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It’s interesting to me to see the changes that have taken place over time.
In the beginning most of the posts were about assembly issues.
Later the majority of the posts dealt with troubleshooting issues.
Then it moved to upgrades.
And now I’m seeing mostly posts about carving issues and projects that people are working on.
Many, if not most, of the posts that are super critical of the machine seem to be based in inappropriate expectations of what the machine is and what it can do. It is, after all, a kit.
I have enjoyed being along for the ride and I’m looking forward to where the Inventables team is going next.
Couldn’t agree more about unrealistic expectations.
The X-Carve is not a commercial machine designed for all day cutting of (for example) 12mm plywood in a single pass, it’s a hobbyist kit system, a learning experience and great fun to use. That said, I’m constantly amazed at what some users are managing to do with their X-Carve after very minor modifications and in some cases, with stock machines.
I hope Inventables take on board some of the suggestions for improvement in future models but wouldn’t expect a commercial CNC router to appear in the product lineup, it just wouldn’t be any fun at all.
I don’t see it so much as an increase in expectations, it just seems that there is a new batch of “newbies”. A lot of new guys have zero machining experience, and it’s a tough learning curve. I just try to be as patient and helpful as I can. This forum, and the user base, is a big reason why I chose the X carve over the shapeoko.
I think it’s more than a hobbyist machine. If it is, it’s at the top end hobbyist or entry-level professional. As a matter of fact, I have been making a lot of money on the side with my X-Carve and in the near future, I will be sharing some videos on how to use this tool to make money. I have been so busy, I have a perpetual 3-week turnaround and I will be working with Inventables to share what I’ve learned and how to help you make a nice chunk of change from a “hobby.”
All of it will be at no cost and will consist of machine ideas, marketing, getting your product(s) out there, etc. If you want to make a living with an X-Carve, it is entirely possible.
What I was meaning to convey was the idea that the community has matured to the point where more people are actually using their machines than trying to get them to work.
