FABMO Status

[tlempicke]

Tom

First of all look at the date I joined this forum. I currently own two shopbots, my fourth and fifth. I say this to let you know that I am a long time and truly committed fan.

I refer you to the history of the Eastman Kodak company. They were the first to do digital photography and they were damn good at it. They priced it high - because they were Kodak and they WERE photography. Essentially they removed themselves from the competition and felt that they were on another level. So technology just marched right around them. Today they are, for all intents, out of the marketplace.

That is what you are faced with right now. The first stumbling block you have is the fact that you have been selling 1990 software for a long time and your reputation has suffered. You have the best customer support in the business but then you have to have it. Before I would buy Fabmo I would have to be convinced that it is better than the other guys and that you are going to be around for the long run to support it. Technology has raced right around you. The Centroid product is far more robust and much better to work on. I own and work on both! All of us out here have had years to learn about CNC machining and we don't need to be protected from G code anymore.

The best way out of this swamp is to swallow your pride and quit shoveling sand against the tide. Get the competition to start producing Blue boards for you and call them Walnuts. Concentrate on your strength - producing an economical CNC machine for the Mom and Pop operations that can't afford a Komo. Most importantly a machine that works predictably each and every time you turn it on, even on a Sunday night!

[srwtlc]

Why doesn't someone at SBHQ go ahead and update the Fabmo Demo Page? Let the customers see what it is and how it works, see the work flow and controls. I know it can be done, just set it up on your servers and have some kind of timed cue for people to check it out and see what you've been up to for 5+ years.

Obviously not connected to a tool though (although you could).

If I had a domain, I'd open mine up to see. Have the latest greatest running right here...

[dlcw]

It's really sad that ShopBot has fallen so far behind the technology curve with their offerings.

The only thing that keeps me on the SB platform is the fact that I'm heavily invested in Thermwood eCabinets and ShopBotLink. I'm over 60 and don't have many years left doing the level of work I do because of health issues so investing in and learning all new technology is not really a wise business decision for me.

[tlempicke]

It's really sad that ShopBot has fallen so far behind the technology curve with their offerings.

The only thing that keeps me on the SB platform is the fact that I'm heavily invested in Thermwood eCabinets and ShopBotLink. I'm over 60 and don't have many years left doing the level of work I do because of health issues so investing in and learning all new technology is not really a wise business decision for me.

WHAT??? Your just in your Salad days. I am 80 and I was able to pick up the new software with no problem at all. I built my own setup and by the time I was finished I pretty much knew just what I needed to run the machine. BTW I have no idea how I ever found time to work a job. Been retired for 23 years now and busy as hell.

[dlcw]

I've got physical health problems (military related) that have limited my ability to do heavy work, and it's getting worse. Yes, I've put in labor saving devices like ceiling hoists to manhandle plywood. But I still have to manhandle solid wood (hickory is HEAVY) thru planer, jointer and tablesaw. I am retired from the military but still need to generate income as I don't have the cushy retirement package that congress gave themselves. Once I'm no longer able to do the heavy work I'll go back to building sailing ship models. Not as much heavy lifting considering hull planking on those models weights in at a hefty .25 oz. LOL....

[Windy Ridge Chuck]

I had one of the early controls for my PRT machines and had the control go down. I looked into many options for control and ended up getting the Acorn control. Gary Campbell set up the control and I just had to plug and play for easy installation. There is a learning curve going from the Shopbot to a G-code control but within a few hours I was able to be up and running production parts. The biggest down side I have found is I had to change the codes on standard production files in my library from Shopbot to G-code which was a simple it just took some time. My almost 30 year old machine has never worked as good as it does now with the Acorn control the only ting I will have to do now is go to a spindle rather then a router so I can take advantage of the speed my Shopbot is now operating. The communications between the Acorn control and my design computer is wireless and that has been flawless.

[ron_moorehead]

Any update on a new control card for the ShopBot?