Getting over the hump.

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

[quote from Keith]When I purchased my ShopBot I was financially strapped at the time. It was a huge leap of faith for me to take on that level of debt but I needed to increase my income and I believed that I could make this machine profitable in a short period of time. I did have an active sign job in my shop that made the decision easier but it was still a big decision for me to make when I had zero CNC experience.

I wrote this in another thread and moved it after some thought so It wouldn't high jack the original topic. Hope you don't mind me moving your quote to my thread Keith.

Keith, this is me in a nut shell at the moment. I just bought a used 48/96 prt and it really diminished my super secret wallet fund. It's running Artcam and it's really overwhelming. What would you say the best way you learned the ins and outs of the machine and software operations. Is there something I'm missing that would help out with the learning curve? I've read everything I could thats on the net and my questions just seem to multiply. I'm sure there's a hump I need to get over before it gets easier, but at the moment it seems nowhere in site. I'm most likely going to hire someone to spend a day with me. Hopefully that going to be enough to get up and moving forward. Luckily the previous owner left a cut file or two in the computer that I run when I need a break from the curve, but it's not going to be long before I get tired of cutting stars in foam. LOL!!! Just frustrating at the moment and I guess this is just a little bit of a rant especially since I have a few jobs laying once I'm confident I can put out a quality product. If anyone has any suggestions that helped them out when they were newbies my ears are to the track. Thanks in advance guys!

[Jerome Stanek]

You can get a lot of good info from the Shopbot forum and also from the Vectric forum. If you need help just ask there with a specific question and most times you will get help. What type of files are you looking for. I have 2 shopbots and they all use the same file format other than some use a toll changer or have the ability to turn their router on and off. I just use the basic Shopbot arcs Inch.

[Mick A Martin]

Kurt,

As Jerome stated visit the shopbot, Vectric and Artcam forums and ask your questions, most people are willing to help, I decided to go with Vectric software for the same reason I can always ask questions.

Keep us posted.

Mick

[Steve knight]

artcam is a hard program to master. there is so much there you don't need.
one thing though start with simple shapes by some mdf or other cheap material some cheap 1/4" bits and give it a try.

[james mcgrew]

artcam has its own forum, it is not as user friendly as the aspire (i have both) and use artcam only to convert files. i am going to actually suggest you get as far away from artcam as you can. it is a pain when compared to aspire

it may be rare but this is my opinion

[Keith Outten]

Kurt,

First and foremost try to find a way to get your hands on either Aspire of VCarve Pro. I tried using Artcam in the beginning and it was way to complex to learn in a short period of time. If the ShopBot you purchased came with VCarve you should use it and put Artcam away for a later day.

Try to concentrate on flat work, it pays more than the fancy 3D work in almost every case. At the end of the year you will find your financial situation to be more in line with your goals if you concentrate on what makes money. People rarely belive that flat work is profitable, i guess that they can't fathom the idea that something easy to do is financially worthwhile. After many years almost all of the work that I do today is very simple flat signs, mostly ADA, but they are easy to machine and easier to sell.

Go directly to the commercial market, you will find more work at higher profit margins than you will making signs for the general public. The volume in the commercial side also helps you get on your feet faster and remain profitable. Don't waste money advertising anywhere in the beginning, go to the phone book, find the addresses of every local General Contractor and vist their offices and register to get on their bidders list. Of course you need to get up to speed first but don't put off marketing to long, often a contractor has simple templates they need and they are very profitable work. They will provide an AutoCad drawing, all you have to do is import, tool path and machine.

When the day comes that you have to provide your first quote for a job don't be shy. If your price is too low you can lose a job just as easy as if you are too high. When you operate a commercial machine you need to charge commercial prices. I normally figure my cost of material then add my labor, overhead and profit and then double that figure. My labor rate is based on the area that I live, you will have to establish yours accordingly.

If you need some ShopBot cutting files let us know. I have some files that I can share and I expect others here also will be willing to help. Feel free to call me in the evenings, I would be glad to help you get started, it isn't near as bad as you think. In fact once you get a couple of hours under your belt you will have more confidence than you can imagine but you can't go that quick with ArtCam.

Lots of advanced CNC operators can't find a way to make money. Like any other type of business its all about marketing the right customers and the projects that fit your capability. I started making ADA signs because there is only one sign business in my area that makes them so the competition is almost non-existant. My style signs and the material that I use make me the best value in Eastern Virginia but I have worked hard for the last four years adjusting my machining techniques to produce ADA signs as efficiently as possible.

Make sure that you go to the ShopBot Camps whenever you can. You might also consider making the trip to Jim McGrew's Aspire camp in March. South Carolina is a bit of a drive but it will be worth your time. I will be at Jim's shop in march and have been asked to speak on my favorite topic on Friday, many have told me that they enjoyed my rambling about getting started making money :) I will have a table there and share everything I know about ADA signs all day Saturday.
For what its worth I probably know the least about CNC software than anyone here....but I have learned how to make money with a CNC machine.
.

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

Thanks guys. This is why the Creek is my favorite site! Your comments are very reassuring. I'm going to have to save up some more pennies to make the Aspire jump. It's definitely not the first time I've been told to go that route. Maybe I'll just try to swing the V Carve for now just to get moving. Keith, I'll definitley look into the Apire camp. Thanks

[Gene Crain]

Practice, practice and more practice. You will make mistakes...hang those pieces on your shop walls. At the very least you sholud have partwizzard with the machine if not partworks(similar to vcarve pro). If you have artcam go to the forum and do a search for "free reliefs" there are a bunch you can download import and toolpath easily. Forget about trying to do modeling....learn how to toolpath some files. Millions of free dxf files you can use for this. Buy a few sheets of mdf and start cutting. There is a thread somewhere on this cnc forum with free files.

If you expect to go straight to making $$ with little cnc experience forget it. Give yourself time to learn the machine. June 09 I bought a used pr bot....with ZERO cnc knowledge. Trust me you will get it just give it time and do not worry about mistakes.

Two cents from a guy in the desert...

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

Ok guys. I just hit another wall and was hoping I could get a bail out. As stated before I have a Shopbot running Artcam and Parts Wizard. I plan on taking the advise from above to go the Aspire route but for now I'm just trying to use what I have. I'm also going to get someone to give me a little training as soon as I can afford his services, but for now I had Shopbot send me their "Get carving quickly" CD. When I try to import the sample stable sign Artcam says it does not recognize .V3m or .crv Can someone give me some advice on this? Thanks in advance, Kurt

[Gene Crain]

artcam file format .art, .rlf, .stl see if it has the carvings in stl format on the disc.

http://www.3dmodelclub.com/cmsj15/resources/tutorials/how-to-import-an-stl-file-into-artcam

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Hey Kurt,
Artcam Pro 2010 will not import a V3m file according to the supported files menu.

When and from whom did you get your Artcam? What version?

If you got it from a reseller, they should have trained you. If you really want help on ArtcamPro 2010 or what ever version you have you should stick to the Artcam forum.

I have both Artcam pro 2010 and Aspire 3. Artcam is a far more complex program and has some amazing tools but Aspire is giving AC a run for the money (at 1/3 the price & NO MAINTENACE/SUPPORT FEES) and can do somethings that AC can't do or as easy. That being said, there are also many tooling strategies and functions that Aspire can not do (yet) and may never do because the core users of Aspire may not need them. I do like the extra tutorials that came with Aspire and Tony, the rest of the Aspire team and users are very helpful also to newbies on it's forum, as others have mentioned above.

There is no Panacea CADCAM software yet, so we must each have our own repertoire of tools to produce our products.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

I'm also going to get someone to give me a little training as soon as I can afford his services, but for now I had Shopbot send me their "Get carving quickly" CD. When I try to import the sample stable sign Artcam says it does not recognize .V3m or .crv Can someone give me some advice on this? Thanks in advance, Kurt

Those files are for Vectric software, which is what ShopBot supplies with their current machines.

[dan nelson]

kurt no worries I was in the same boat you were a year and a half ago same machine same software, lost big time. take the advise ditch the AC for now and start out with Vcarve pro and then put away $120 bucks a month and upgrade to Aspire in a year from now , VCP is cake to draw with and import files. excellent support on the forum and a lot of free files to play with. Mistakes are just free fire wood. once you get it you will dream of things to cut and you will do it for a profit. Dan and Bridget Nelson