I need an opinion

[john_hartman]

I recorded an interview this morning with a local tv host covering my latest project. After the interview he asked if there was anyway to get some footage of me working in my shop. I said, "sure and you might find the robot I use to complete this project interesting". I described the shopbot further and needless to say he is very interested in including it in the segment.


I started to think about this and I'm wondering if it is a good idea to show people the shopbot. Not that I don't like showing it off, but most who have seen it look at it as a "magic machine" where no skill from the designer/fabricator is needed. I guess I don't want to take anything away from myself or the project. I don't want anyone thinking that I cheated. It might be better to let people come to there own conclusions as to how I did it..? Any thoughts...

[mitch_prest]

well ya came to the right place for opinions... you know what they say.. they are like bumholes... everybody has one and most stink...

heres my thoughts anyway... I know what you mean about taking away the the skill from the person.. just showed an item not 5 minutes ago.. he thought it was hand carved and was all impressed.. when he heard it was done on the bot ...his whole attitude changed..

I think if they come to see you and the machine... try to focus on the skill at the computer in designing the what you are making.. then just a flash of it being cut out after all the work "you" did...

mitch

[michael_schwartz]

Make sure to explain that the machine is only good as the operator, and that it can take great skill and experience to make tasks easy.

[dlcw]

I concur with both replies.

The skill is in the computer work needed to create the project and the imagination to figure out how to make it work on the machine. The other big skill is knowing how to tune and get a machine that really hums along and accurately produces what you spent hours on the computer creating.

I've told people that for carvings I could have done it by hand but they couldn't afford it. The CNC carving machine makes unique and personalized projects affordable. For many projects I do there is still hand work with chisels and sandpaper to really achieve what I want. Undercutting is one example. The machine can't do that.

Just my opinion... :D

[coach]

If the local TV wanted to interview me I would jump all over it.
Could be great advertisement.
If you are licensed and insured and working in a legal venue go for it.
If you are not be cautious what information you send out.

Keep us informed,good luck.

[cabnet636]

i have been interviewed a few times (chess players) it is all good do not pass up the opportunity!!

jim

[scottbot]

John,
I'm don't know how you got your start in CNC. Once I made the decision to go ahead with the purchase I spent the next 3 or 4 months lurking on this forum to learn as much as I could. Then I downloaded V-Carve Pro and got busy trying to learn how to drive that. I also had a friend teach me how to get around in AutoCAD.

Mean while I spent every spare minute working like a dog to get my shop ready to receive my ShopBot. When the Bot arrived, as you know, it came in a big crate in many, many pieces.
I lugged each one from my garage to my shop and got busy assembling my Bot. Once that was done I had to teach myself how to run it. Just like you did I would assume.
I had my fair share of start up problems and the odd broken router bit too. As well as some panic striken hits at the eStop.

Gradually I got better at running the Bot and have spent many hours on this fantastic forum to help improve my operation of it. There was no apprenticeship program or mentor (other than the forum of course). There were many long hours and a lot of effort.

The point is, if your experience was anything like mine, you earned your your ability to operate your bot through a lot of your own effort. There was nothing magic about it. Don't ever appologize for that and by all means take the time to educate anyone who suggests otherwise.

Jump on the chance for the free advertising and take that great opportunity to show off your Bot and educate people about what you can do with it the your competition without one can't.

Best of luck.

Scott

[john_hartman]

From Mitch Preston- "I know what you mean about taking away the skill from the person.. just showed an item not 5 minutes ago.. he thought it was hand carved and was all impressed.. when he heard it was done on the bot ...his whole attitude changed.."


Thanks for the feedback guys. I think Mitch has outlined my view pretty well, as far as what I'm afraid of. When I first got my bot running, a little over a year, I was telling every prospect about it and what it could. I quickly discovered that people saw it a "magic machine" where wood went in one end and out the other came a finished built-in. So I just started showing samples not really explaining how things where does done, other than saying "very carefully". So I'm sure I left some of those people thinking that I hand carved that "fleur-de-lis" in that door panel.. :)


I think I was looking for a positive argument to show it. I think that it might be best to keep it in the shadows. Luckily the interview went very well. It's my first piece of major free advertising on TV. Hopefully the final editing works in my favor. I'll post some photo's of this project in the Virtual Show and Tell section.

[myxpykalix]

What i would do is (depending on the length of the tv piece) start out talking to them at the computer with your design program on the computer with a representation of what the bot is going to cut (maybe a nice 3D carving)
then show the piece about halfway cut in action, then you pulling it off the table finished. All while you are describing the process.

edit* ha.. i started writing this about 3pm today and walked away then just walked in finished and hit the button only to see you already had done the interview. Well i hope they edit it well to make you look like a wizard!

[jdervin]

Let us know if there's an online link to the video after it airs.

[magic]

I have been involved with TV production work hundreds of times, so I can give you the perspective that will work.

Put up some caution tape so the camera man can't get too close to the machine (for insurance reasons) and - keep holding stuff up so they see the final result.

When the machine is running the noise is too loud to broadcast, for any length of time so IF I WAS YOU I'd suggest they get footage of the machine - as "B" footage - but interview you standing in front of it (while you hold stuff up).

If you help the field producer understand that the noise will be loud - they will see it your way and the segment will become all about the finished product (and you).

Get a simple file ready to show them (in less then a minute) how to program a shape and cut it. The cut file would already be loaded on the machine. The material is also screwed down. No need to show how you Z zero, they don't care.

AND absoultly make them a logo of the station or the name of the show. The "B" footage can be the logo being cut while the voice-over is YOU telling all about how wonderful you are and what YOU do.

[mick40]

Hey, a violin looks great but, if nobody know how to play it what good is it?

Yes, I'm saying the bot is like a violin. ;)