Atlanta Camp Shopbot - August 2002

[garlicking@charter.net]

Frank
You saw it in Toolcrib? Boy Shopbot must be slumming, just kidding, I get Toolcrib also, or do they get me? Anyhow, in response to the atlanta deal, no, unfortunatly I live about as far away as you can get from there in the lower 48, Port Orchard , Washington. I figure I can support an airline or buy a bunch of new bits, you figure the answer, besides, thats why we have a forum, to commmunicate idea's, keep in touch,etc.(P.S. Ron know's his stuff!)Anyway, in the northwest where CNC is a dime a dozen, even if you don't need a bot for your business, it makes a great addittion to your shop. It's so nice to be able to cut a part as a temporary piece while working on a project without having to get out the jigsaw,tablesaw,router that the convience factor alone would justify the expense. Bottom line Frank, enjoy your bot, whether for business or pleasure.
Have a good one
keith
(I've had one for three years)

[c1get1@hotmail.com]

Hi Keith,
My Bot arrived yesterday, and its unpacked lying all over the shop floor, lol. But i am sure i will enjoy it and hopefully make something off it, man, where u are u should be able to get all kinds of good wood, big trees up there, thanks Keith,,,,,,,Frank

[beacon14]

Hi Frank,
Welcome to the family, so to speak. Looking forward to seeing you in August. Let me know what you will be using your machine for, and we'll try to make sure we know more about it than you do by then!

David B.

[jim@inurface.com]

David,

I recently discovered the Shopbot web site and am interested in eventually getting one for my new woodshop.

I live in Norcross, GA, so am not too far away, and would like to attend your shopbot camp if it is not too cost prohibitive.... Any details on the meeting would be appreciated.

Also, I was wondering (if it is not too much of an imposition) if i could get a personal "tour" of your setup before the big meeting?

One of my other hobbies is "Robot Battles" at DragonCon. (held the last weekend of August, in Atlanta)
My robot construction "material of choice" is a very tough plastic which i can buy in 4x8 sheets...
It occured to me that the shopbot might be ideal for precision cutting the parts to fit my design concept...
If you think you might be interested in working on that with me, as a very unique project for your shopbot, that would be fantastic! (and educational for me as well)... The material is very easy to cut and work...
However, if that is too much to ask on short notice, i will understand... and will just do it the "old fashioned way"! : )

Thanks for your consideration,
Jim

PS - I tried sending you an email to your name link,(beacon14@attbroadband.com)and got a "Message undeliverable" return mail...

Please feel free to email me at
"jim@inurface.com" for contact info.... btw, check out my graphics web site at "inurface.com" where you will also find my phone#. (I screen all my calls so be sure to say something and i will answer if i hear it is not a solicitor.)

Thanks again, Jim

[beacon14]

Jim,
Norcross is about 15 miles from us so depending on your gas mileage, I would say the cost for you to attend the camp will be between $1.50 and $3.00 (round trip). The camp is geared for current Shopbot owners, but if you are interested enough you will probably find it worthwhile.
I didn't realize I had an outdated e-mail in my user profile, since I enter the correct address each time I post a message, but I have since corrected it. My actual e-mail (at least until AT&T #$^&'s me again) is beacon14@attbi.com.
I will e-mail you to discuss cutting your plastic parts, maybe in exchange for a couple of tix to the robot battles!
Keep checking this thread, as I will be posting more info as it becomes available.
David

[c1get1@hotmail.com]

Hey Jimbo,
I sure hope ur able to learn more bout what im doin than me,,then i'll let u handle things here , and i will go fishing, lol. At the moment my steel will be delivered tomorrow so i can start on the table for this monster, people i bought my Bot from bought it to do surfboards with, but said it was to slow for their enviroment, has less than 100 hrs on it, i'm even open for any sub work, that i can muster up. I'm really interested in the cabinet doors and solid wood doors for the home, also signs for the buisness and home, but plain and simple, whatever i can gain knowledge and experience on, and that will help me pay for this hunk of steel and motors,,,thanks jim,,will see u soon----frank

[beacon14]

UPDATE:

The IWF and our Atlanta Camp will be here before we know it. It looks like we will have a good group of owners and maybe a few future owners with a wide range of experience. If you have not yet contacted me and are planning to attend or hope to attend, please let me know so we will be able to plan refreshments, etc.
As for specifics, I can tell you so far that Ted and I will be demonstrating various ways with which we hold down parts, such as: using homemade cams, brad nails, quick & easy vaccuum platens, and maybe a few more if we can think of them. I will also share ways to use homemade contact plates and limit switches to set tool location easily and accurately. We will have examples and photos of many of the items we have made with our Shopbot.
Make sure if you are coming that you bring either some examples of your own to share, or if you haven't reached that point yet, a sketch or sample of something you would like to be able to do. If there is enough interest, we will have a session in which we take an idea from sketch to cutting file, to show how easy it can be, possibly using several different software methods to get the ideas flowing.
We are more than open to ideas for other topics or ways to make the day more worthwhile.

More to come....
David Buchsbaum

[beacon14]

Quick update:

There is now a link on the Shopbot main web page with info, including directions to our shop. The info included an incorrect link to my e-mail, which has since been fixed. There is also a link to a short piece by Bill P., explaining the concept behind the "camps". I couldn't have said it as well, so I won't even try.

In addition to our Shopbot, I plan to have an extra computer on hand for software (partwizard?) demonstrations. Bill Young has promised to attend and demo the bar-code wand for pattern tracing. We may have one or more other "official" visitors/hosts as well.

We have had quite a few responses so far, and I suspect the fence-sitters will have to make up their minds pretty soon. If anyone needs more info to decide whether or not to attend, please post here or e-mail me. If you are considering it but won't know until the last minute, that's OK too, but if you can let me know that you might be coming, it will help us plan if we know approximately how many folks to expect.

Three weeks and counting...
David Buchsbaum

[billp]

Suggestions for the Campers...
For those of you who will be attending the Atlanta Camp I have a few suggestions which are based on our experiences up here at the Northeast Camps;
Bring business cards with you -(much easier to let people know how to reach you later than writing on a piece of scrap wood with a screwdriver)..
Bring floppy discs if you want to trade files, and obviously if you can, bring something to trade to others...
Pictures of your projects work much better than trying to describe them. If you have done something you were happy with but it's too large to carry to Atlanta, bring a photo..
Bring a camera with you- sometimes you want to record how a machine was set up, or just capture images of projects you like..Also send some to Shopbot for their web page...!
If you have found any good sources of materials, or good web pages, type them up so they can be assimilated into a "resource list" for everyone when the Camp is over. This is really pertinent in regional Camps where you can sometimes help other 'Botters save big bucks by knowing where to get wood, foam, etc.
Get around and try to meet everyone. You might find that there is someone attending who has been looking for work that you do,( or vice versa) and unless you find out who is there you'll miss a great opportunity.......

[beacon14]

Outstanding suggestions, Bill.

As of today we are looking at upwards of 25-30 attendees, and we are looking forward to a succesful day. We seem to have a good mix of current owners, recent purchasers, and a few prospective owners.
In the next day or two, I will e-mail all those who responded with specific schedule info and logistics. It's not too late to respond if you think you can make it.

By the way, I suppose it has never been specifically mentioned, but a couple of people have asked about the cost, so I guess it's not obvious. There is no charge to attend this event. ShopBot is even graciously providing our lunch and refreshments.

If anything else is not obvious and needs clarification, please ask.

David Buchsbaum