Jamboree 2004

[Support]

Make your plans to attend the annual ShopBot Jamboree April 23-24 in Durham, NC. For more info and to register online, go to www.shopbottools.com/jamboree.htm. We'll see you there!

[billp]

Jamboree thoughts...


We've been working on ways to make the upcoming third Jamboree even
more pertinent to the ShopBot community. As in the past we'll provide some
discussions and lectures on using the tool, but we think it's also time to start
getting down to the actual application of the tool in a "real world" business
setting. For example, this year we've scheduled a presentation on the business
and legal aspects of running a "Bot business". Copyright laws, business
organization, purchasing equipment, those sorts of things. In short, the nuts
and bolts of what you do after you have set up your machine and want to start
becoming productive.


Based on the success at the regional Camp level of the "show and tell" sessions
we are also changing the focus for this year's show and tell session. Instead of
bringing a whole lot of things to "SHOW", we'd like to emphasize the "TELL" part
and bring no more than THREE of your favorite pieces. We aren't asking you to
prepare handouts or make a formal presentation, but just to give everyone a
brief description of why you chose certain materials, how you generated the
cutting files, and what you had to do to go from raw stock on to the finished
product. It's a great way to pick up tricks, sources of materials, and the seeds
of ideas for what to do in your own shop. At the New Jersey Camp it was one of
the best received sessions and could probably have gone on for half a day if
time would have permitted. This is where "the rubber meets the road" so to speak
in our community, and it's one of the major reasons we started running the Camps
and Jamborees.



It's also time to go through our annual solicitation of what YOU want to see at
the Jamboree. What is it that you'd like to learn? How can we make this a more
valuable experience for everyone? Don't take for granted that your interests are
so unique that NO ONE else would be interested. In fact this is another area we
plan to expand for the '04 Jamboree. We'll have a lot more time set aside for
the "special interest groups" so you can meet with other people using the 'Bot
for reasons similar to yours. The goal here is to focus more on the materials
and skills which are likely to be used in your application of the tool. If you
do multiple things with your bot, stop by a few groups and listen to what
they're talking about. And if you're thinking about branching out into a new
type of work this will be a great time to network with the people who are
already doing work in that field. Botters are a unique group since historically
we have always been open to sharing our knowledge… this is our way of providing
a venue to give everyone a chance to exchange that information.


We welcome any/all feedback, and would REALLY like to make the planning part of
things accessible to everyone. Of course we might not always be able to find
authorities in all fields to come in and cover your area of interest, but we CAN
work as a group to see where that information lies, and make it available.
Please let us know how we can best meet the needs of the ShopBot community.

Hoping to hear from you soon, Bill P., Bill Y., and Martha..

[billp]

Jamboree Update;
We are closing in on our schedule for the Jamboree and we wanted to post an update as to some of our plans for this year's event.
We'll be trying out a few different ideas to expand our coverage. One area is the addition of more vendors who have products which are pertinent to use with a Shopbot. Software reps, companies which sell clamping systems, coating products, etc. These people will all have tables set up back at Shopbot for the afternoon sessions. This will give people the opportunity to speak with them one on one . It's also another way to provide options for some Campers who might be more interested in one of these areas than the main presentation which is being held.
If anyone has a specific product they would like to suggest please contact us quickly as the clock is starting to count down. While we can't offer these people a full demonstration session to ALL Campers it could still be a good situation for them, and those attending.
We're also hoping to work out a schedule for the computer room this year so we can have demos and tech support for some of the software which is already in use by 'Botters. By specifying times for certain software we hope to minimize some of the confusion and crowding which happened occasionally last year.
We had planned to have a mold making demonstration for one of the hands on demos at Shopbot, but we ran into a scheduling conflict with the company we were considering. If anyone has had experience with a mold making company ( supplies, or actually making the mold itself) and can suggest a contact person we'd appreciate the info. Better yet, if any 'Botters do mold making and feel comfortable with giving a presentation please contact us.
The feedback we are getting this year indicates that people are not only interested in learning how to use the machine, but also ways in which to incorporate it into a business.We're working on something to address those issues, and other business related questions.
Sallye is preparing to offer a Saturday morning session for Women as well. We'll post the details here once they are complete.
We're starting to get reservations ( you can do it right from Shopbot's web page..), and we hope to be able to give everyone the proposed schedule within the next week. Keep your questions and suggestions coming in, we will do what we can provide as much information as possible....Thanks, Bill P.

[wa3sea@aol.com]

Are perspective owners welcome at the Jamboree? The wife and I are in the novice class at computers and woodworking,plans are to retire Feb/Mar of 2005 and want to start a small woodworking shop.We were at Atlanta wood show and talked alittle to Jim Wilson,so would the Jamboree be benificial or should we wait awhile and get better educated in woodworking/computers?
Thanks,Dan

[billp]

Dan,
I think it would be a great chance for you to see what people are doing with their machines, and also to get a first hand report from people who have already done what you'd like to. There will be some technical discussions as well as Show and Tell sessions and you can get some good ideas of how to approach your future goals... We welcome anyone who is interested in the CNC process and would like to know more about how they can incorporate it into their business or personal plans....

[Mantlemen@savannahga.net]

At the Jamboree, please show examples of converting and cutting bitmap images. This is proving to be difficult for me although I get the impression others are succeeding with it.

[billp]

Jscot,
Could you be more specific as to exactly what it is you are trying to cut? Are you trying to vectorize bitmaps, or carve their profiles? Are you looking to extrude them into 3 dimensional files? etc. etc... As I've mentioned to others don't wait for the Jamboree, post your questions here on the Forum as there is a wider audience, and this way you can get cutting now instead of late April...

[Mantlemen@Savannahga.net]

Bill Palumbo,
Thanks for your interest sir. I want to do relief carvings to spiff up my products, which are now 2 1/2-D. I know (artcam pro) is the way to go but the price is too high for now. By the way you inquired for someone who knows about moulding. I have experience with urethane moulds both spray and pour and will be happy to share with botters everywhere.
thanks,
J Scott (912) 925-3623

[billp]

Jscott,
I'll be calling you regarding the mold thing in the next few days... In the interim I have sent you an e-mail with a list of places to get free 3D files. You might want to consider looking at Millwizard which has been mentioned on this Forum a number of times.It will allow you to use pre-existing 3D files and create the kind of reliefs you are looking for.. The price is $250
and if you do a few jobs it more than pays for itself...There is a good free demo of Millwizard on their web page - www.millwizard.com

[superior]

Jscott: As usual, Bill P. is right on with the suggestion of using Millwizard. I have been tinkering with it for about 2 years now. I'm certainly not professional with it, but I have made some neat stuff with it. How about a 36" tall 3D sea horse, or an 18" tall WW II style "Pineapple" hand grenade?
Sure do welcome the thought on mould making/usage. If you are any where near Oklahoma, come see us in March. Bill P. will be here with us, as well as David Allen. Both have a lot of knowledge to share,and love to do so.
Let me know what you think...
Doug