Sears Compucarve meets the need.

[AL Ursich]

I have 2 Sears CompuCarve units making tourist products. The key is the artwork getting it right. Here is a great example of when it all came together for a very nice project within the limits of the Sears CompuCarve Machine. I have over 400 hours on this machine and with just a few problems has served me well.

This is from the Local Waymart, PA Gravity Railroad Depot Dedication I did last weekend. I made the Donation boards using the designer software to make the tracks in vector cut mode.

This is an example of taking line art drawing and making it 3D. I paid to have it done as I am still learning. I purchased 2 sets of Artwork converted to .ptn by HT at http://go3d.us/store/ .

I am VERY happy with the results. It takes a fine eye for detail to convert a lifeless line art drawing to a 3D .ptn file for the Sears CompuCarve machine. Over time I will developer the skills to do it myself.

Did I say..... I am VERY Happy with the results.

This is a Thank You plaque for Senator Lisa Baker for her part of the Depot Dedication, driving a gold spike in the new Railroad track. Not a sight you see every day. Excellent job !!!

The Depot line artwork in picture was the source of the final result. Excellent WORK HT !!!!

This .ptn will now become Life Member Plaques, Calenders, Clocks, Wooden Chests and more in my Pocono Digital Woodshop and sold in the Depot Store.

AL

[Leigh Costello]

WOW!!! Al, that is impressive. How long did the cuts take for the picture and the member plaque? I have been considering one of these machines for awhile now. Hubby has been considering locking me up -"why do we need another machine?" - and banning me from the 'Creek.

[AL Ursich]

Cut Time on Best Quality was 2 hours 10 min. On the other hand the Vector cut Rail Road Tracks on the Donor boards cut in 27 min.

It is a very Versatile Machine. It does require a learning curve and has had it's share of hands on maintenance issues. But if you are willing to be patient all the answers are available through LHR the company that makes it at www.carvewright.com and the forums are great. I post under digitalwoodshop.

For $1800.00 it is a remarkable machine.

The 4 hole boards are Quilt Racks and the 6 hole version is a CD/DVD/Shelf rack. The 6 rail will have a choice of a shelf or rails for CD's DVD's or VHS.

I do the cutout on a router table for a 90 second cut vice the extra hour the carve machine would do it. Cut a pattern with the carve machine from 1/4 inch plastic. Just drop it on the blocks and go. I am staining them now.

AL

[Keith Outten]

Really nice work Al,

I had heard some negative comments about the Carvewright/CompuCarve machine but you obviously got past the problems and have learned to make the machine work very well. Your carving work makes the racks special...your extra effort makes all the difference.

Let's see some more......

.

.

[AL Ursich]

My repair background helps... Between the Navy and Sony I have been fixing stuff since 1976..... Old.... Really OLD....

AL

[Bill Cunningham]

Wow!! Thats one of the best 'Bear' carvings I've ever seen...So life like you would almost think it had been alive

Actually that eagle/fish/deer look great ..I had no idea the compucarve machine would do that!

[AL Ursich]

The Bear .ptn cost a whopping $6.50 from one of the site's that make patterns. $25.00 for most but less for many.

Gray Scale photo... 1 inch depth top to bottom Black to White in Gray Scale... They use a lot of "Gradients" to make the curves and roundness....

Yes, been cutting bears all day.... Using up my scrap wood.

AL

[AL Ursich]

My Labor Day was a full work day staining Quilt and CD Rack parts. Have 85 sets and 3 coats of MinWax Stain looks great. My Carve machine has been humming all day, over 12 hours pumping out Bears. I am almost out of Scrap Wood.....

AL

[Frank Corker]

Al I am very pleased for you that it is doing so well. The work looks excellent. If they were doing the Compucarve over here I'd go for one on the size alone, it looks like a great machine and from the amount that you are turning out, reliable. Couldn't want for better really

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Hey Al,
Very Nice work. When you say 2 hours and 10 minutes is that how long it takes to carve 1 side or both sides or are you only carving one side? How much are they selling for? @ 2 hours+ each and staining, silk screening/stamping, assembly, packaging (if used) shipping/delivery, and material adds up quick doing 1 or 2 at a time on the Carveright. If you can do like the Ronco product where you just "Set it and forget it" and go about doing other production stuff, for a swim or fishing. Well you know what I mean. 2 hours is a long time in between parts for me. Sounds like you probably have a great time making these racks.

Thanks for sharing and like Keith said "show us more",

[AL Ursich]

Carving time on the Depot Plaque with the text and picture was 2 hours 10 min. I do other stuff while it works. The CD and Quilt racks are about a hour each with 3 bit changes it stops and waits. I have been working on them for 3 months now.... A lot of man hours.... That is why I am sticking with a selling price at $125.00 and up.... Sold unfinished ones at $100.00 in the spring.

Time will tell.... I am sure I am making penny's on the hours I have worked....

AL

My Carve machine died this morning... Traced it to bad bearings in the Z head. It stalls. The Encoder data is good... Took it apart....

Set it aside for today to keep staining. I do have the back up machine if I really need it... I have the bearings, it's an hour job.

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Hi Al,
Sorry to hear your bearing went out but it sounds like you have the techno to get it back up and running quickly. Glad to hear you are also getting a fair price for your racks. Are you packaging them also or cash and carry "as is"? Most of the stuff I do is wholesale and must be in a box. So I have to always look at how will I package it, when I am in the design phase, and hopefully be able to have it fit in an existing box we already buy.
Thanks again,

[AL Ursich]

I bought the tube shrink wrap and the plan is to do each board in shrink as the beauty of this is you pick each side then the rails are all standard.

Might do packaged deals too for the retail stores I am working with.

I am so new to this....

Did point of sale displays too for a store with a few products modeled after the sign.

AL

[Ed Newbold]

My Labor Day was a full work day staining Quilt and CD Rack parts. Have 85 sets and 3 coats of MinWax Stain looks great. My Carve machine has been humming all day, over 12 hours pumping out Bears. I am almost out of Scrap Wood.....

Looking terrific, Al! By the way, how are you applying the red and green coloring to the lettering?

Thanks very much,

[Ed Newbold]

Well, Al, after a lot of research about the machine, I'm sold on it. Where's the best place to get one? From Sears or the manufacturer?

Oh, and in my internet travels I've discovered the greatest free font site I've ever seen: http://www.dafont.com/

Thanks for all your comments. You've helped tremendously with my decision making process.

Cheers,