Profilelab Users: Can you hear me now?

[dave_draper]

I have been making signs for 34 years. We recently bought a Wart Hog from Glentec, and it came with ProfileLab 5 and WinCNC.

The ProfileLab Manual is "e6 User Guide" ...and I have ProfileLab 5. So I have pages of text and charts that I don't find on my computer screen. For example, I'm reading about a "Ginsu Knife", but I swear it is not to be found on my program.

Anyway, long story short, My Brain is Mush from reading and re-reading and re-reading each paragraph and coming away with confusion and more questions.

I've concluded the manual writer(s) were on drugs at the time. It is of little help.
So I started to write my own tutorial, with simple explanations like:
"This is how you create a simple shape and then route it. Step 1.....

I knew the learning curve would be intense. I did assume that the manual would be helpful. (boy, was I wrong) I can't get past routing simple shapes becasue the manual is so obscure in its explanation of things.

So, are there other ProfileLab users out there? Am I alone. I need help to get over some of the rough stuff.

[kerrazy]

I use ProfileLab and may be able to get you a manual for 5.0
Dale
613.880.8292

[dave_draper]

Great Dale,

I really do have a legal licensed copy and a dongle, all brand spanking new.

I'm not sure why they sent me ver. 6 manual. I was overhearing the folk at Glentec telling sombody that ProfileLab 6 is just beta tesing right now.
Apparently, I'm not the only one getting the new manual.

I really don't think manual 5 would be easier reading material. But I'll give it try.

What is needed in this industry is a good step by step instructor who has prepared a tutorial that teaches from the view point of a "newbie".

[kerrazy]

its coming down the pipe give me an address to send it to you.
Dale

By the Way I too agree with a tutorial being available.

[dave_draper]

Dale,Check your e-mail
Thanks

[dave_draper]

Dale,

Thanks for the download. Now things are making sense.

Its just a matter of having the right book.

[Mayo]

Hey Dave, don't take this the wrong way but ya think maybe you should have bought a ShopBot instead? I'm curious why you're looking for answers here and not at the Wart website - or did you try there and have no luck? Do they have a forum there?

I know Signlab has a very good Help feature built right into their program. I think ProfileLab would be similar. The key F1 accesses context sensitive Help related to just about anywhere you are in the program. I also heard they had training CDs available direct from Cadlink/SignLab.


Since you're a paid freelance writer now, are you going to be selling training lessons?

("So I started to write my own tutorial"...
What is needed in this industry is a good step by step instructor who has prepared a tutorial that teaches from the view point of a "newbie".)

[dave_draper]

Mayo,
This is the best forum I have found for CNC routing. I have no clue if a Shop Bot can use .tap files that ProfileLab creates, but I'm a router head just like you all!


Just some history, I think the nice folks at Glentek have had some Shop Bot history / connections before they went solo.

The first page of my tutorial contains 78 curse words like "#%^&@@" and "#$%#%$ and "what the #@##? The pictures I have included show me running the router through the Profile6 book.

I don't think you are going to see an edited version of my step-by-steps till I get over some anger and frustration issues. The learning curve is a bitch.



Don't get me wrong, ProfileLab is a great program.

But, somewhere, somehow, I got ProfileLab 5 loaded in my computer with a working dongle, and and a ProfileLab 6 book and the original CD is also a ProfileLab 6 CD.

If my computer hard drive crashes, I can't load ProfileLab 6 in...because it doesn't recognize my ProfileLab 5 dongle!

I think two routers at GlenTek were built at the same time and somebody else has my original copies and I have theirs. Or else CadLink slipped up and sent the wrong version...which don't make sense...because I do have a registered version 5 and a working dongle.

So how can I end up with a ver 6 book and version 6 program and vers 5 loaded in the computer? ( with a working dongle and password?) This defies all logical sense.

This is like two babies getting swaped at the hospital and going home with the wrong parents.

Try explaining this to CadLink over the phone and have them not think you are totally crazy!

CadLink did send me a version 5 book, and now things are begining to make sense. Version 6 has changed some things, and when I saw that my menu and tool bars didn'tt contain the same icons, it freaked me out!

I think we are going to have to send my ProfileLab 6 original program off to the company that copies the program and extracts the dongle commands so that in case of a hard drive crash I can at least have a working program that runs without the dongle.
(yes it can be done and yes its legal) what is illegal is for the owner of the program to make more copies of the cracked program and sell them or give them out.

[kerrazy]

Dave,
I extend the offer again to give me a ring and I can ssure you I will have you moving smoothly in ProfilLab in just a few minutes. 613.880.8292
Dale

[dave_draper]

Dale,

I will, after next week. We have to move our son home from college in Florida this coming week.
I will first read every page( twice )of my new ProfileLab 5 manual, then formulate some questions.

I know that cutting simple shapes is a no brainer. But I feel a bit lost when multi-passes are needed on a "letterhead" type sign, for instance, different heights, where the background needs to be hogged out, beveled edged borders and such.

What I would like to do, is pick an existing sign, ( a picture ) and try to recreate it. Pick the job apart to see what has to happen, how many spepart pieces need to be routed, then step -by step the total proceedure.

You might be sorry you volunteered to help!



Did you ever get any responses to the router meet you offered to hold? I think that would be great.


http://mysite.verizon.net/res1e6xo/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/router2.gif

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1e6xo/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/router3.gif

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1e6xo/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/router4.gif

[kerrazy]

Sounds Good Dave,
Last year I Held the first ever Canadaian ShopBot Camp and am planning on the same again this summer.

I am looking at hosting a ProfileLab Camp (seperate dates) as well, so we can all share ideas on the software.

[dave_draper]

Dale,
That would be neat (ProfileLab Camp)

Some updates on my end: Now that I have a proper ProfileLab 5 manual, we started cutting components for a real job. I figured out how to import files from Geber Omega (which is my main sign making program for vinyl cutting).

This was really the first time I got to see the Wart Hog router do its thing! WOW!

Speed! Power! Accuracy! This machine rocks!