Think It. Make It. Podcast

Well we had a week to think about what product we were going to make for our Think It. Make It. Challenge. For those of you that missed Episode 16, Greg, Bobby and Erick decided to have a friendly challenge amongst themselves to come up with a product and take you through the journey from idea to sales and everything in between.

Since many people buy a CNC router to make something to sell to earn a part or full-time income, we wanted to work though the process and share with our listeners.

We had a lot of discussion about each others projects and we think you will find it interesting to see how we each came up with a product to make. Well 2 of the 3 of us did!

In this episodes Tip Of The Week we discussed the proper way to install collets into your spindle.

After a long break, we are finally bringing the Think It. Make It. Podcast back on the air. There were a lot of things keeping us from getting the podcast done including moving our company, COVID issues and just plain being very busy. To make it easier for us to do on a weekly basis, the podcast will now be co-hosted with Erick, Greg and Bobby. We will be bringing you a ton of new CNC-related content, interviews, tips and tricks and much more.

Erick Royer

The Director/CEO of Stepcraft, Inc. Erick has decades of marketing, business I have been an entrepreneur all my life and have been in businesses using, programming, and designing projects using CNC machinery and 3D Printers for over 15 years. In 2014 I partnered with the owners of STEPCRAFT in Germany to open and develop the business market in North and South America. Since then, I have personally been involved with customers, taking feedback and offering assistance to help ensure every customer is successful with their STEPCRAFT system. You will find many videos that I have made on YouTube and you will find me active in many CNC groups on Facebook. My goal is to do whatever it takes to ensure every customer is happy with their machine and the service and support received by our team. One of my great passions is training customers on how to use their CNC System.  I enjoy making courses, videos and even hosting live trainings online and at our facility. Be sure to keep a look out for emails about all future trainings that I host. 

Bobby Noble

The Sales Manager for Stepcraft, Inc. Bobby joined STEPCRAFT in September 2020 and he brings over 10 years of customer service and sales experience. He is extremely dedicated to our customers and will always go out of his way to ensure every customer has the best experience. Bobby’s goal is to make sure each and every customer achieves their hobbyist or professional goals. Always feel free to call or email Bobby with questions whether they be in regards to machines, attachments, accessories, etc. and he will be happy to assist you.

Greg Bodnar

Support Manager for Stepcraft, Inc. Greg launched his journey with Stepcraft in early 2017 after falling in love with the creative versatility of the machines. He began helping others find their potential and is now the support manager for the North and South American division of Stepcraft. He is incredibly passionate about anything CNC and firmly believes that with the right help, anyone can create on a Stepcraft! Greg and his support team use a variety of tools, such as Facetime, Zoom, remote connect software and video to make sure that each and every customer receives the very best service in the industry. If you are ever stuck on anything from assembly to software, Greg and his team are standing by ready to assist!

Of course this is just a small part of our Connecticut, USA-based team, but we are the people that you will interact with most.  If any of us can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out at any time. 

In this episode we talk about what has been going on over the last year within our company, as well as Greg introducing a new Tip of the Week segment. One of the most exciting things we are going to be doing is the new Think It. Make It. Challenge. In this competition, Greg, Bobby and Erick will each have $250 to invest in the creation, design, fabrication and sales of a product. Over the last 2 years we have spoken to hundreds of people who bought a CNC system to bring an idea that they have to life. Whether its signs, toys, functional parts, or just about anything you can image, customers are using their CNC systems to make a full or part-time liv...

Starting with a small, inexpensive CNC, Mike quickly grew his business into a full-time income which all began from his two-car garage. Using a STEPCRAFT Q.408 CNC System along with a host of other high-end tools, Mike creates some amazing custom signs and other woodworking projects.

There are a lot of posts online where people question if it is possible to actually make a full-time living with a CNC business. Mike is one example of someone who is living that dream. His hard work, quality craftsmanship, and dedication had given him the ability to do what he loves for a living.

In this podcast, Mike talks about his business journey and gives some very good advice on the right way to start and grow a woodworking/CNC business.

Links From This Episode

Veteran Wood Co Website – www.veteranwoodco.com

Veteran Wood Co. Instagram – www.instagram.com/veteranwoodco

Veteran Wood Co. Facebook – www.facebook.com/VeteranWoodCo

Veteran Wood Co. YouTube – Visit YouTube

Waves of Grain Woodworks – www.facebook.com/WavesOfGrainWoodworks

STEPCRAFT USA – www.stepcraft.us

Vectric – www.vectric.com

SawStop – www.sawstop.com

Why do competitors do this? In all industries, a sales person will choose to concentrate on putting down a competitor’s product rather than focusing on what is good about their product. I have been on the receiving end of this type of a conversation more often then I would like. I have gone as far as to tell a salesperson to convince me why I should buy your product rather than convince me why I should not buy someone else’s.

Let me know your thoughts or experiences with this in the comments below.

I had the privilege to talk with Stephanie Downing, Marketing Director and Adam James, Technical Director for Vectric Ltd. Vectric offers the world some of the easiest to use and most powerful design and CAM programs for CNC router users.

Every other year they release a new major version of the software and the recent release of V10 is the major buzz in the CNC world right now.

For a full list of all the new features, please visit: https://www.vectric.com/upgrade/vcarve-pro

In this video we walk about all the new features as well as many other offerings that Vectric has which many users might not be aware of.

Andrew Griffing of Griffin Lee Artisans talks about all of the ways they have grown their business with a 2×4 CNC and now is planning to upgrade to a 4×8 CNC system for processing sheet work for projects such as kitchen cabinets.

Here is the video version of this podcast interview.

After upgrading from a Stepcraft D-Series to a Q-Series CNC system, John went from absolutely no CNC experience to using his machine for his work in many different applications. He makes a lot of use out of attachments on the machine such as a 3D Touch Probe, Drag Knife, Hot Wire Foam Cutter and more. We also discuss marquetry and how to use software and a CNC to do this type of projects.

Links

* Stepcraft D-Series* Stepcraft Q-Series* Vectric V Carve Desktop* Autodesk Fusion 360* Musclechuck Quick Change Tool Holder For Porter Cable Router* Tangential Knife* Amazon Canvas

Bill Griggs is the founder of the CNC Router Tips group on Facebook with over 15,000 members and the creator of the CNC Router Tips Podcast. He also has a website called The Maker’s Guide on which he sells a device that he designed called the Triple Edge Finder.

In this episode we discuss a lot of topics that including the business of CNC and how you can start a business with a CNC router or milling machine and we discuss online and passive business ideas. We also discuss the differences between CNC routers and CNC milling machines.

Links

* CNC Router Tips Facebook Group* CNC router Tips website (podcast) * Triple Edge Finder* Download start business book* Smart Passive Income (Pat Flynn)* $100 startup (Book) by Chris Guillebeau* The Makers Guide* Tormach CNC* Stepcraft CNC* Business Model You (Book) by Wiley* Will It Fly (Book) by Pat Flynn* Flipped Lifestyle Podcast

In this episode I talk about the differences between a CNC router/milling machine and a 3D printer and why you might want one over the other… or perhaps both.

There are a lot of things that each type of machine will do better than the other and there is a lot to consider when you try to decide on which will best suit your needs. To try and help you figure it out, I discuss the following in this episode:

* Should you buy a CNC machine or a 3D Printer?* What does “CNC” mean?* What is a CNC router/milling machine?* What is a 3D printer?* What are the limitations of each type of machine?* How to choose material choices and which machine works best for each* What are the accuracy of each machine type?* How to determine which machine is best for a specific job* What is the reliability of each type of machine?* What is the cost of failure for each type of machine?* Using these machines for business purposes – which would be better?

LINKS

* Monoprice Select 3D Printer (pictured above)

* MatterHackers.com 3D printer/filament supplier

* Prusa i3 MK3S Kit 3D Printer (pictured above)

* #3DBenchy 3D Print file (Download from Thingiverse)

Mike Winn is a first time CNC’er who has not only learned how to design and program his CNC machine, but he turned his hobby into a profitable business. As you can see from the photos below, Mike is very creative and produces some very high quality items on his machine. We discuss a lot of different aspects on CNC operation and product design, in addition to the following:

* Using a CNC machine to start a side business * Using Amazon’s Handmade service for crafters to sell items* Utilizing scrap wood to make items to sell. Sometimes old furniture that someone is throwing out can have good quality wood to make projects with little to no material cost.* Making fixtures on and for a CNC machine* Programs and applications for 3D design and CAM work* Perils of running a CNC machine unattended* Making CNC puzzles – Consider MakeCNC.com for already designed CNC puzzle files* TIP – Using machining allowance to allow clearance with a roughing toolpath to make room for a finishing end mill.* Using rigid foam insulation board for testing projects and when learning to use a CNC* Importance of Dust Collection* Making Edge-lit Acrylic Signs* How to make a multi-color edge lit sign (See American flag sign below)* Making Dominos on a CNC* Use less expensive bits when learning but invest in good quality tooling when you are looking for the best output quality and performance.

Links

* Vectric Software* Sketchup* Amazon Handmade* Fusion 360* Amana Tool* MakeCNC* G-Wizard Speed and Feed Software* Delta Dust Shoe