4th New Jersey Camp Shopbot !!!

[billp]

Number four at the Shore!

After being reminded by a number of ‘Botters I have set the dates for this year’s New Jersey Camp Shopbot as October 18/19.. It’s the standard Friday night find the shop, Saturday –main event, with a Sunday session for anyone who will still be in the area, or wants to work on specific projects. We’ll run “officially” from 9AM until ?
As usual the Camp is free of charge, and open to anyone with an interest in the CNC process.
I’d again ask for input regarding topics to cover, or projects to demonstrate, so please get your ideas into me ASAP. We’ll have a few machines running, and some software demos going on. The “Show and Tell” session will still be a focal point, but this year we’ll ask for LESS items, and MORE descriptions of how you really did the work. If anyone has material they’d like to share, get it to me for duplication well in advance please.
Since this event has gotten larger each year I’m asking for some sort of RSVP to let me know what to expect this time around.
I’ll post hotel/motel info in the next week or so for those of you coming in from the provinces. Looking forward to seeing a bunch of “annuals” as well as any newcomers who’d like to meet a lot of ‘Botters..

[gene@marshallsmillwork.com]

this is a Great camp
Bill Palumbo is the best
The marshall's Millwork crew will be there in force.
Bill let us know if you need anything
gene

[billp]

Upcoming info...
We're working on some information to be posted on the Shopbot web page soon. It will include driving directions, hotels, etc. It's not too early for people to RSVP, or let us know what kind of focus you'd like at this year's Camp.
We'll always try to cover the "perpetual" issues, such as hold downs, different materials, machine maintenance, etc., but if you can think of topics that might benefit the 'Bot community as a group, please pass along the suggestions...
If I start to clean the shop today, it might be presentable by October 18th.....

[billp]

OK, the first changes are in effect already.. We just posted the directions and hotel info on Shopbot's web page. THEN the local motel got back to me with info that their "group rate" deal is off. In short they have changed hands at the Super 8 and now it's "first come/first served" instead of blocking out some rooms for us. SO if you plan to attend the Camp , and want the closest place to stay, call ahead early.

[gene@marshallsmillwork.com]

Guys,
Bill had a GREAT idea...
since he has the day planned and no indexer at his shop. We are going to host an indexer camp at our place.
Our shop is only 10 or so miles from his so anyone attending camp NJ should be able to make it.
By concensus we have decided on fri the 17th. please respond here so we can get together on this.
the more the merrier.
please let me know how many will attend.
and what your particular interests (indexer)are so I can plan ahead.
I'm looking forward to this.
gene marshall


this posting was made in the other topic as well

[bjwat@comcast.net]

Gene,
Count me in! I'd like to see one in action and pick up some tips and tricks.

I know I'm not the only one that still has his sitting in the original crate...

-Brady

[billp]

Hello, I’ve started to get some RSVP’s for this year’s NJ Camp. So far we’ve got people coming in from Canada, New Hampshire, Florida, Oklahoma, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and maybe Georgia. The usual suspects from the New Jersey /New York area will be well represented also. I’d ask that if you are considering on coming please contact me so I can make appropriate preparations in terms of food/beverages, handouts, and how much debris to shovel into the corners of the shop.
I’ve started to come up with a list of topics we’ll cover this year, and I hope to be able to post them within a week or so. Since there are so many first timers planning to attend we’ll also do sort of a “review”of some of the ongoing topics which everyone is concerned about ( hold downs, software, etc.).
I think Bill Young might have some goodies for us again, and I’d hope to hear from others who have things they’d like to either show, or see, while they are here.
For those of you who have not attended before “schedule” is a loose term as we seem to start off by addressing a few topics, and them we spend the rest of the day on tangents as everyone chimes in with their own experiences and thoughts.
Since it gets larger each year I’d anticipate, more people, more cars, and less space..With this in mind I’d ask again that those of you bringing items for the “Show and Tell” session please be selective and bring UP TO FOUR of your favorite pieces. The emphasis this year is more on the TELL than the Show since we all get to learn more that way..
Driving directions and hotel info are posted on the Shopbot web page. We’ll try to get started at 9AM on Saturday, and I’ll hang around the shop until 9PM on Friday night for those of you who might get in the night before and want to make a dry run to find the place. Sunday will be even looser ( if that’s at all possible) than Saturday as I realize some people will have a few hours to kill before planes take off etc. We can try to cover anything left uncovered from the previous day.
So please get back to me , if you haven’t already so I have some idea of what to expect..
Thanks..Bill P.
P.S Don’t forget, for those of you who have an interest in using the indexer, Gene Marshall will be hosting an “indexer Camp” on that Friday, so if you DO get into the area early it would be a great chance to see his shop, and learn some rotational tricks…

[billp]

NJ Camp Update...
We are starting to get daily calls from people planning to attend this year's Camp, so I think it's going to be larger than any of our previous efforts. We've got a few topics locked in so far, and I'm working on some other ideas if time permits.
Topics to be covered so far include;
The Windows version of Shopbot's software ( by Ted Hall).
Hold downs,jigs, and vacuum tables.
Mold making.
Water based metallic finishes.
New features in Artcam.
And Bill Young has some "goodies" he will present.
If you have any more ideas let me know ASAP please.
If you are coming in from out of town I've just discovered a great deal on car rentals. Enterprise has a "weekend rate" from Friday to Monday for $9.95 a day! So for those of you flying in try to book that rate. You get 100 miles per day so whether you are flying in to Philadelphia, Newark, or Atlantic City you'll still have plenty left over. Their local number is 732-506-7600, and their national # is; 800-325-8007.
Please plan to get here early enough so we can get started BY 9AM. With this many people it's going to be chaotic ( at best..). Remember "Show and Tell "stuff too. FOUR of your best is the feasible limit with such a large group. If you have any questions call me at 732-286-2700..

[steve]

Are there any plasma-botters in the N.J. area?

[billp]

Steve,
Yes, Brady Watson is about an hour away, and he'll be at the Camp...Bill