[mhopkins74]

Well I did what I set out to do. Find a cnc mill, fix it, learn how to use it, design my own parts, patent the parts and move on to bigger things. On June 17th of this year my patent was issued to me. Patent# 8,754,557 B2 if anybody wants to google it. Got to give big thanks to the novakon nm-145 as it was rock solid from start to finish. Here is the old link from when I was rebuilding the mill

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/novako...purchased.html

But now that time has come to recoop some cost. I kind of went a little hog wild after I got the nm-145. I bought an older shoptask 1720 3 in 1 and converted it to cnc also. Also did my research and converted the old acme thread to ball screws and also made my own spindle encoder wheel from a $10 saw blade. I also picked up a logan 14 lathe but in turn sold it to get a wade model 94 second op lathe as the Logan lathe was to big for the garage. The wade lathe was in pieces when I got it. but i tore out the old 440v 3 phase motor and converted it over to a 220v three phase with a gs2 variable freq drive. To make a long story short I learned alot over the last couple of years and will still continue on in the near future. But I already have offers on the table for companies wanting to buy my patent and it will be a life changing experience when it happens. Once I figure out where I will land from these offers I will be buying brand new but in my own shop for sure. Thanks again for all you guys' help and support on this.

Thanks,

Mike Hopkins

[mklotz70]

That's awesome news Mike!!! Congrats!!!

Did you use a patent lawyer or service to file it? I'm also curious on the ball park cost and time.

I can see your adapter saving some bowling alleys from extinction!!! Great idea!!

[mhopkins74]

I started out using legelzoom.com but came to realize quickly they were just in it for the money and not to follow it through. I in turn switched over to a patent lawyer and firm to handle the rest of it. Ball park cost was about 40k. I am sure it would have been a little less if I would have went straight to the patent lawyer first. It would have taken far less time also. From start to finish including the provisional and non provisional application. It was almost 5 yrs total. But the USPTO office back dated my patent to almost 2 yrs because of delays and research on both sides. So instead of a 20 year patent I have an almost 22year patent. It is definitely a mind numbing experience that's for sure. The cool thing about my patent though is it will cross over into a global industry also with all the different motor companies and gearbox companies also.

[cncadmin]

Sweet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AUSTINMACHINING]

Congrats on the Patent !!.

[mklotz70]

Thanks for the details! $40k?!!! Holy cow!! I thought they were more like $5-10k. Congrats again! I wish you the best with it and hope it makes you millions!!

(sorry for the delay in responding......I'm way behind! lol )

Mike