busy busy busy

[Kev Williams]

Sometimes things work out nicely and I can get jobs running on most of my machines-- Tonight's one of those nights--

I like working at night, I'm all alone, no phones or doorbells ringing... Right now I have jobs set up and running on 10 of my machines.

All 4 machines in the garage shop are working--
The Triumph is running 'Emergency Stop' plates, and the GCC is running some labels for some automated warehouse controls,
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The 3400 'Orbiter' is engraving SS microphone bodies,
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and the IS7000 is making a small operator panel for one of my ski-lift customers---
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Downstairs, one of the 3400's in the back room is engraving silver (alum. alloy) trays,
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My 5000XT #1 is engraving Allen Bradley aluminum legend plates,
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5000XT #2 is making reverse-engraved Emergency Stop plates,
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I have 3 rifle barrels ready run on the IS400,
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The fiber is running a bunch of necklace charms, and the LS900 is in the middle of 300 wine glasses...
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I love when this happens, it feels like I'm actually getting some work done! During the day about half my time is spent with customers here or on the phone, or dealing with email and orders and all that.

Note that all 4 of my lasers are running-- and even so, 6 of my CNC machines are running... I couldn't survive without them all these days!

Now I need to quit typing and actually GET the work done! :D

[Erik Goetheer]

LOL, must be a good feeling. I suppose that you are watching over the jobs while the machines are doing their work? Never leave a working machine alone.

[Naseem Khan]

Nice work! I love the feeling of all the toys producing simultaneously.

[John Kleiber]

All that work and the hum of your machines going all at once is a nice problem to have.

You also gave me renewed hope that I can pack even more equipment in my shop and still function.

:)

[Kev Williams]

'never leave a working machine alone'-- I wish ;) -- When I'm cutting flammables I hang around, otherwise I do what I have to..

With the exception of the charms on the fiber (34 seconds), all the other jobs were into several minutes. Gives me time to move around and do any tool or material changes...

The silver trays take over 7 minutes each to engrave, wine glasses are 1:45 or so, most other jobs were in the 3 to 5 minute range...

Imagine if I had only 1 laser and 1 tool machine. Even with 2 of each, I'd never be able to keep up simply because of waiting for machines to finish.

[Scott Marquez]

Kev,
You continue to enspire me, keep up the hard work and sharing your projects.
I enjoy seeing your Crazy world.
Scott

[Mike Null]

Kev

My Trotec is a full capacity and I have turned away several thousand dollars in jobs in the past two weeks. A second machine would have been a big help but, given my circumstances, I can't justify it. Glad its going well for you.

[Kev Williams]

Since taking those pics I taken jobs from 24 more customers, and 10 of those have issued 2 or more PO's. Added to previous orders still in queue, I'm pretty close to overwhelmed!

I have the machines, I only wish I had more man-power. My only other engraver (and my gopher), is my BIL, he's only here 9 to 3 M-F, and usually he only runs 2 machines on a regular basis, the old C2000 and the GCC laser...

But hiring help isn't an option (for many reasons) so, I'll be working late as usual :)

[Merritt Conner]

And so quickly the bliss has passed. :( Those moments when every thing falls into line are so rare, you have to savor them when they do occur. Good luck, there is always peace again just on the other side of the storm.

[John Kleiber]

Kev,

Sorry, this of off the subject, but I cant help but notice the impressive number and variety of Hermes engravers you have. With all the various brands of CNC engravers out there, in your experience, what is it about Hermes that sets them apart from others?

-John

[Kev Williams]

one word: reliablity.

another few words- They were available locally :) So reliability was just the luck of the draw.
Every engraving machine we have and ever had since 1966, save for dad's very first pantograph, the 2 Triumph's and the GCC I bought from Gary, all came from the same place, and most from the same guy.

The combined ages of all my NH machines is right close to 300 years. In all those machine years, I've had 2 machines lose a power supply, and I've have had my NH rep fix my EP modules (which are computers, not 'machines') when they crap out. Every other issue was wear, maintenance items or loose connections, all of which I've always done myself. Other than paying my rep to fix the modules, I've never spent a dime on machine repair labor, going back to 1969 for the pantographs, and 1981 when we got our first C2000...

The only things I can think of that was ever this reliable were the old Bell Telephones...