Random Question

[joelinkous]

If you guys are working on a project, what is it? We always hear about the best projects (or first projects) someone has done. It's time to take a random cross-section of the world of ShopBot professionals.

My current projects:

-Designing a few simple signs for sample purposes.
-Finishing design of simple Orrery

[Brady Watson]

Joe,
Your brain is the only limiting factor...If you can dream it, there's almost always a way to make it on a Bot.

Here's something outside of work that I made for myself recently: The Tank (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/17997/24733.html?1192243300#POST57971)

-B

[harryball]

I have way too much stuff going all the time.

- Bat house production
- Bat windchime prototype just finished
- Bat cutting board in process
- Contract job, 200 little plaque holders
- Contract job, large task specific work table 10'6" x 5'
- New knockdown Bat house design
- Educational Tactile feel boxes

the list goes on and then there is all the personal stuff I want to get done on top of all that.

Robert

[cnc_works]

Some of my recent jobs:

Two 3' X 6' raised letter signs in cedar.
Two 2" X 14' X 16" mahogany signs for the sides of a ship.
Plastic parts for commercial salt water aquarium filtration & chemical balance systems (on going contract).
Mold for thermoforming plastic bumper parts (hoped for on going contract).
Soap mold with a business crest on it.
Walnut panel 16" X 16" with 3D carving of fancy crest design.

Upcoming:

Large wall carving/lettering job for a college.
Table leg parts for a Hard Rock Cafe.
Yearly push for cedar house signs for Christmas gifts (retail gig).

Some straight forward, some extremely challenging, all mostly fun in one way or another.

Donn

[Gary Campbell]

I am currently working on the cabinet and hardware drawings for a new line of "Green" cabinets we are developing. Since this involves a new hardware brand, new materials & thickness', new waterborne finishes & tecniques, plus many new suppliers of all of the above, it seems overwhelming at times. In the long run, being able to offer cabinetry with no formaldehydes, low or no VOC's, FSC certified lumbers and veneers may help to set us above many of the competition. Being able to input metric sizes & screw locations and then switch to inches is a big plus. One I wouldn't have asked for when I bought the Bot.

[ryan_slaback]

I am working on the plans and cut files for a traditional rocking horse. Traditional in the sense that it is actually shaped like a horse. It is molded after a Woodsmith plan from 1989.

[gene]

I am making some small chairs for a friends little boy so he can sit and color at a little table, I am tired of building cabinets and i figured this would give a little break , plus i am sure he will appreciate this more than most of my customers.Appreciation goes a long way...

[drodda]

Just finished a large entertainment center and a wet bar for a customer.

Designed and built a craft table that folds flat against the wall when not in use.

Working on a new sign for the shop. The old one is looking old. Need to call Joe Crumley on this one to get some expert help.

Now it's back to the game tables.

[cookie]

I just finished a small tv stand for a 42 inch wide screen. I recently did a cabinet job in a 300,000 dollar motor coach. It was a converted semi tractor converted into a 32' living area for the racing people. Mostly I do kitchens and ent. centers.

[beacon14]

My current project for pay is a large custom kitchen and bathroom cabinetry project for a new home. I used the 'bot to cut and drill all the parts. This is the first job for which I pre-determined the locations of all the electrical boxes and pipes and had the Shopbot cut the access holes while the parts were being cut from full sheets, saving me time, hassle, and mess on the jobsite.

Next up is a dining table top made of two bookmatched slabs from a large neighborhood tree I had sawn up after it fell over a few years ago. The 'bot will be used to surface the slabs, trim the ends and inlay butterfly-like keys to lock the slabs together. The finished top will be around 42" x 102".

I'm also working on the Shopbot itself, with motor and spindle upgrades as well as a new computer station and wiring and switching upgrades.

On the drawing board are my own kitchen cabinets - my wife has been waiting for 10 years - it's about time.

[knight_toolworks]

I have been working on making my wooden hand planes on the bot. this is a pretty big challenge as work with pretty much very hard tropicals and cut fairly deep at 1.5" I think tropical hardwoods are about the hardest thing to cut well I have tried.
it has been a huge challenge to get the mirrored pieces to match. 1 of the planes has a double curved sole end to end and side to side. that is made with a 3d file then attached to my regular plane.
just finished an elaborate ipod dock and I am now making a simpler design. but they are still complex and are cut and drilled in 4 different positions. some v carving on aluminum too. all of these take some work to make jigs for them.

[fleinbach]

I primarily cut out entire home theater rooms. Some rooms contain over 30 sheets to complete. Mostly from MDF but in a few I have made bar tops from cherry and poplar.

I have been building an oval shaped 15' X 22' Gazebo for the past 2 years. I have cut several different materials with the bot since nearly everything is curved. They include, treated lumber, Trex decking, OSB and am about to cut the AZEK trim boards with Vcarved decorations. I work on this in my spare time and it will most likely be another 2 years before I finish.

[scottcox]

For $$ this week, I'll be cutting 3/4" MDF to build an overhead light cabinet for an arcade style game.

For my personal use, I'll be planing a 30" wide, natural edge slab of red cedar for a benchtop.

[elcruisr]

Just finished up cutting 60 sheets of mdf (yuch!)for props in a game system. Next is a stack of elliotis plywood for upholstered seat parts. Then who knows?

[evan]

I'm about to finish cutting all the Paperstone countertops (kitchen, laundry and all vanities) for a 12 unit condo complex. As soon as I'm finished with the counter tops I'll be cutting decorative appliqué for the drawers and doors of a builtin to match an antique dresser for another client. And then I'm cutting 27 16" high letters for a sign (slogan)to go in a piano store.

[joelschuman]

Today I worked on:
reproducing hat blocks for custom hatter
point of sale (supermarket) lipstick displays ( 12"x14" 1" MDF with 72 pockets for lipsticks)
heat shrink tubing dispensers for an electric motor/fan manufacturer (big rprefinished plywood boxes with fibrex partitions and cubbies)
three Extira signs
custom order writing table for a trade show exhibit

[mgcain]

working on a guitar, also teaching an introduction to cabinetmaking class - as well as writing software...

[gwilson]

Building a copy of the Wrigley Field Marquee with a shelf for bobble heads for my friend's home office. Dimensions are 48" wide x 32" high, out of 1/2" MDF.