posted
This post is to inform, give some insight, and be helpful, nothing more, nothing less. Its sort of a rhyming poemy thingy. ----------
I went to Chicago, and Chatanooga Tennessee In Search of a router, a CNC We oggled the Multicam, in the Chicago trip And slobbered over the Wart Hog, down at GlenTek
They each gave their pitch, They both sounded nice, But the cost of the Multicam Made my wife COLD AS ICE!
The price of the Wart Hog was $10,000 less, but was it as good? I just couldn't rest!
So I found a sign shop, wonderous to see That housed one of each South of Chatanooga Tennesee
The place was called Rite Sign or Sign Rite, It didn't matter to me I often get stuff backwards I have some deslexseee (sp)
But in the back room going full blast Was a Muticam "A" and a Wart Hog, at last Now I could ask from the workers therein
"Which one is best?", and they said with a grin...
"Both cut the same, makes no differnce to us were not making rockets or space shuttle stuff We're makeing interior signs for the Wal-mart Stores They are "rolling back prices", and this is the score:
"We must make our signs cheeper and cut down our costs Or else it will cost us, our jobs will be lost. So we added the Wart Hog, at $10000 less To lower our overall operating expense."
So my quest is now over, now I can sleep And dream of my Wart Hog, it's coming next week!
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Well, its not coming next week, but ITS A DONE DEAL!
Now lets talk the differences in the leasing payments from company to company. (This is not in rhyme, so don't even try)
Direct Market leasing has been after me for months to get me to lease this CNC router through them. We Even got approved:
But we have a current lease through GE Capital, and they have an on line site where you can type in the amount of the lease and the length of time and it will give you a quote:
I told Direct to sharpen their pencils. They wouldn't.
I gave them the web address to go to to check it out for themselves: They did
Their reply: "Well thats for someone with good credit, and yours isn't quite good enough." So we got in touch with GE Capital, told them of our price findings on their web site, and asked them if this was a price just for customers with good credit. "No, if you are approved, that is extremely close."
So GE e-mailed me the application, we printed it out, faxed it back. He called back and said: "YOUR APPROVED"
I'm sharing this with you in hopes it will give you some hope, insight, and see just how greedy some of these leasing pricks are.
You might be closer to CNC routing than you thought!
posted
Congatulations Dave...Sounds like about a $7000 saving over a period of 4-4.5 years. Not bad in anyone's books!!!!!
It just goes to show that shopping around and doing your homework is a GOOD thing.
Just don't tell yer customers though, they might try the same thing on YOU!!! LOL
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
Hi Dave. Thanks for the tip on the leasing companies. We've been looking at router tables also. Just curious, did you check out or consider a ShopBot? I think their price was even lower than WartHog's and they claimed comparable quality. BTW, your prose was a pleasure to read. Clever stuff.
To Dave: I'm the guy with a son at Full Sail.
-------------------- Mark Casey Casey Sign Co., Inc. Berkley, MI Posts: 76 | From: Berkley, MI, USA | Registered: Mar 1999
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Yes I think you can save even more money with a Shop Bot, and even more if you buy the parts and assemble your own. More mechanical minded Letterheads should be able to build thier own. I couldn't build my own, I don't have the "right stuff" when it comes to those things (I cring at the thought of changing oil and rotating my tires on the car!)
There is a point one reaches where apples and oranges start getting compared. The Wart Hog does have a few less features and does not use the higher end components as the Multicam A series.
The higher end components are great if you want to make furniture, computer desks, and run 24/7. We looked at the Shop Bot briefly, never saw one in action, and only have the testimonal from those here in Letterville that they LOVE thier Shop Bots. Put a Wart Hog side by side with a Shop Bot and I might be sorry I chose a Wart Hog!
Adding on the CNC router is a step up in the right direction. It opens many avenues of commercial pursuits to help make your shop profitable, and unique.
For us, it was either adding on a CNC router or a large format INK JET. In the case of an INK JET, every large company and all the copy shops in these parts are buying them. That sends up red flags for me...too much competition.
[ January 16, 2004, 01:54 AM: Message edited by: Dave Draper ]
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Hello Dave. Enjoyed your poetry. Purchasing a cnc router is an exciting trip. And it can be a profitable decision. For what's it worth, I'll tell you about our experience so far. We purchased a used ShopBot locally. Last year in May I went to their Jamboree at their factory in (their version of a ShopBot Letterhead meet). I was really impressed with the people and their router. Their tech support has been outstanding everytime I call. Whether it's a question or to place an order they've been great.. And remember, I didn't buy the router from them to start with.
Learning to operate the router is a quite a learning curve. It's a whole new language. So plan on spending a while to master it's potential.
I did a GE Capital lease on my Gerber Edge a few years back. I'll never do that again. When I wanted to pay the note off "early" the penalty was to pay the same amount if I'd payed each and every month for the total amount of the loan. So keep that in mind when you sign on the dotted line. For me, I was very lucky to get this router for a steal - 4,000 bucks (the previous owner was computer illiterate so it had little use and some extra accessories). So if it sits unused for a week it won't kill me when the monthly payment comes up everytime I wake up. With a big lease payment that's a big consideration. I can't tell you about a Muticam, or a Wart Hog, or a Saber. I'm sure they're all great routers. But I can tell you I'm very happy with the Shopbot and the folks there. I'm sure you know you can purchase it built and ready to go. Whatever you choose, good luck to you and your new router. Learning is what keeps life exciting... so go for it.
Ray
-------------------- Ray Skaines League City, Tx www.srsigns.com Posts: 130 | From: League City, Texas | Registered: Mar 2003
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50" x 100" cutting area, CNC controller Software,PC Computer(not a personal computer...for the router only) Auto Z touchpad, vacuum pick up attachment, table is ugradable to vacuum hold down, 3D software (profile lab), 3.5 HP Porter Cable, upgradeable.
Total Package above: Just smidge over 21k
Multicam A Series: package: 31k clamp down, more for vacuum
I'm not CNC literate yet, so some of that stuff above is over my head as far as understanding. I will go to their shop for training, till then I'll try to learn all I can. My brother in law works for "the BIG sign shop" here in town, so he will help bring me up to speed as he runs the CNC router there.
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