Started using a Compucarve

[MikeMcCoy]

I've been looking at the Carvewright machines for the last year or so and was waiting for it to be more ready for prime time but I have a demand for what it does. Recently, I've seen more favorable reports and decided I was ready to take the plunge since Sears had a decent sale on the Compucarve. . I had one delivered on Friday and decided to not be my normal self and get edjumacated before I turned the machine on. Documentation is pretty skimpy but there are a lot of resources available on the internet and that over came some lacking operating instructions. I have everything set up (I think) and will put my first project through in the morning.

[dick541]

Get your ear plugs on before you turn that thing on, it is very loud. I got one last spring and returned it. Not the best thing to use to make designs. Don't like the way it goes up and down to make the cuts. There are better machines out that do a better job, but they are more costlyGood luck.
dick

[Ed62]

Looking forward to find out how it's working for you, Mike.

Ed

[crokett]

Me too. Post some pics if you can.

[leehljp]

Here is a YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGuUl...eature=related

[Stytooner]

I think those are pretty neat little machines. There are some guys who really get creative with them. They are a little limiting and they have been plagued by trouble, but if you got a good one, it can do some terrific looking stuff.
I am interested in seeing some projects made with this. Careful though. CNC is a very slippery slop that will rival even a turning or plane collecting habit.

[MikeMcCoy]

Careful though. CNC is a very slippery slop that will rival even a turning or plane collecting habit.

Probably something akin to a lathe.

The learning curve so far isn't too bad. I'm running a small shop sign right now and I've had a couple of glitches but they were simple to solve. The cutting head had some slop and kept giving me errors after afout 10 minutes of run time. Some tightening and a little lube seems to have taken care of that.

[L. D. Jeffries]

Good post!. I too have been eyeing one of Sears machines, sorta waiting till the price dropped a little. However after watching the "CarveWright" on youtube am starting to wonder about the Sears one. The video says you can use any 1/4 or 1/2 bit in the machine. As far as I can remember the Sears machine is limited to only a couple of bits which are mandatory to their machine?? Of course the video demo's always make it look like a 5th grader could turn out masterpieces, the reality must be somewhere between that and #*%##**!

[MikeMcCoy]

The Sears and Carvewright are identical machines. Most of the folks on the Carvewright and Compucarvewright forums recommend using bits made for the equipment. I'm not ready to experiment yet.