# Dan Gelbart’s Shop Tour



## RobinHood (Nov 2, 2021)

In this video he gives the viewers a tour of his shop. He also explains some of his equipment. And in his usual fashion, talks about super precision and how it can be achieved. I especially like his jig borer, the dividing head and rotary table of sub arc second accuracy (puts my stuff to shame…)


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## Tom O (Nov 3, 2021)

That is quite the shop!


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## Susquatch (Nov 4, 2021)

Amazing. But I'm not jealous. (well only a little bit). Obviously a self made individual. Nonetheless amazing what no budget permits, and also amazing what he has all built for himself! 

Thanks for sharing @RobinHood !


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## Canadium (Nov 4, 2021)

OMG! Thats incredible! I would need another lifetime to create something remotely similar!


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## Brent H (Nov 4, 2021)

Wow, 

I read up on this guy after watching the video as it was all just too clean, too rich, way to intense on accuracy....he is a multimillionaire ....

Good on him for making such a success but I can't see the need for micro level accuracy in 99% of builds - cool, but yikes!  that hunk of granite he has must be worth thousands ......     Air bearing lathe?  that knocked the wind out of my sails right there!


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## Susquatch (Nov 4, 2021)

Although this guys place is to die for, I really need to be grateful for what I do have. I thought I had died and gone to heaven when we bought our farm. It came with a heated barn with a cement floor (albeit not properly sloped). I divided the shop into 2 sections woodworking at the back on one side, metalworking at the back on the other side separated by industrial racking and work benches. Tractor parking on both sides at the front as you go through two 16x16 sectional overhead doors. Then I put my electronics up on the mezzanine above an air-conditioned break room.  I sometimes do measuring and other detailed work in the break room but more often I just fall asleep from work exhaustion (which my wife calls old age). 

Every 3 months or so, the bride takes over my break room for baby showers, bridal showers, and family get togethers. Divorce is a frequently heard word during those occasions. 

When I was looking for a farm, I didn't know that you pay for the house and the land separately - CRA insists on this because there are no capital gains on your home. The land may or may not include buildings but you almost never pay for any buildings - you pay by the acre (or quarter/section out west) and the buildings on the land usually come with it. 

I wish I had known that when I was looking. I would have approached the whole deal differently. 

Hence my reason for saying all this. If you want a nice shop, consider buying a farm that has one and lease out the land. You can get a really nice shop that way!


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## Canadium (Nov 4, 2021)

Brent H said:


> Wow,
> 
> I read up on this guy after watching the video as it was all just too clean, too rich, way to intense on accuracy....he is a multimillionaire ....
> 
> Good on him for making such a success but I can't see the need for micro level accuracy in 99% of builds - cool, but yikes!  that hunk of granite he has must be worth thousands ......     Air bearing lathe?  that knocked the wind out of my sails right there!


I can't help wondering just how he made his millions. Was it perhaps because he could do precision work that few others could? Or is this just a rich mans hobby?


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## Susquatch (Nov 4, 2021)

Canadium said:


> I can't help wondering just how he made his millions. Was it perhaps because he could do precision work that few others could? Or is this just a rich mans hobby?



Well, if you believe everything he says in the video. He made his money being a damn good machinist. He pointed out rather fondly, several pieces of equipment he made himself when he first started. 

So I'm guessing, he made big bucks as a tool shop. Many of the tool makers in Windsor Ontario are multi multi millionaires who started a small shop making parts and dies and molds for industry, and grew into huge companies. In fact, look at Frank Stronach - a billionaire who came to Canada as a machinist and created Magna.


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## Brent H (Nov 4, 2021)

His bio basically suggests he hit on a few expensive things for NASA :

" Dan Gelbart moved to Canada from Israel in 1947, opened up the Yellow Pages and landed a job with Macdonald Dettwiler and Associates. He was a pioneer in designing high-speed film recorders to record satellite imagery. Dan was actively involved in the creation of mobile data terminals and formation of Mobile Data Inc. as a spin-off from MDA. Subsequently, he co-founded Creo Inc. where he served as the Chief Technology Officer and developed an optical tape data recorder."

There is a complete Bio on him if you search "Dan Gilbart Bio"


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## Susquatch (Nov 4, 2021)

Brent H said:


> His bio basically suggests he hit on a few expensive things for NASA :
> 
> " Dan Gelbart moved to Canada from Israel in 1947, opened up the Yellow Pages and landed a job with Macdonald Dettwiler and Associates. He was a pioneer in designing high-speed film recorders to record satellite imagery. Dan was actively involved in the creation of mobile data terminals and formation of Mobile Data Inc. as a spin-off from MDA. Subsequently, he co-founded Creo Inc. where he served as the Chief Technology Officer and developed an optical tape data recorder."
> 
> There is a complete Bio on him if you search "Dan Gilbart Bio"



Here is a link



			dan gelbart biography - Google Search


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## 140mower (Nov 4, 2021)

Brent H said:


> His bio basically suggests he hit on a few expensive things for NASA :
> 
> " Dan Gelbart moved to Canada from Israel in 1947, opened up the Yellow Pages and landed a job with Macdonald Dettwiler and Associates. He was a pioneer in designing high-speed film recorders to record satellite imagery. Dan was actively involved in the creation of mobile data terminals and formation of Mobile Data Inc. as a spin-off from MDA. Subsequently, he co-founded Creo Inc. where he served as the Chief Technology Officer and developed an optical tape data recorder."
> 
> There is a complete Bio on him if you search "Dan Gilbart Bio"


Sounds to me like he earned his shop and good on him. I only wish I had half of the patience to do the work he has done.


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## Canadium (Nov 4, 2021)

Most interesting! So I would say an engineer/inventor. His work shop was an essential part of his career not just a rich mans hobby. An impressive career and an impressive man with a totally amazing workshop! Wish I had gone into engineering and not just pure science!


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## Dabbler (Nov 6, 2021)

His big break came when he developed a very sensitive instrument based on spectroscopy and patented it. (Sorry I cannot remember what it measures)  The device is used somehow in the oil patch, and he shares the royalties with UBC and NRC.


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## Canadium (Nov 7, 2021)

Seems I was slow to catch on to the existence of this channel. Now its probably my all time favourite. Thanks to those on this forum for making me aware of it!


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## PeterT (Nov 7, 2021)

I think he has been involved in several diverse R&D projects over the years. Self made success story IMHO








						Beginner's Luck
					

Dan Gelbart shares his entrepreneurial adventures in <em>not</em> seeing the light but succeeding in business anyway.



					spie.org
				








						Dan Gelbart | Ikomed Technologies Inc. | Canada
					

Dan Gelbart is an inventor who has more than 100 U.S. Patents to his name. Mr. Gelbart co-founded Creo Inc. in 1984 and served as President and then CTO until ..




					biography.omicsonline.org
				








						Creo (company) - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				











						Creo: The digitization printing company that could have saved Kodak - Canadian Business
					

Kodak ruined the one company that might have saved it.




					archive.canadianbusiness.com
				




the maker series (same as YouTube channel)








						18 Lessons in Smart Prototyping From a Self-Made Billionaire - Make:
					

Dan Gelbart made a fortune in R&D for his company Creo. His prototyping was done at home, in his basement, using tools on par with what many of us




					makezine.com


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