John Miliunas]

Why, is his name on it somewhere? Looks to be a monster! :eek: :) :cool:

[Gary Max]

Big enough to land a plane on the deck of that monster.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Izzat one of those new Hondas? :D

[Bill Grumbine]

[QUOTE=Jim Becker]...could it be??? :p

It could, and it had better! Notice there is only ONE box though. :mad: There was a serious FUBAR at Minimax regarding the lathe. About a month ago my rep sold me a lathe he assured me was in stock and going on the truck to be there at the show. I got a call on Tuesday telling me that not only did the lathe not make it on the truck, it did not make it because it was on a boat out in the ocean somewhere - maybe!!!

The thing is, if he had checked a little more closely and told me that the thing was in Italy, I could have told MY customer the same thing. As it is, I had to twist the guy's arm to get a decision out of him in time to get the lathe on the truck, and now I am standing here with no lathe and expectations of delivery about the same time as the new ones will arrive in the country.

The folks at Minimax are taking care of me though. I will not discuss the details, but I was able to find a used T-124 for sale, and I am buying it for substantially less than a new machine. It needs a cutter upgrade, but I am coming out way ahead on this one.

[Jim Becker]

It is. And yours truly snifffed a lot of kerosene making it nice and shiny yesterday afternoon...

[Russell Svenningsen]

Wow, cleaned it off for him too? For me, that's the most fun, but the worst part. I have no allergies, but for some reason, kerosene knocks my olfactory system to heck and back! I end up looking like I've cut up 50 onions. Not pretty. Try not to think about it.

Congrats Bill! We eagerly await pics of the machine at home in your shop!

[Ted Shrader]

Hey Bill -

Congratulations! Even with the delivery difficulties it appears you will be set to go. Looks like Jim can <b>break out the pictures</b> now!

Regards,
Ted

[Chris Padilla]

Whatever...it is just a box...what is all the excitement about?? It is probably empty.... ;)

I spent 2 hours yesterday evening with Goo Gone (orange/citrus cleaner) going through my MM J/P. Man, they spray that cosmoline (?) all over the freakin' place. What a pain to clean off. My thumb also found out how sharp those darn Tersa blades are, too!! :(

[Michael Sloan]

Slicing your thumb on the tersa blades is simply a right of passage. Besides, a mm J/P won't work correctly until it has been baptized. So now you don't have to worry about it any more.

[Chris Padilla]

Ya don't say?? Cool...consider the J/P initiated! It was a real nice clean slice, too...bled like crazy...it is almost healed today! ;) Sorry, gore-seekers, no pics.... ;)

[Paul B. Cresti]

Wow Chris same thing happened to me when I was cleaning mine. I told you watch out for the knives!!! I think it took me better part of a day to clean off the cosmoline!, but then with that amount of cast iron what do you expect. Just wait till you get it running. It is like joining on a table saw

[Jim Becker]

Gotta watch those knives! While "processing" Bill's Tersa head yesterday, I wore gloves and used two rags on top of each other to avoid a nasty...it hurts even more with petrolium products involved...

[Joe Mioux]

Jim:

I appreciate your "SAFETY FIRST!" mind set. I have been wanting to communicate this to you for awhile. My kids have seen some of your armoire pics with the safety glasses, vest, et al. I pointed out to them that the way you do conduct yourself in your shop is the right way.

Thanks
Joe

[Pete Harbin]

That's the new Festool sander, right? :D

[Bill Grumbine]

Gotta watch those knives! While "processing" Bill's Tersa head yesterday, I wore gloves and used two rags on top of each other to avoid a nasty...it hurts even more with petrolium products involved...

I hope you put some plastic on the thing to keep the drool off Jim! I can just imagine my poor little machine being pawed by strangers all day long. I am picking up the trailer this afternoon, and will be putting in my appearance tomorrow straight from church. Why, I might even have to cut Sunday School class a little short! :eek: No worries, I wouldn't do that, but I will be out that door at the last amen.

Bill

[Jim Becker]

Why, I might even have to cut Sunday School class a little short! No worries, I wouldn't do that, but I will be out that door at the last amen.
I'm sure that the creator would understand...after all, where does the wood come from ultimately?? :D And She expects you to keep it as beautiful as it was made in the first place. Fine tools don't take away from that! :p

[Michael Stafford]

I'm with you Bill. You're probably feeling violated after all those guys fondled your equipment, drooling, slobbering envious guys. Didn't even get kissed...

[Jim Becker]

Bill said I could post some additional pictures of his new toy being revealed, so here they are. Again, they are poor quality shots because they were taken with my phone, but poor is better than none!! (Thus sayeth the Picture Police Policies) The gentleman in the green shirt is Sam Blasco of Mini Max...he's a cabinetmaker who recently moved from Miami to Austin to join Jim Strain's team, both in sales, tech and teaching. For the latter, Sam's shop will be immediately adjacent to the Mini Max office/warehouse and should be a great facility for useful classes, etc.

I believe I'll take along a "real" camera tomorrow to capture the hand-off in greater detail. A larger pixel format will be required to adequately display Bill's smile...

[John Miliunas]

Hmmm...Nice little toy, I'd say! :eek: Ahhhh...Only in my dreams. Only in my dreams! Congrats Bill! :) :cool:

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jim......be sure to get a picture of Bill's drooling on the machine in public :eek: :rolleyes: ....and have someone else photograph you being green with envy! :rolleyes: :D

[Jim Becker]

Ken, when I first "discovered" this company back in 2002 at the IWF show in Atlanta I had wandered into their large, fully equipped booth, and was listening to Michael talk to another customer about one of the combo machines on display. I had never seen this kind of equipment before nor had I taken notice of the advertisements. I was standing right next to the slider and somewhat unconciously put my hand down on it...and it moved ever so smoothly. This was one of those "whoa" moments...and it's lasted.

While I realized that many folks will not have the opportunity to buy a Euro design machine, I truly suggest that if you have the opportunity at a show or someone's shop to examine them closely, including via touch (keeping the drool to a minimum of course) it will be a learning experience. And they you can start hammering the other tool companies about why they don't evolve their designs to be safer, more accurate and more thoughtful about how we machine wood. Many of the major tool designs begin sold today date from the early 20th century...that's a long time ago and we should be able to do better.

[Scott Parks]

Jim, are you affiliated with MiniMax? Or just help volunteer? Do ya get perks?:D

[Jim Becker]

Jim, are you affiliated with MiniMax? Or just help volunteer? Do ya get perks?
Just a happy customer helping out at this show...and they did feed me a few times.:D (Great Chinese tonight at Mandarin Garden in Willow Grove...)

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Just a happy customer helping out at this show...and they did feed me a few times.:D (Great Chinese tonight at Mandarin Garden in Willow Grove...)

Jim: This is fair warning............. I'm in Philly and will be there tomorrow. Peoria Area Woodworking cap AND.....................Disney Jacket..........Also, about 6'3'' and well fed OLD Codger. See ya there!

Bruce ;)

[Harry Pye]

Bruce,

I was at the show today with my son. I have a habit or looking at "T" shirts and club jackets and remember the one from Disney. If I had read you post last night, I'd have said hello.

[Anthony Yakonick]

It's BIG, and I didn't hurt myself watching them put it on the trailer ;)

[John Shuk]

Anthony,
I didn't run into you at Totally Turning but I did ssee your work in the instant gallery. Very nice work. Sorry we didn't meet. I thought the show was great.
John

[Jim Becker]

Well...Bill took posession of his new toy, err...tool this afternoon at the conclusion of the Woodworks show in Ft Washington PA. The smile on his face when he walked in the door was "priceless"!! I was very pleased to be able to help out with with this next chapter in the evolution of his shop...Bill is a skilled woodworker and an all-around great person. I'm happy to have met him years ago in a pen turning class when he was the instructor and glad to see him with as much frequency as possible. These will be the last pictures in this thead about the machine from me...it's up to him to post some of his own once his new CU300 Smart combo machine is installed and put together in his shop!

[Anthony Yakonick]

Anthony,
I didn't run into you at Totally Turning but I did ssee your work in the instant gallery. Very nice work. Sorry we didn't meet. I thought the show was great.
John
Thanks John, I enjoyed the weekend also.