gerryv
03-30-2015, 06:52 PM
I'm going to have my 8' power stick setup pretty much all the time. It turns out I could have minimal interference by "parking" it at full extension but for the outside support system getting in the way of accessing machines and rolling tables on the other side.
In my case, I'll be running lumber most of the time using a very narrow (16") table so it made more sense to support the power stick than the small material overhang. That said, a set of four of this workaround should work fine for sheet goods.
Using two hacked adjustable roller stands, four inline wheels from Lee Valley, about 1/2 hour and under $50 I now have a system that works like a charm and can be setup or removed in less than a minute.
The key is to set the height so that the leading edge of the powerstick (or table/material if using 4) passes slightly above the wheels and contact only occurs once the powerestick begins to dip as it moves further out. This way there is no initial bump and the stands don't get pushed. If need be I'll add cables with clips between the Shopbot and the stand but it seems unnecessary so far.
The pic's should be self explanatory. Other Buddy users, especially those with smaller shops might find this useful.
In my case, I'll be running lumber most of the time using a very narrow (16") table so it made more sense to support the power stick than the small material overhang. That said, a set of four of this workaround should work fine for sheet goods.
Using two hacked adjustable roller stands, four inline wheels from Lee Valley, about 1/2 hour and under $50 I now have a system that works like a charm and can be setup or removed in less than a minute.
The key is to set the height so that the leading edge of the powerstick (or table/material if using 4) passes slightly above the wheels and contact only occurs once the powerestick begins to dip as it moves further out. This way there is no initial bump and the stands don't get pushed. If need be I'll add cables with clips between the Shopbot and the stand but it seems unnecessary so far.
The pic's should be self explanatory. Other Buddy users, especially those with smaller shops might find this useful.