BAWA Apparel. Hey! Be the first one in your block to be decked out in the latest BAWA finery. Wear the finery to the meetings, to the wood shows or just show your envious woodworker friends. Jay Perrine is the source of BAWA baseball caps ($10), and BAWA work shirts ($35 or so). You can contact him at jperrine@calwater.com or 408/378-1585.

Woodcraft. Dublin & San Carlos give the club a rebate on all purchases. Give receipts to Mark Rand.

Open Shop. Volunteer to open your shop to members. Contact Bruce Bell at bell422@earthlink.net or 415/681-8353.

Special Meeting - We will take some time to discuss and possibly vote to accept the revised BAWA By-Laws.

Tech Talk - Member Bruce Woods will present information on CAD programs and applications,

Main Presentation - Bill Palumbo on Shopbot CNC routers.

Bill says that more than 70% of all Shopbot owners ARE hobbyists (or at least in business as a part time job) . The "production" angle is covered by their latest version of the machine which is measurably faster than prior models, but the accuracy is the same. There are many more "garage machines" than commercial shops, and in the last few months a number of guys have started to "hot rod" their rigs for their own specific needs. This is probably WHY a lot of people opt to get into CNC with a machine like this. You don't feel bad buying a used machine for 5-7 thousand dollars and "modifying" it, whereas some of the "big iron" rigs START at 25K (used), and NO ONE wants to start tinkering around too much when the machinery has that price tag.

He'll talk about how a CNC machine can be used for everything from a guy who wants to make custom cabinets for his house, to someone who wants to do some 3 dimensional art work. He'll have some pictures of how people have started with a simple idea, and turned a hobby into a business.

He also runs "Camp Shopbots" all around the country. You can see some of the ways he has been using his machine(s) for the last few years on his web page and he will target his presentation to the needs of the BAWA members.

What are Shopbot CNC routers? ShopBot PRTalpha CNC Routers are ..

High performance CNC routers designed for demanding production. They feature advanced, closed-loop stepper technology for fast and reliable positioning. Custom size CNC tools or tools designed for specific production applications are available.

ShopBot PRTstandard CNC Routers are ...

Lower-priced CNC tools for applications where speed is not critical. ShopBot PRTs have set the standard for affordable CNC with 3000 already at work around the world. They have the same rigid frames and mechanical components as our high performance PRTalpha tools with a price that is right for the first-time CNC tool buyer.

They cut, drill, carve and sculpt. ShopBot's new PRTalpha CNC routers give your shop the high-speed and closed-loop reliability of CNC machines costing much more. Our sturdy CNC tools are affordable and easy to use. That's why we call them Personal Robotic Tools. We've simplified CNC technology to allow more shops to take advantage of the power of CNC automation and benefit from the precision of CNC cutting, milling, and machining. Some specs: Advanced closed-loop motors, Cutting Speeds up to 600"/min, Rapid Transit Speeds up to 1,800"/min.

For more info come to the meeting also check out www.shopbottools.com/products.htm

Meeting Location

HWY 101 - Take the East Hillsdale exit. Drive a mile plus toward the bay. Turn right at Shell Blvd. See FOR ALL DIRECTIONS below.
HWY 92 (San Mateo Bridge) Westbound - From the San Mateo Bridge take the Foster City exit and head southeast. Turn right on East Hillsdale and left on Shell. See FOR ALL DIRECTIONS below.
HWY 92 (San Mateo Bridge) Eastbound - Take the Foster City exit turn right on Hillsdale, turn left on Shell. See FOR ALL DIRECTIONS below.

For all directions
Once on Shell, go past the first signal. Look for the Recreation Center, a low building on your right. You will see a small parking lot adjacent to the building and a large parking lot just past the building