1ST YEAR ON THE BOT

[woodworx]

Just wanted to chime in a few thoughts about this past year. I ordered my Shopbot a year ago and it was delivered late Jan/early Feb 2008. I read a lot about CNC's before I ordered and worked for a company who ran a bot for a few months before going on my own.

Today I finally cut up the scrap ply we carved the Shopbot logo in a few days after we got the machine running. It seems like it was yesterday, but we have come a LOOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG way since then. I was so excited the day we cut the air circle. I knew my days of rough cut, template, jig saw, flush routing, and sanding were over. Thank god!

My entire business plan was based around taking the "Human Error" out of the building process.
We have moved quite rapidly into territory I never thought we would. We have been making signs for Disneyland, high end cabinetry for beautiful homes in southern California, milling 3/4" plate aluminum for signs, and many other very distinctive projects.

I can't say that the machine paid for itself in a year, but I have sold an additional $30K taking on projects that I wouldn't have been able to take on the year before. I have even traveled to train 3 very eager users how to get rolling on their new machines!

My bank account isn't busting at the seams, but my work has been much more enjoyable. You all know that there is nothing more satisfying than your customer writing the check with a big smile on their face. Most of the time they are wondering how you did such an amazing job.

I enjoy bringing people to my shop to show them what we do, and how we do it. It beats having a bunch of monkeys hanging around soaking up the overtime, screwing up projects time and time again.

Running a business isn't easy, but being connected with ShopBot(the company)and the people that use them is one of the only comforting thoughts in the back of my mind. It's good to know that I made a solid choice in selecting something that will make the company successful.

Thanks to all that contribute to the knowledge and guidance on the forum. Thanks to Frank, for listening to my stupid questions on the phone at the beginning of the year. Thanks Dave for the plug in Shopbot's company ads. Thanks to Brady Watson for learning all this stuff before me, and then writing about it very thoroughly.

I have learned if you can't be knowledgeable you have to be resourceful. You will never find a company like ShopBot that works so hard to provides so many resources to help make your future a success.

P.S. I am VERY BUSY right now!

[carlhopkins]

I want to eco what Justin has posted. I bought a used Shopbot 5x10 back in May with a 3hp spindle and added a vac hold down system. I have not yet done any really cool stuff except make money. If that was all I ever done “make money” that would be fine but I expect to make many improvements over time as to every aspect of what I do.
I stepped out on faith and bought the bot and while I was picking the machine up I got the call about my first project that I had hoped for that the bot was very well suited for. That client alone has bought $42K and talking about more. I have also built four more projects of what I do on a day to day basis and I can say that the bot has sped up the process so much and made easy work of it as well. I am very pleased and life is much more fun with the bot. Thanks to all who contribute your time and talent to this forum.
May God bless you all, merry Christmas.