Stuart Ablett
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- Tokyo Japan
As some of you may remember from >> THIS << thread and >> THIS << thread I kind of walked into a free CNC carving machine a few years back, wow, almost four years ago It was a real prototype that I had fun with. That machine led to a second machine, a which came >> out of the blue << a year after that. When the second machine came, I gave Alex the first machine. Unfortunately it did not last long for him and it died, and I had a software problem that in the end turned out to be a windows problem which slowed me down on the second machine for quite some time. About a month ago I got another email from GeeTech, asking me if I'd like to test drive a full production model, until now the two units were prototypes, pre-production units. Of course I said yes!
Full discloser here they gave me the machines, I had to pay import tax ($250) and I give them feedback. They want honest feedback and they ask me to tell it like it is, they have never tried to get me to temper my comments if I find a problem or two. While I did not purchase the machine, I did have to pay to get it, and they do not compensate me in any other way for test driving their machines. So take from that what you will, I'm not a shill, I'm being open and honest about what I have and what I got.
The new iCarver 1520 showed up in a crate....
but really it was not that heavy, so I had some time and decided to open up the crate and see what was inside....
..... OK a big cardboard box and then a lot of Styrofoam. Also a small took kit and a copy of ArtCam Express to use!
Digging deeper...
Oh boy, even more Styrofoam!
This box contained some parts that look like a dust collection port or something.
Wrangled down from the heavens (first floor) into my Dungeon, sitting pretty on the SawStop for now, I have some things to work out before I put the new iCarver into the soundproof cabinet it will live in.
I think that is how the dust collection port goes on, seems to work.
Now the front brush, you have to remove it to see the tip of the tool when positioning an origin point on a work piece, the way the DC port was made, you had to unscrew the two knobs completely to get them out, this is a waste of time.....
...I solved this by making the two holes into to slots, now I just have to loosen or tighten the knobs to remove or replace the front brush.....
Next thing is the wire for the control module is too short for me, as my iCarvers live in a soundproof box with access only from the front, it the wire needs to be longer. Nothing too complex, an 8-wire cable, and some connectors....
Anyone know what they call this kind of connector?
Fired up and running on it's first job
Now what happened to my preproduction Ver 2 iCarver....?
I took a quick trip down to Zushi today and dropped it off at Alex's workshop.
Alex made some room for it on his storage loft. I sure hope that this one lasts a little longer!
I noticed that the new machine I have now has most of the changes and tweaks that I recommended after getting the preproduction Ver 2 unit and running it through it's paces. I doubt I was the only one to see the obvious changes that needed to be made, but I did make the suggestions, and it is rewarding to see many if not all of them used. Now I have to get my head wrapped around the new software so I've got some reading to do.
Cheers!
Full discloser here they gave me the machines, I had to pay import tax ($250) and I give them feedback. They want honest feedback and they ask me to tell it like it is, they have never tried to get me to temper my comments if I find a problem or two. While I did not purchase the machine, I did have to pay to get it, and they do not compensate me in any other way for test driving their machines. So take from that what you will, I'm not a shill, I'm being open and honest about what I have and what I got.
The new iCarver 1520 showed up in a crate....
but really it was not that heavy, so I had some time and decided to open up the crate and see what was inside....
..... OK a big cardboard box and then a lot of Styrofoam. Also a small took kit and a copy of ArtCam Express to use!
Digging deeper...
Oh boy, even more Styrofoam!
This box contained some parts that look like a dust collection port or something.
Wrangled down from the heavens (first floor) into my Dungeon, sitting pretty on the SawStop for now, I have some things to work out before I put the new iCarver into the soundproof cabinet it will live in.
I think that is how the dust collection port goes on, seems to work.
Now the front brush, you have to remove it to see the tip of the tool when positioning an origin point on a work piece, the way the DC port was made, you had to unscrew the two knobs completely to get them out, this is a waste of time.....
...I solved this by making the two holes into to slots, now I just have to loosen or tighten the knobs to remove or replace the front brush.....
Next thing is the wire for the control module is too short for me, as my iCarvers live in a soundproof box with access only from the front, it the wire needs to be longer. Nothing too complex, an 8-wire cable, and some connectors....
Anyone know what they call this kind of connector?
Fired up and running on it's first job
Now what happened to my preproduction Ver 2 iCarver....?
I took a quick trip down to Zushi today and dropped it off at Alex's workshop.
Alex made some room for it on his storage loft. I sure hope that this one lasts a little longer!
I noticed that the new machine I have now has most of the changes and tweaks that I recommended after getting the preproduction Ver 2 unit and running it through it's paces. I doubt I was the only one to see the obvious changes that needed to be made, but I did make the suggestions, and it is rewarding to see many if not all of them used. Now I have to get my head wrapped around the new software so I've got some reading to do.
Cheers!