learning eCabinet system

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Sam West
New Member
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun, Feb 10 2008, 5:17AM

learning eCabinet system

Post by Sam West »

Do any you guys have a trick up your sleeve to learning eCabinet? I know the training courses are the best but its just not possible for me to attend one of these. I have studied the on-line Manuals back wards and for wards until i am blue in the face and I get nothing from it. Is there any videos and \or tutorials anywhere that I can Purchase. Maybe if some of you drop me a hint to just get me started I would appreciate it.
Thanks
Sam west in Oklahoma
westsam@hotmail.com
tim lucas
Guru Member
Posts: 322
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Company Name: Tim Lucas Custom Woodworks LLC
Country: UNITED STATES
Location: bell, florida
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Re: learning eCabinet system

Post by tim lucas »

best advice is to dive in - try to place 1 cabinet in a kitchen and go from there :D
Tim Lucas Custom Woodworks LLC
www.TLCW.us
Lamar Horton
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Joined: Sun, Dec 11 2005, 1:22PM
Location: Kennedale, Texas
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Re: learning eCabinet system

Post by Lamar Horton »

Like Tim said, jump in head first. Keep this forum open for answers either by searching or by posting. That's how I did it.
DaleKern
Senior Member
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Location: Manhattan, Illinois
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Re: learning eCabinet system

Post by DaleKern »

Sam,

No magic pill here.... It is real work to learn any good software package but you will have real power once you learn even a small amount of eCabinets. The first real question you have to ask yourself is: What am I going to design with eCabinets? Kitchens? Furniture? Do you need room renderings or just a cutlist? Knowing the answers will point you to learn certain areas first.

Assuming you want to work on kitchen cabinets I'd recommend starting small. Just learn how to build one cabinet. Mess around with each of the pull down menus and options to gain familiarity with the interface; learning the unique interface is over half the battle. Make sure you study and adjust the joinery to match YOUR method of cabinet construction. Once you have a cabinet, make another one and create an assembly. Again play with it and learn about assemblies. Next create a room and place your cabinet/assembly. Later you can learn about part editors, line drawing editors, etc (I still don't know much about these...).

Along the way keep asking questions on this forum. You'll get honest answers and help all along the way.

Now, GET TO WORK! (and try not to get frustrated).

Best wishes,

Dale
I have no business being in this business...

http://www.dalekern.com
Ron Shultz
Junior Member
Posts: 48
Joined: Tue, Jan 08 2008, 8:04PM
Location: Louisville, GA

Re: learning eCabinet system

Post by Ron Shultz »

Sam,

Like they have already told you. Just keep at it.

I have dual monitors. Forum is always on one and eCab is on the big one. It's the next best thing to having Kerry and all the rest sitting in the room.

Good luck

Ron
Michael S Murray
eCabinets Beta Tester
Posts: 933
Joined: Tue, May 17 2005, 2:48PM
Location: Logansport, In
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Re: learning eCabinet system

Post by Michael S Murray »

Sam,
We are all very busy I am afraid, this world just about dictates that to us.
My first choice for you to learn would be to do whatever it takes to go to Dale In and set in class for a week.
But, even before that i would get as familiar with the software as possible. I used the software to build at least a hundred kitchens before i took the class, and I still learned a lot, and learn something everyday,or maybe I relearn the same things over,I Forget...

I will tell you that you will get no where trying to sneak in 30 min or so here and there.
My next recommendation would be to shut off your phones friday afternoon, get yourself some sandwiches and snacks, lock your office door and dont come out till monday morning. Like others have said,concentrate on what you need the software to do for you now. Take one of the standard cabinets in to the editor and turn it into YOUR cabinet, if your going to cut it up on a saw, and you like the way your building cabinets now, turn the cabinet into a replicate of what your doing now. If you plan to take advantage of a router, you might call whoever you choose to do your cutting and work with them from the beginning,this will save you rework in the long run. How I build cabinets with the router is very different from when I built them with panel saws and const. boring machines. There are also several ways to name material and set up your cabinets for the router to save time and money.

good luck, be stubborn,hang in there, the reward is worth the effort .
I might also add that there are several good libraries for sale by the some of the guys at a more than reasonable price that you might take a look at.
Mike Murray
Versatile Cabinet & Solid Surface
mike@versatilecabinet.com
http://www.versatilecabinet.com
Todd Miller

Re: learning eCabinet system

Post by Todd Miller »

Sam West wrote:Do any you guys have a trick up your sleeve to learning eCabinet? I know the training courses are the best but its just not possible for me to attend one of these. I have studied the on-line Manuals back wards and for wards until i am blue in the face and I get nothing from it. Is there any videos and \or tutorials anywhere that I can Purchase. Maybe if some of you drop me a hint to just get me started I would appreciate it.
Thanks
Sam west in Oklahoma
westsam@hotmail.com
Sam,
The quickest way to learn the software would be through training. Since that is not an option, I would refer to this forum. If you have a question, post it. And we will respond. If you can't think of what questions to ask, open the software. Don't worry if you think your question is stupid, the only stupid questions are the ones that aren't asked. We are here to help, and will try to answer to the best of our knowledge.

I think some of these guys even work on the weekends!
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