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Martin Boekers
10-01-2010, 5:15 PM
Came across this in my random research, neat but EXPENSIVE.

laserjumpstart.com/boxit-suite

Marty

Lee DeRaud
10-01-2010, 5:35 PM
It reminds me of an old joke that has the punchline, "Expensive? Yeah, but we only have to sell one to make a profit..." :p

Frank Corker
10-01-2010, 5:45 PM
Wow, some nice designs can be made from that. Look very complex, but you are also right, expensive.

Michael Hunter
10-01-2010, 5:56 PM
At first I was thinking that I could easily do that sort of thing with TurboCad and Corel. Then I scrolled down a bit further and saw the bevelled edges and truncated pyramids - that IS a bit special!

Then I saw the price and it's back to doing it the hard way.

Dave Russell Smith
10-01-2010, 6:17 PM
P.O Box is just up the road from me, I'll have to do some more investigating :cool:

Michael Kowalczyk
10-01-2010, 6:32 PM
Hey Dave,
I tried calling both #'s and get VM. When you darken their doorstep ask them to make a demo project for us and to lower the price if they want any business. These are still novelties that people may want and think they are cool but the wallet still says they don't NEED it.

As for being a profit center that all depends on how fast a unit can be designed and tweaked to material chosen, laser cut time, assembly, finishing and don't forget the packaging. Oh that's right we can just use "Boxit" to make a box to put the box in.

PS-Nice Sig

Thank and ...

Robert Walters
10-01-2010, 6:45 PM
P.O Box is just up the road from me, I'll have to do some more investigating :cool:

Um, I hunted them down for ya...

http://www DOT hltlasers DOT com/

Same name, address, and phone number.

Robert Walters
10-01-2010, 6:59 PM
Did you folks see what fellow Creeker Gerd Spatz created:

FINGER BOX CREATOR:
http://www.frag-den-spatz.de/shop/boxgenerator/fingerbox.html

as well as

PAPER BOX CREATOR:
http://www.frag-den-spatz.de/shop/boxgenerator/index.html



I do think that's pretty cool. If it lives up to it's complexity, features (like nesting), support, documentation, quick bugs fixes, and royalty free, the $400 is reasonable if you find the market for it.

Sadly, no manual on line, no FAQ section, no support section, no detailed list of features, no step-by-step introduction, etc.


One of these days I'm going to have to learn *cough* Visual Basic *cough* just to create CorelDraw macros.

Andrea Weissenseel
10-03-2010, 6:46 AM
Then I scrolled down a bit further and saw the bevelled edges and truncated pyramids - that IS a bit special!


Michael, I don't think that bevelled edges are used, you can see it pretty clear on pic # 42

Andrea

Michael Hunter
10-03-2010, 8:11 AM
Andrea

I didn't mean that the laser was cutting bevels.
Some of the pieces assemble to give a bevel-edged look (such as the picture frames), which is quite difficult to draw to make sure that the angles are correct and the castellations line up properly.

A further thought is that although the castellated look is quite fun on a single piece, in bulk one could quickly tire of the effect.

Joe Kace
10-03-2010, 8:35 AM
I agree it is pricey, but very cool indeed. What does everyone think a good price point for a program like this should be?

Lee DeRaud
10-03-2010, 10:17 AM
Michael, I don't think that bevelled edges are used, you can see it pretty clear on pic # 42

AndreaThere's a way to do it, although I don't know if that program supports it: you need to be able to specify the finger length independent of the material thickness.
See this thread, I put a diagram of the joint in post #8: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=31522.

Lee DeRaud
10-03-2010, 10:34 AM
What does everyone think a good price point for a program like this should be?IIRC, the most expensive VBA macro sets I've seen up to this one are from Oberon, somewhere in the $125 range.

Unless I really needed this program (i.e. to support a paying production operation), there's no way I'd spend more than $50-$75 for it: the problem it solves isn't exactly rocket science.

Martin Boekers
10-03-2010, 1:26 PM
I agree it is pricey, but very cool indeed. What does everyone think a good price point for a program like this should be?


Actually I have use for product like this, more to the signage use.

The pricing is a bit difficult to jump on board unless I have job that
would help cover half or more of the cost.

If it was $150.00 or less I could justify it right now, in 3 months it would be
paid for with limited usage, 10 jobs, with and additional $15 mark up for the process,
that's usually how I try to justify "Quirky" or limited use software.

This would take probably a year to recroup the listed price.

I see it more gear to water-jet sign companies, as the could cut sheet steel
for letters and logos deeper without the material cost.

Marty

Gary Hair
10-03-2010, 3:41 PM
Something in the $75-$150 range. I would pay less than $100 "just to try it", but over that and I'd need to have orders already, or at least serious interest, before I would spend that much money.


I agree it is pricey, but very cool indeed. What does everyone think a good price point for a program like this should be?

Bill Cunningham
10-03-2010, 11:00 PM
If the price were 50-75$ he would probably end up making far more money than where it's priced now. That's the great thing about software.. Ya got it, ya sell it, ya still got it!

William Milligan
12-17-2010, 3:36 PM
I've been pondering getting this program (BoxitSuite)...but the price has just been keeping me away. From reading the thread I guess it used to be about $400?...it is running at $250 now...still pretty steap in my book...I'm just going to keep "toying" with the purchase for now...it DOES seem to be a good tool but not at the price for me. I agree...they would probably sell a lot more if the price were more reasonable...If it were about $100 I wouldn't have any problem with the purchase.

I just keep thinking of my photograv purchase. I was advised by a few members on SMC not to bother with it and I am beginning to agree....I had already placed the order when I ordered my laser and from what my vendor told me and what I read in a "couple" of places it would be a great tool...as of yet I really haven't been impressed with the results. It seems cumbersom with all the conversions you have to make and I am just not finding it worth the $400 price tag!....I have run a couple of tests using Photograv alongside an image I optimized myself using the dithering options in Corel/Epilog print driver and have found there is either very little difference OR I liked the one I did myself better. I am, of course, really a beginner at this but...perhaps that is why many here at SMC have said they now use their PG CD as a coaster.

Just don't want to have Buyer's Remorse on this one too!...Have a wonderful day all.

Dan Hintz
12-17-2010, 4:08 PM
The "marketing manager" for that company tried to get a bit of free advertising here about a month ago, most likely directed here from all of the hits they were getting from this thread (and the link). Considering the post was dumped for TOS violations and the fact that I have not seen her (them) come back to pay for advertising, it's one more reason I have to not support them back... it's expensive, there are several free alternatives out there, and some would consider it a bit of a niche market (though possibly plenty of money to be made in that market, your mileage may vary).

Martin Boekers
12-17-2010, 4:15 PM
The thing to try to do is charge a slight fee for each use you can pay for a program rather quickly that way.

Some use PG and like it (I do) others don't, Some like PS others PP and even other GIMP.

I use PG for quick get me close things, basically run at standard setting for Cherry wood on most everything.
Part of the issue is many want a quick overall fix that doesn't cost. Even the names lead you to believe that
"One Touch" I don't think it's reasonable for such a fix do work in all circumstances. It's best to figure out the mech.
than just hit a button and wonder why it didn't work.

There are issues with halftones and how they are created that affect the quility of the image. Some day I'll look up my
old buddy who excelled in halftones and color seperations and have him spend a weekend here and see what his
knowledge can bring to the laser!

This box program is interesting, but gimicky, may sell for a while but interest may not last.

If you decide to get it consider a $10 up charge then after 25 jobs it's paid for.

Marty

Brad Ports
12-17-2010, 4:57 PM
I looked on their website and they show a number of programs, The vector art might be interesting if you could see what on the CD's but they show nothing that i could find except the cover of the volumes and one small sample page. For the kind of money they want, I want to know what I'm getting. Thats one thing that impressed me with Buzz, it's very clear what your getting. I would be very leary of sending my money to them for any of it, but do agree that if they lowered the price they would make more on volume. 100 people at $75 is a lot more than 1 or 2 at $250. Some people never seem learn that.

David Fairfield
12-17-2010, 5:24 PM
I don't mean this sarcastically, its a serious question-- who buys the stuff you make with software such as the Laser Jump Start? I have never found a market for any of the generic "craft" pieces. So what do you have to do to move this stuff? I'm wondering, because it would be soo great to skip the design phase, just load, burn, n' sell! Hum... sort of like the sales pitch you might get when you go to a laser mfg website.

Dave

Martin Boekers
12-17-2010, 6:05 PM
I don't mean this sarcastically, its a serious question-- who buys the stuff you make with software such as the Laser Jump Start? I have never found a market for any of the generic "craft" pieces. So what do you have to do to move this stuff? I'm wondering, because it would be soo great to skip the design phase, just load, burn, n' sell! Hum... sort of like the sales pitch you might get when you go to a laser mfg website.

Dave

Things like this may work for a job or two. A while back I did some signage that it would have been perfect for, cut from acrylic and Fusion sprayed.
I could see using this to make odd sized bases and maybe some things to accessorize a project.

You have to think about how YOU can sell it and not how THEY say you can sell it.;)

What I did worked fine, but this would have made the signage a bit more interesting. As for sell just one offs or letters, it would be difficult with the typical
clients I sell to. The problem here is the TIME it takes to assemble.

I have a bunch of quirky stuff just for those unusual projects. Would I make enough to justify the software costs here? Maybe not. But part of my reputation is to come
up with "out of the box" methods. That does bring in more work so yes sometimes I can justify these things.

Darryl Jacobs
12-17-2010, 6:07 PM
The program does look impressive for what it does. I have the same question as to how one makes money with it? I never mind paying good money for good software as I have found I have always gotten good payback for paying a fair price for good quality. I have used cheaper programs with nothing but problems that slows down my productivity at the expense of a few upfront dollars for quality.

I am intrigued with what you can do with this package and how it looks to work, but I have been following this thread and trying to find a way to use it for my type of work. Now if it could automatically tab and slot model ribs and formers, then we can talk!!

I am certainly not putting down the package and in fact am quite impressed with what it look like it can do. Like Dave.... IDEAS???


Darryl