Has your X-Carve shipped?

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

My target ship date is May 25, but I didn't order until Apr 23/24th.

Has yours shipped yet? Do you have an estimate of when it will be there?

[Former_Member]

Mine is not scheduled to ship until the 18th of May, and then it will take 10 or so working days to arrive here. What about you?

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

A week later. But luckily I'm only ~1000 miles, so hopefully 3-4 days from that.

My husband's birthday is 5/31 - so I hope to have it here by then.

The excitement is building though. We've pinned some 200 inspirational ideas to his Pinterest board in preparation.

What's your first "for sale" project going to be?

[Former_Member]

My husbands birthday is the 15th May! haha I wish it would be here before then, but not going to happen.

I'll check out your board, what is your pinterest link?

I have designed some unique necklaces made out of natural material. So probably those. Simple stuff first, then work my way to 3D.

What about you? Are you going to create a 2nd store to hold new items that don't fit under your shop theme? Obviously the skies the limit with what you can make with this machine.

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

Here's hubby's pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/SurvivalGearHQ/cnc-router-projects/

Pre-"sale" items, I think we'll start with some signs for the kids' rooms for our 2, and then 3 of our friends kids. That should give us 5 different themed items in various sizes and cuts before we tackle anything that would go out.

Right now, he's obsessed with those square lantern/candle holders that cast shadows on the wall. Caught him designing one in foam board the other afternoon.

I think the plan is to do everything in a 2nd shop under his name that isn't Catan or jewelry related. Still trying to work on a name...

[Former_Member]

My pre "sale" item I am going to make is a 21st plaque for my brother-in-law. He went sky diving for his birthday, and I took photos of him landing then vectorised it and put in on this plaque/wall decor. (only designed in software of course)

I want to make some signs for the kids in my life too. What I am doing is making customs items using peoples names that I know. This will be the prototype or example for customers. Then I will give them as gifts after I have gotten the photos, and even photo of them in use/ staged.

Me too. I have some things that I will still be making out of natural materials and that can still go under my current store. Then I will be creating a 2nd for the rest. I'm still working on a name also. If you are on instagram I would recommend following _zilvi and arlo and co. They both must have a similar machine and they are super popular. Selling thousands of items. Great for inspiring ideas, and seeing whats trending/most popular.

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

I looked them both up on instagram...and I can only come up with "gah!" Both companies look exactly the same.

White walls and cutesy little signs that say "love" and "happy" -- way out of our style. :)

While that stuff may sell, I just don't know if either of us could bring ourselves to make anything that normal.

More dragons and skulls please!

[Former_Member]

I know. It is so easy! Yes I noticed they are pretty much the same. Haha, but it is interesting to see how many they are selling, and crazy to see how much they are selling for!

I agree that you definitely have to bring your own flavour into anything you create. You do have to give them props though, because they are doing very well. They must have nailed the marketing on the head, and if they can do it with generic items, then I'm sure we can come up with more unique success.

What kind of signs do you plan to make for the kids?

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

Did you check out our pinterest board? There's a "Jurassic Park" one we're going to make for our little man (he's 2). Our daughter likes princessy stuff, so I'm thinking of some sort of castle silhouette personalized with her name. I got the big X-carve, so I can go all out with the castle from a size standpoint.

our friends have kids (all 5 and under), that will probably just get a basic "name" sign with some clip art relating to an interest of their choice.

I think for the first few go-rounds we're going to be using MDF and something like a craft plywood like what we use for our game boards. Before going into much more expensive woods.

[Former_Member]

Awesome. Yes I had a look. I'm following the board now. Your husband pinned some cool stuff.

I'm getting the big machine too! If you're going to go for it, why not go all out right?!

As my husband works in furniture we have access to wood and off cuts which is handy. I will be working quite a bit with bamboo I think. However starting of with some basic mdf while getting to know the machine would be a good idea.

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

I wish we had more access to wood that isn't buying it.

Though I did see on our craigslist site they had 200+ year trees that had fallen and had to be cut, selling slices at $50+ ea

We're not pro woodworkers, but having a cool historic tree would be awesome.

My husband is in IT...so no wood there. :(

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

Ugh...still almost 2 weeks until ship day for us!

Been designing a little in easel to get prepared for a few very basic items for test runs...then on to figuring out what items make "the cut" to be put in his new shop.

[Former_Member]

5 more days for us until it leaves the factory and makes its slow journey to NZ. It will be interesting which one of us will receive our machines first.

I am so excited. I've got to set up a work space area, can't decide whether to put it in our tiny garage or set up the spare room as the work space.

We are planning on making a case for the machine to trap dust and attach an extractor (Just an industrial vacuum cleaner).

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

Luckily we have a spare building for the shop. At first the basement sounded like a good idea, but between noise and dust - I don't want the kids around any of it. And the idea of hooking up some industrial dust devices inside didn't sound like any fun.

My husband is building a work table for my plants first to see his overall skills in building a workbench for the machine. But he's constantly scouring local classifieds for various saws and tools to fill up the shop and probably the shed next to it.

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

Been slow in the thread lately...but today's the day for you! Hope you get that shipping email soon and can watch your X-Carve on it's way.

I'm still hoping to get mine shipped out next week.

[Former_Member]

We haven't received a dispatch email, so not quite sure what is going on. Have you heard anything?

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

No I haven't. Other than they were like ~3 orders behind on the forums the other day...which isn't bad overall. They were hoping to work the weekend and catch up if not get a little ahead (that was posted on the forums by Zach I think it was Friday US time).

I hope you get your notice soon!

[Former_Member]

We followed them up with an email to see how our shipment was going. We got a response of:

"Your kit is scheduled to ship in the first or second week in June. We appreciate your patience."

I am very disappointed.

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

Oh man...that doesn't look good for our order either. I think I ordered my on Apr 24th or so? They said they were finishing Mar 30 orders end of last week....

I hope they're not delaying international orders for any reason.

[Former_Member]

Another guy from NZ received his X-Carve and his got held hostage in customs for 6 days before it got released. High valued items go through this random procedure, of which I know not much about.
So if it ships and takes 10- 15 working days to reach here I have to add another 6 days. I'm now looking at almost July for the X-Carve.

I just want to make stuff already!

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

Don't we all. The forums are all a buzz about where they are in the process.

Last week, it seemed like they were only 3 orders behind schedule...but then people are saying their early April orders haven't shipped...

I know ours was ordered on 4/24. Husband asked if maybe there weren't many April orders if that's how they'll ship to us next week...but I have a feeling it's going to be late.

[Former_Member]

We just received the shipped email!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH SO EXCITED!!!!!!

It seems that the lady that said it wouldn't be shipped until next month was tricking!

The race is on. Who will get their x-carve first!

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

I hope we both get them really fast! We're both dying to get started.

Though, since we know very little about machines like that, even if we get ours first...you might be up and running before us.

20 sheets of Birch Ply came in the mail Thursday just ready to be cut up into various things!

[Former_Member]

Awesome. I still think we may end up getting the machine around the same time.
I know nothing about this kind of machine so there will be quite a bit of trial and error.
At least I have a couple of men who knows more than me about machines that can help me along the way.

How much did it cost you for the birch ply, if you don't mind me asking. I wonder if it is cheaper to import than to buy here.

[ThinkingWitchCrafts]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351015495208?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

20 sheets for $50 USD, and free shipping inside the US.


That puts me at $2.50/sheet, which is half what my local guy was charging me.