Minimum Shop Space?

[Joe Jensen]

I went a step further and made 3D models. I spent a maybe 3 hours but it really helped me go from a cabinet saw to a large Felder slider and needed to play a lot to figure out how to fit it in a 3 car garage. _NIK4918Large.JPG_NIK4916Large.JPG_NIK4911Large.JPG_NIK4915Large.JPG

[Mark Canada]

WOW Joe! I thought from the thumbnails those were renders, those are really cool!

I'd love to do that too, but the only tools I have right now are a few crimping tools for getting my CNC router's electronics re-assembled and an ultra cheap multi-tip screwdriver haha.

[Jim Becker]

Joe, that was an incredibly great way to visualize the transition! I wish I would have done that with my recent planning for CNC...it would have caused a lot less angst, I think!

[Martin Wasner]

However, a Chinese ATC router is about US$24k FOB, I make $6-12k/month depending on the time of year, and an ATC router will save me probably 10-15hrs a week in tool changes and material swap out (because of it's larger area, and 6+ tool changes for many of my parts).

A router with an automatic tool changer is worth the wait. On the gantry it's even better.

[Mark Canada]

I agree, I calculate it's going to allow me to run one of my standard products for about 3hrs without intervention whereas currently I don't get a chance to do anything else, as it's faster at running each toolpath than I can swap the pieces of wood out. A non-atc router of the same size would give me 10-20 mins between tool changes which doesn't really give you enough time to go do something else. Its probably about 10-15 mins work to swap the wood out, then another 3hrs of it doing my job for me. The amount of other business opportunities a large format router will give me should pay it back in a couple of months, nevermind the massive time savings in supervision time.

The routers from the companies i've been asking for quotes from have had 8-12 tool magazines on the gantry, it seems a lot more convenient than the linear magazine at the end of the bed. I'm not too fussed about the extra 20 seconds of process time to go change tools from a linear magazine, but being able to have free access from both ends of the router really makes sense to me, especially if working on over-length pieces or combination of pieces in jigs on the bed that are overlength - something I deal with weekly on my little router.