Long running jobs are SO boring....

[Scott Shepherd]

I've had long running jobs running for 3 days now with 2 more to go. It's my first batch of long running jobs and I'm dying a slow death from being so bored. Can't leave the machine, I've done all the graphic work for every single future job. I've read up on some materials, cleaned the place up, ordered everything for future jobs and surfed the internet a zillion times. Even did a couple of brochures to think about.

Obviously I need something else productive to do.

For you guys who run a lot of larger jobs, how to you cope with the time? Cycle time is 20 minutes each, for almost a week total when all the jobs are done.

Also, don't you hate it when you hit the start button and realize 1 minute in that you have to go to the bathroom? ;)

[Joe Pelonio]

I've had some where it takes 1.5 hours to change material. Luckily I have plenty of vinyl work to do most days, so I work on signs while it runs, I'm still within 10 feet of the laser at all times. I'll run to the bathroom while engraving, but while cutting I'll hit the stop button until I get back if I leave for any reason.

[Scott Shepherd]

Yeah, ran all the vinyl jobs I had. Even experimented with some paint masking, cutting that on the vinyl machine and then painting (it didn't go very well :) ).

I have plenty of work, it's all just laser work right now.

Deal or No Deal on the internet is starting to look tempting....

[James Stokes]

I am like you, I hate the big jobs. That is one thing that makes me hate the laser at times.

[Joe Pelonio]

Here's an idea for you.

Around here sandblasted wood signs have been popular for a long time. Since they are so expensive ($100/sf or more) there are many where the wood is in decent shape but the paint starts to peel or fade. Refinishing them is kind of fun, and easy to work on while the laser runs. I have 6 right now for a customer. Of those only one has real damage, where I have to use epoxy on the cracks and auto body filler to rebuild some of the letters. I'm charging them about $25/sf. for the better ones, a bit more for this one. Just go look for ones getting worn and find the manager/owner and tell them what you can do for them.

In this case, you can see where I built up the C, O, Y and C with bondo and trimmed it with an exacto before it hardened completely. Now a little dremel work, sand prime and paint.

[Scott Shepherd]

I'm not THAT bored Joe :D Just kidding, it has been somewhat time well spent in that I did manage to come up with a couple of brochures that will target more of the vinyl side of what I do.

There really is a lot of work out there, it's just a matter of having the time to go get it.

[Dave Fifield]

Scott, why not get yourself a guitar or other portable instrument and learn it good while you're waiting?

Cheers,

[David Harvey]

Hey Scott, Great going!

If you've got it priced right I'd sit back and enjoy the vacation..:)

Or

You could buy another laser and double the profits:o ...and this will definitely get the butt busy....hehe

[Wil Lambert]

I have a couple of jobs run once a month that take 3-4 days to complete. Each cycle time is about 1 hour. i love the jobs. I can get some much more done when they run. I setup the laser and walk away. I check back on every once in a while. Since the jobs are engraving only I don;t have as much worry about fire. I am about ready to start the job again today and can't wait. Wil

[Jeff Belany]

Don't mind the ones that run 20 minutes or so, at least I can do some other projects. But the ones that only run 3-4 minutes are the worst -- you can hardly sit down between runs. The one I'm running right now has a 7 minute cycle and total time will be about 60 hours -- about 11 hours left. As soon as this one is done there's 580 pieces with about 10-15 minutes each. It will be like this until Christmas. More to do with shorter deadlines!! Plus, my laser is getting on in years so don't know how long it will last. Boss says I can't get a new one until this one dies, then it will be a mad rush to replace it.

Jeff in Northern Wisconsin

[Joe Pelonio]

Don't mind the ones that run 20 minutes or so, at least I can do some other projects. But the ones that only run 3-4 minutes are the worst -- you can hardly sit down between runs.

Jeff in Northern Wisconsin
Good point, I sometimes do a run of 100-200 stencils on card stock, takes 4-5 minutes each to run and almost as long to remove the pieces from the laser.
I try to schedule those for a weekend and watch a game or two on TV while I work.

[Scott Shepherd]

Well, I guess I had the best and worst then, as the first op was rastering a full sheet, which was 19 minutes, and the second op was vector cutting them out which was 4 minutes each. First part of the job, boring, second part made me earn my money :)

I just finished up all my long run stuff just before lunch, so for now, I'm back to normal.

[Jeff Belany]

Love the idea of watching a game on the weekends!! But, I don't think my boss would go along with a TV. Thank goodress for the stereo -- at least I can crank up the tunes after hours!

Well I guess I've got a couple hundred lasered and assembled -- time to start boxing them up. If I have a good day maybe I won't have to work all weekend. 1000 boards have to be in Canada in about a week.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Sandra Force]

Because I do industrial work I spend a lot of time on runs from 1-2.5 hours. I agree that it gets boring, that's why I spend as much time as I do on my two favorite forums. (This is one of them))

[Joe Pelonio]

Love the idea of watching a game on the weekends!! But, I don't think my boss would go along with a TV. Thank goodress for the stereo -- at least I can crank up the tunes after hours!

Jeff in northern Wisconsin
Not having a boss does have it's advantages. I bought a tuner for the computer and attached it to the cable so I watch on the 22" monitor.
It's really more listening than watching but when I hear a good play I'll look up.

[Scott Shepherd]

Not having a boss does have it's advantages.

Oh, you've got a boss and you're just lucky SHE lets you watch tv while working ;)

[Bill Cunningham]

Like Wil, I LOVE the long jobs.. It's almost like a 'automatic' money machine.. The laser works, and I get a multitude of other jobs done at the same time, all making me money! I'm never more than 20 feet from the laser at any time, so watching it, and doing other jobs is never a problem.. I don't get many of the 2 or 3 minute jobs, and when I do, I usually save them for the last jobs of the day, and buz em off as quick as I can..