David Teffeteller
06-17-2008, 6:22 PM
Hello out there everyone! I stumbled upon this forum while surfing the net the other day and this looks like a good place to post a question I've been having.
First a little about myself, I'm not in any type of milling/woodworking or the like business. Actually I'm an Air Traffic Controller so that's about as far off as you can get. I recently (about 5 months ago) bit the bullet and bought a Carvewright machine to do a little carving. Well, to be honest this started as a hobby for me but I'm quickly learning that as I do more, people want more!!! I can't seem to keep up with demand!! Took a couple things to work as everyone was interested in what I was making and before I know it I'm flooded!! I enjoy it so I'm not complaining! Anway, I know that the Carvewright is not a "production" type machine. I do my projects WHEN I GET TIME. I don't work under a deadline or anything like that, so it's not running 10-12 hrs a day. Mostly on the weekends for 4/6 hours, depending on what I have to do. So I'm not pushing the machine THAT hard. I find that this machine just doesn't have the reliability that I need (already sent it back to the manufacturer twice, gone for about a month each time). Don't get me wrong the machine does GREAT work, and even though people say they are "in no hurry", I still like to complete thier project in a timely matter. Making people wait for 2/3 months just isn't going to work.
Now, knowing a little of my background and what I will be using that machine for.......
Does anyone out there have any suggestions on a replacement? Like I said, this isn't my line of work so going out and spending 5-6k on a machine I just can't bring myself to do.....yet!! ;) Seriously, I've been looking at the Shark Pro but haven't really seen much out there on the internet. I've downloaded most the the Vectric software, and while it isn't as intiutive as the Carvewright, I haven't really had any issues designing something(played with Corel and Photoshop for years so I think that helps).
Any help that you folks can give to point me in a good direction or just plain ole advice about machines will be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!
Dave
First a little about myself, I'm not in any type of milling/woodworking or the like business. Actually I'm an Air Traffic Controller so that's about as far off as you can get. I recently (about 5 months ago) bit the bullet and bought a Carvewright machine to do a little carving. Well, to be honest this started as a hobby for me but I'm quickly learning that as I do more, people want more!!! I can't seem to keep up with demand!! Took a couple things to work as everyone was interested in what I was making and before I know it I'm flooded!! I enjoy it so I'm not complaining! Anway, I know that the Carvewright is not a "production" type machine. I do my projects WHEN I GET TIME. I don't work under a deadline or anything like that, so it's not running 10-12 hrs a day. Mostly on the weekends for 4/6 hours, depending on what I have to do. So I'm not pushing the machine THAT hard. I find that this machine just doesn't have the reliability that I need (already sent it back to the manufacturer twice, gone for about a month each time). Don't get me wrong the machine does GREAT work, and even though people say they are "in no hurry", I still like to complete thier project in a timely matter. Making people wait for 2/3 months just isn't going to work.
Now, knowing a little of my background and what I will be using that machine for.......
Does anyone out there have any suggestions on a replacement? Like I said, this isn't my line of work so going out and spending 5-6k on a machine I just can't bring myself to do.....yet!! ;) Seriously, I've been looking at the Shark Pro but haven't really seen much out there on the internet. I've downloaded most the the Vectric software, and while it isn't as intiutive as the Carvewright, I haven't really had any issues designing something(played with Corel and Photoshop for years so I think that helps).
Any help that you folks can give to point me in a good direction or just plain ole advice about machines will be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!
Dave