Dumb questions....

[myxpykalix]

first off i don't make cabinets, ect so to date i was not interested in this thread. HOWEVER, after seeing Don Thompsons nightstands I had this question.
My basic passing understanding is that you download a design program and create the cabinet, ect that you want to make then to get the files translated into something you can cut you have to have the shopbot link that you pay the $1000+ fee for and your files then can be made into a cut files to use on the bot...right so far?
So my question is since i don't do cabinets and wouldn't be willing to pay the fee is it permissable to use the design program to create a cabinet then pay someone who has the link to translate the files for me if i wanted to make one or two cabinets? Is there a fee for each file translated?

[thewoodcrafter]

Jack,
You can use e-cabinets all you want but as you said you will not be able to cut the files without buying the Link, $1200.
It will allow you to translate TWD (Thermwood) files into coded cut files that will cut directly.
The file generated is not a readable ShopBot file and it is not saved, it opens up the Shopbot control software and starts to cut.
So paying someone to make a cut file with the Link from your e-cabinets file is not an option.

For anyone else reading this, it is not a fee for the service it is a fee for a translation program
with no other costs.

[myxpykalix]

is that 1200.00 an annual fee or a one time fee?

[bleeth]

Jack: As of now it is a one time fee.
That being said, Those lovely little nightstands could have all the parts laid out in Partworks also!! Only the hummingbird carving (Is that one of James's?) needs anything capable of 3-d design.

[dlcw]

Jack,

Dave is correct. The parts for the nightstands could have easily been laid out in Partworks. The Hummingbird and Rose carvings are VectorArt3D models. The drawer fronts and tops of the nightstands are solid cherry so layout and carving of the Hummingbirds and appliques was easy.

In regards to whether or not you could design in eCabinets and have some else do the cutting/carving, yes you can do that (provided the other person has SB Link). You would need to provide the person with your eCabinets job files and they can use their copy of eCabinets to output the necessary files that would go through their SB Link and cut the materials for you.

Rogers right, you purchase the SB Link software and install it (and the USB key dungle that comes with your package) into your computer that connects to your ShopBot. SB Link is a translator from the Thermwood binary files into a G-Code file that our Shopbots understand and can execute. And boy are those G-Code files efficient in the way they make out Shopbots work.

Don

[beacon14]

I'm still waiting for a dumb question...this all seems pretty intelligent so far.

[thewoodcrafter]

The Link at $1200 is a really good price if your making cabinets for a living. The only thing close is 10 times the price.
But the program or e-cabinets rather, will do other things.
Drawers, carvings, furniture and cabinet doors.
Still cabinet related and pretty specific compared to Partworks or V-Carve.

[benchmench]

You also have the option of good old reliable (and recently updated) Cabinet Parts Pro at $250. that can create, nest and cut your cabinet parts or output a DXF to Partworks/Aspire.

[Gary Campbell]

Jack...
As the guys said above, you can get the eCabs software for free. Without owning a SB Link, you will not be able to cut the files yourself. You can however, save the completed file as an eCabs job file, (.esj) or a ready to nest file (.twd) and carry either of those to someone that has the Link (or a Thermwood) for cutting. Untill you get well versed in the eCabs parameters, I would recommend transfer using the .esj format, as parameters can be changed in the cabinet itself rather than cutting parameters.

There are many that do this all over the world, as most eCabs users do NOT have a machine. I cut a file today that I designed on my office computer to Steve's specs and cut it on his machine. Worked great. Only problem was tenons that were too tight, and that was fixed with some minor zshift trickery.
Gary

[bleeth]

OK Dave-try this:

So if I design on one computer but cut on another I need two links, right?


LOL