I am a one man shop in biz 1.5 yrs. I am in SF bay area and business is great. I took the excellent seminar in seattle this past nov. with Dennis. great guy and EXCELLENT class. All newbies should take it!!! I felt like I had had a good foothold on the design program. But then the holidays and work and a toddler and work. I am so busy selling, building, installing as a one guy unit would be, that I am still to far behind the curve to reap the beneifits of this great program. I have three kichens to build for the next 3-4 months. I hate the idea of drafting a kitchen by hand. Then I layout a story stick then make a cutlist while guestimating the cost of the cabinetry. Ecab is designed very well but I need my hand held.
Solution???
Are there any Jedi-Knights out there with a few extra hours out there that would walk me through my first kitchens by phone for $$$/hr??? I could send plans fax, email or snail. I know others out there have had this idea. I wish some of you great designers had a 900 #. $3.99 a minuet and I get a walk through. I had to be shown how to use a table saw, join wood and spray finish. I have ecab software, a Yoda designer would help me lay out a room, modify cabinets and over 2-4 hrs(over a couple of days) I would have the kitchen designed, price estimate, plans and a cutlist. Guru would have $$200- $$$$400. Everybody HAPPY!!!!
There are a lot of talented people here but talent costs money. They are all busy chasing there own projects making a lot more than what you suggest I would hope. The people that tend to fill this kind of role aree in the middle ground as parts producers for the eCab family. We have a vested interest in your design success because we will produce parts for you. We therefore look at it less as free consulting and more as opportunity for new shared business. I am not close to you, but others like me certainly are. If you look in the design sharing area and look up some of these shops they will help you in return for the promise of producing some product for you.
The other option is keep reading here daily and continue to use the software daily until you get more comfotable. Specific questions are always answered here promptly.
There are ways to get anything done if you keep pushing. Keep on it and it will come.
Zach,
I have been looking into the idea of providing some \"one on one\" and possibly on site training and help. I am not sure I can make it work but you can email me at kerry@kerryfullington.com and we can talk about it.
Kerry
Herb,
There is a little known department in Thermwood that does production assistance. We come to your site and train/assist you with things like this. Give Ryan Hochgesang a call at 1 800 221 3865 ext 247 and he can give you the details.
i like the idea of a 900# it would solve a major issue with me. How would I get paid from a member if they decided to just Not pay. A 900# service from some of the top members and power users would solve many problems because I for one have a major schedual for my day every day. However there are times I would love to assist other members in their endevors.instead of going fishing, sailing or camping my favorite. And no that was not a retorical comment. It was factual. I do like to help but If I'm going to put off one of my camping expiditions I want to be paid for it.
Herb,
Hiring Kerry would be a good thing, in fact I have an office with his name on it any time he would like to move to Indiana. (Seriously)
If I were you, I would shut the shop lights off friday afternoon, get some grocerys in your office and then disconnect the phone.
If you been to training, you have an idea of where to start, dig in and with the training manuals you should have and the forum, you should be able to get a library started and a basic job designed by Monday morning. It is all down hill after that! If your not sending your job to the router, nothing has to be perfect as I am sure your still cutting by hand. It does take patience, but by Monday you will be much farther ahead. You HAVE to dedicate this time to e-cabs and nothing else for it to work, or at least that is how I got on to it...
Good Luck,