I am curious. Is there anyone out there that makes a living from using the Shark??
james
Professional Use
Moderators: ddw, al wolford, sbk, Bob, Kayvon
Re: Professional Use
Hi James,
I am working my way there. So far, progressing as we expected for the market we are going after. Am now starting to feel the 'pinch' of the shop job and the job that currently pays most of the bills. Not the only tool in the shop, but certainly the one enabling me to see if I can make a go of it. I'm just about recovered for initial investment in either case, and I've read other posts where some have recovered that cost much more quickly than I did (and I may have been able to do the same if I'd allocated more time for it).
I am working my way there. So far, progressing as we expected for the market we are going after. Am now starting to feel the 'pinch' of the shop job and the job that currently pays most of the bills. Not the only tool in the shop, but certainly the one enabling me to see if I can make a go of it. I'm just about recovered for initial investment in either case, and I've read other posts where some have recovered that cost much more quickly than I did (and I may have been able to do the same if I'd allocated more time for it).
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James King
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:46 pm
Re: Professional Use
It is difficult. I have paid to attend a few craft shows. Ironically, people show more interested in my Dollar Store decorations than in my work. If it is custom work, i.e. personalizing with a name, date, etc; they just don't get it. I even put "Your Name Here" and someone will ask why they would want "Your Name Here." There must be a market for high quality work.
jk
jk
Re: Professional Use
I agree with Joe. You have to look for a nitch… Then try to develop it. It can’t be the only tool in the shop but it is a good supplement. I use mine to make parts for items that I sell on online sites. I also make signs and sell them on the sites. In the year that I have had the Shark I have managed to re-coop most of the cost. I am a woodworker so the learning curve was interesting. 
It helps that I am semi- retired
It helps that I am semi- retired-
James King
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:46 pm
Re: Professional Use
Being retired would certainly help. Being a teacher takes up most of my weekend too. I had a big project lined up for this week. 20 hrs of images were done, then the text screwed up for some reason. The font looked fine while working it up. It looked fine on the preview. It was a mess on the project. I not only had to return $650 but threw out $120 of oak. I really hate buying firewood by the board foot. With all these glitches, I have wasted way more money than I have made.
Re: Professional Use
Post your project - I'm sure one or more will find time to look at it and provide you any feedback. You say it was a mess on the project and you were cutting oak. Do you have a pick of the mess to attach with the project? If the lettering was the problem, the project only needs to have the lettering part. What speed and depth of cut were you using?
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James King
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:46 pm
Re: Professional Use
I will do that. What kind of wood do you use? The piece on your website looks yellow but not much grain. Is it maple? Your work looks really good
Re: Professional Use
Hi James,
Some of my early test pieces were pine - cheap and soft also. I use a lot of cypress for the one market space. The yellow but not much grain is probably pine. I need to update that site some more. I have a limited experience with the hard woods, but am starting to get requests for that. Cypress is no where near as hard as oak. It is certainly different than pine. Given my limited experience in hard woods, I have learned to find time to try out some things before opening the door for sales - not saying you haven't, but you are not alone I think with regard to firewood...
My experience thus far with regard to it looks good on the preview but looks like a mess on the material cut is that a new mechanical problem cropped up, the bit was tired and I was just hoping it wasn't, or I was too aggressive for that material with depth of cut, feed rate, and plunge rate (one or more of these 3). I've never had a situation where I couldn't get the project to look like the preview in the end for what it's worth.
This may or may not match other folks' experience.
Some of my early test pieces were pine - cheap and soft also. I use a lot of cypress for the one market space. The yellow but not much grain is probably pine. I need to update that site some more. I have a limited experience with the hard woods, but am starting to get requests for that. Cypress is no where near as hard as oak. It is certainly different than pine. Given my limited experience in hard woods, I have learned to find time to try out some things before opening the door for sales - not saying you haven't, but you are not alone I think with regard to firewood...
My experience thus far with regard to it looks good on the preview but looks like a mess on the material cut is that a new mechanical problem cropped up, the bit was tired and I was just hoping it wasn't, or I was too aggressive for that material with depth of cut, feed rate, and plunge rate (one or more of these 3). I've never had a situation where I couldn't get the project to look like the preview in the end for what it's worth.
This may or may not match other folks' experience.
Re: Professional Use
It matches mine Joe, the first version of a POS display and clock I posted elsewhere is sitting in a corner here, the Arial font looks like Lego font. I re-checked the toolpaths because I thought I had actually used the Lego by mistake..
Turns out the 60 degree bit was getting bogged down in the acrylic, and the built in flex of the Shark really made its presence known. Halved the feed speed and all good. When sharp corners turn into curves, it's a sure sign that the feed rate is too high. I've even had this happen on cedar, which is quite soft. Have you ever had a piece of cypress tear itself nearly in two when you cut it ? I thought the saw had exploded...it can sure store a lot of energy !!
Sorry to hear about the response you are getting at the shows James, people at the markets here in Oz love the personalising. This is also helped by a huge backlash against Asian imported crap at the moment.
What sort of products were you putting on display ?
Cheers
Marc
Turns out the 60 degree bit was getting bogged down in the acrylic, and the built in flex of the Shark really made its presence known. Halved the feed speed and all good. When sharp corners turn into curves, it's a sure sign that the feed rate is too high. I've even had this happen on cedar, which is quite soft. Have you ever had a piece of cypress tear itself nearly in two when you cut it ? I thought the saw had exploded...it can sure store a lot of energy !!
Sorry to hear about the response you are getting at the shows James, people at the markets here in Oz love the personalising. This is also helped by a huge backlash against Asian imported crap at the moment.
What sort of products were you putting on display ?
Cheers
Marc