CNCROi.com V5: Think it, Build it, Sell it!
CNCROi.com V5: Think it, Build it, Sell it! is the title of my most recent book. I have many habits in my life, one of them has been to write a book every year or two and this upcoming one is by far my best yet!
Before I started CNCROi.com almost a year ago now, I taught myself how to design for CNC machines – be them plasma, laser, router, 3D printers or water jet even… to me designing something optimal for one technology is just as easy as for another as I’ve never had any structured classes telling me what I can and more importantly, what I CANNOT do with them.
My journey started in 2008 with the founding of WoodMarvels.com (now CNCKing.com), I decided to design away and see if there was a market for my designs along the way. While most designers will concentrate on one or two things THEN see if there is a market, I decided on a hundred and things bloomed from there. What I didn’t expect along the way is how efficient I would become in creating designs, how intuitive the process would become and how much joy I’d get from people enjoying my work all around the world.
As part of my self-education, I decided I’d write a book teaching people how I went about designing. It’s a very different approach as my focus was getting from A to B the fasted way possible. I’m technology and material agnostic… including doing all my work without any measurements being required! I can’t say I’ve seen anybody else design in this manner, and that’s both a blessing and a curse.
Many people have a tough time understanding how simple design actually is without sticking materials, processes and measurements in the way. If you can drop this and focus ONLY on esthetics… I think you’ll be miles ahead as your head is focused on the end design, regardless of approach or materials. That’s something I write about in CNCROi.com V5: Think it, Build it, Sell it!
The blue lines are printer reference lines, they won’t be on the final book.
As such, I’ve been working on my 5th volume of design for the past year, about a month or two since my last volume actually! The most difficult part of putting a book together is the cover. I can write a novel (I really have done that already!) but that front cover, wow, that’s harder than writing 180K words by far! I think this is where most designers get stuck, the details, the possibilities and the pressure of coming-up with something unique leads quickly to design block. For the past few months, as the book was being layed out (yes, I wrote, designed, interviewed and did all layout and graphic design across 500 pages!), my biggest concern was thinking of a book cover. People make a buying decision based on a cover and contents are second, this is just as true with CNCROi.com V5: Think it, Build it, Sell it!
I remember when I had my booth at the New York World Maker Faire in 2014 how people would complain to me that my books were too big, they wanted something like Coles Notes where everything was fed to them – I told them that if they were passionate about designers, they would go for the big thick books, not the thin ones, as they have most wisdom and knowledge. Believe me, if I had a Coles notes, I wouldn’t know anything compared to what I do now when I first began. I write for people who are passionate about something and to me, my 5th volume is a fantastic accumulation of knowledge across the entire design industry as I can come up with.
If you are wondering what’s in this book, here’s the index.
Since the Last Volume
Industry Insight
CNC Laser Material Database
CNC Laser: 10 Fire Prevention Tips
Made in China: CNC Machine Game Changer
Ryan Patterson, Getting the Most out of your Bits
Alain Albert, CNC Routers: Justifying Ownership Costs
Jig Tips
Interviews (alphabetical)
Mike Dean, Founder of Epilog Laser
Paul Mason, Owner of Millennium Laser Systems
Andreas Penz, CEO of Trotec Laser
Ken Susnjara, CEO of Thermwood Corporation
Entrepreneurship
Jumping into Entrepreneurship
Avoiding CNC Shop Loses
Don’t Build on Rented Land
Optimal Tradeshow ROI
Networking for Dollar$
Marketing despite NDAs
Ken Cooley, President of ShapeMaster Inc.
Scot Farley, Principal Designer at F3 Industrial Design
Dr. HenriJacques Topf, Owner of Schneider Prototyping
Design
My Argument for Design Relativism
Laser & Router Projects
Bird House D
Bird House E
Bootilicious Shoeholder
Croc Box
Kangaroo Laptop Stand
Kangaroo Shelf
Spinning Geared Box
Sydney Harbor Bridge (Laser to Router)
Wooden Big Wheels (Build to Press)
3D Printer Projects
Castle Walls (Simple)
Castle Walls B
Cog Pen Holder
Pill Box
Vase
Weaved Basket
Interviews
Michelle Aryani, Product and Toy Designer
Pak Hei (Kade) Chan, Origami Designer
Daphne Flynn, Director at Philips Design
Brendon Vetuskey, Design Manager at Mattel
Funding
Intro
“FREE!” Marketing Strategies forDesigners
Philippe Guglielmetti, CEO of Zeepro
David Hartkop, Founder of MiniMetalMaker
Protection & Profits
Intro
Paul Akers, Founder of FastCap
Tim Bourke, CEO of Just Right Products
Anthony Santangelo, Esq., Inventor and Patent Attorney
William Seidel, CEO of America Invents
Afterwords
Should be out in August 2015! Watch for CNCROi.com V5: Think it, Build it, Sell it!
Are you looking for a company that can design just about anything custom your specs? You’ve found us! Contact CNCROi.com right now!