Got PRS?

[rustnrot]

To say I am anxiously awaiting my new PRS standard, tentative build April 1, is an understatement.

Has anyone taken delivery of a PRS machine yet? In looking at the Shopbot Support page, there is an assembly manual for the new aluminum table rails but not yet for the new PRS gantry. Has anyone a copy of the PRS gantry assembly manual?

[Brady Watson]

I don't think there's much to really assemble, Tom. Most of it is already assembled from what I understand, just like the last gen gantry.

-B

[rustnrot]

Nancy at Shopbot just sent me a draft copy. You are correct, there is not a whole lot to be assembled, compared to my old PR machine this thing is like a Porsche compared to a Model T (the PR machine is still plenty capable even the DOS version I have).

It looks extremely well engineered...and I even like the styling, dare I say "styling" and "tool" used in same sentenance.

The table and gantry are identical for PRS or PRS alpha, router or spindle. It still has two X motors.

[Brady Watson]

Tom,
If you are moving up to a PRS from a PR, you are going to be one proud parent! It is downright AWESOME! Everything is going to get faster, smoother and better...You'll see!

-B

[stockbub]

Tom, I feel your pain. I have been waiting for delivery since Jan 28. Nearly 4 weeks behind and still no bot in the shop.

[rustnrot]

Mine is not running late...in fact I requested delivery around April 1 due to the old PR not going away until late March and no room for two.

When did you order yours?

[stockbub]

I ordered mine in November. I just wish I could go and personally see it. When I bought it, there were no literature or anything on it and I just wonder what it looks like and also, improements over the current model. I got the PRS standard 5x8 table

[gabriel_mckeagney]

Mine is arriving in two weeks. I am very excited, as it is going to be a big boost to my production to have two machines. The new design looks great. My alpha is running 50-60 hrs per week and the prs is going to allow me to proto-type while production keeps going.

Gabriel

[stockbub]

Juat talked to Jamie at Shopbot, my PRS is in houston. I called at it will be here tomorrow. OK, anyone have anything realy cool they are willing to share to carve. Everyone says to not plan on carving anything right out the box. I spent tonight rearranging tools to put the machine in a different place then I originally designed. Did that happen to anyone else?

[hines]

Not sure how long a PRS takes to put together but if its anything like a PRT, it'll be a while before you get to cutting. First thing you'll work on is planing your spoilboard. After that, cut out some of the projects available from shopbot. I would recommend getting V-carve pro. For the money, the best software available. You could also cut some sample signs with the free version of their software.

[tommyr]

Martin,

Would love to see some pictures of your new machine assembled and your first cuts if you have the time.

Thank you,
Tom

[ed_lang]

Martin,

I hope you don't have time to read this post today! You should be installing the new machine!!

You asked about moving it..... that is a standing joke in my shop. My machine has moved three times in the past year!

I only have 1100 SF of shop and there is just not space to have all of the equipment that is in here. I keep trying to move and make room.

One good thing, I can tell you how to move the PRTalphas real quick and easy now!!

Good luck, don't rush and get it right the first time.

Ed

[bill_l]

This is my second ShopBot and it took me and a friend about five hours to unpack and assemble the basic machine (table, rails). Gantry and Z axis go right on in about 15 minutes. Anyway, here she is.
7856

[rustnrot]

..I'm speechless..that is gorgeous!! Could you please email me a bigger res pic to my email address listed in my profile? Many thanks!!

[harryball]

We have our first hands on victim! :-)

The table looks exactly like mine, rails and all, only the gantry sitting on it looks different and I love the new design as it has so much more access. Now I have questions... probably only shopbot can answer.

I have the 48x96 PRT Alpha... there doesn't appear to be a 48" wide PRS, only 60". However, this table pictured above appears to have table top out to the rails as the new gantry looks like it allows more Y travel of the spindle.

Is there an upgrade option for my 48x96 to the new gantry? Will the capacity increase?

Is the Z car the same or would I have to purchase a new Z car? It looks different in the photo.

About how long before the upgrade will be available?

I really want a second Z axis... but I don't want to spend money on a second Z that would have to be replaced to fit the new gantry... and I don't want to spend all my money to get a new gantry and not afford the second Z.

Robert

[rustnrot]

Robert, I have on order a 48x96 PRS Standard. If you look closely at the price sheet, the 60x96 PRS Alpha is listed first and underneath it, for a little less $ is listed the 48x96 PRS Alpha. Regardless, it appears from the instruction manual and what I have been told that all the table/gantry hardware is identical for Standard vs. Alpha in the PRS world.....

[bill_l]

Robert,

The one you are looking at is a 60" x 96". I put a sub-table of plywood all the way across the machine to minimize dust falling to the floor. The table is not finished yet as I am on the road about 16 days a month.

As far as upgrades, I'm told that they are in the works and Ted will have to address that. Yes, the Z axis is different.

Bill

[Towersonline]

Bill, What size spindle do you have on the PRS?

Nice photo...wish Shopbot would post some detailed photos of the machine.

Bill Thorpe

[bill_l]

Bill,

I've got the 3hp Colombo.

Once I get this thing setup the way I want it I'll get as many photos from as many angles as I can and post them.

If anyone wants to see something specific let me know and I'll try to capture it in a photo.

Still learning how to resize so they will post.

Bill

[paco]

Either Google, Yahoo or many others can host your pictures... in so many different fashions.

[myxpykalix]

Bill..go to www.xat.com (http://www.xat.com) and get jpeg optimizer, you can leave your pictures bigger but it lowers the k size without too much loss of resolution.

[bill_l]

Thanks guys. I'll work on this today.

Bill

[andre]

Its hard to get a straigh answer from shopbot on delivery time for my new prs alpha. They gave me a shipping date of the week of 3/9/07 (next week)
should I not get my hopes up?

[stockbub]

I was suppose to get mine Jan 23, 2007. Got mine Friday March 2. Bigest part of it was parts that came in not to spec. I am just excited to have mine.... Working on putting together now.

[rustnrot]

Parts not to spec? As in parts substitutions because suppliers could not deliver--but equal in engineering specifications?

[stockbub]

No, shopbot had ordered certain parts first shipment was great, second shipment they were out of spec so they rejected them. That is one good thing about quality control is would rather make me mad by shipping late rather then make me mad by haveing problem at my shop. It is really not that big of a deal now that it is in my shop...... in a box.......... not put together........ waiting for me to get off the computer..... After talking to shopbot overthe past few seeks, I do feel good that I will not have problems that mine was one of the first ones produced and rthey were really watching everything

[rustnrot]

Excellent...now Put It Together and post pics ASAP!!

[denver]

When I ordered mine in Dec., Dianne thought it might ship around the middle of Feb. When it got to be the middle of Feb., I asked for an update, and was told they were waiting for some parts. Those must have been the parts Martin mentioned. Last Wednesday I got an email from Dianne saying it was on its way. And on Friday I got a call from the trucking company telling me that they could deliver it Tuesday. Hooray! It's going to be hard to sleep between now and then!

[steve4460]

Hi Denver
Ja and then you can't sleep for another day or two while putting it together and doing your first cutt .It is nice to see another Minnesotan to get one . Your actualy getting the new PRS?.
If so I would love to come and check it out .
Let me know if you need help with it .
I have a PRT alpha for a couple of years now ,and absolutely loving it .You will have so much fun with it that it dosen't even seam like your working and if you can manage getting payed for it then you got it made .
Keep it up .

Bot on

SV

[denver]

Stephan, I expect you are correct on all counts. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks,

Denver

[oscarg1971]

I have a question. I just upgraded to the 4G board and I must say, everything works great! My question is that, well I did a 3-d carving the other day to see if ther was a difference. When I created the tool path, I got a MS of 1.70, .50 for the roughing and .80, .30 for the final. Before the 4G upgrade it was 1.50, .50 for the roughing and .80, .30 for the final. Is that what I should expect? Or is there a tweak somewhere where I can speed it up? -Oscar

[steve4460]

Hi Oscar

What material are you cutting in to ?. When I cut some 3D stuff in maple or so I run a 0.25 endmill for the roughing at 5" ips with a z move speed of 1"ips and for the finish pass I run the SB ballmill at 8" ips and the z at 3.5"ips .
That works for me on my alpha . I only run as slow as what your discribing when I cut aluminium .
I hope that helps . Your results may varry .

Bot on

SV

[oscarg1971]

How do I change the speeds when I create the toolpath? Those speeds are at the begining of the code, so I assume they are automatically assigned? Do I have to change something in the tool database? Those speeds on the code is what I see on my control software screen when the file is running. -oscar

[scottcox]

Oscar,

You can assign different speeds to your individual tools in your toolpathing programs and even edit the speed for that individual toolpath.

You can also edit your files manually to change the speeds. Look for the MS command at the beginning of a file. MS,5,1 means X and Y run at 5 ips and the Z will run at 1 ips.

If when running a file you want to speed it up, you can stop, edit the MS command and restart. Or you can use the "Shift and <" or "Shift and >" to decrease or increase your X and Y move speeds. Beware as this method does not change your ramping values.

[Brady Watson]

Oscar,
You should have received a PartWizard training video with the purchase of your tool, if you bought in the last year or so. Watch it...there is a ton of infomation in it regarding the PW tool database, saving toolpaths, setting speeds, saving multiple files as one etc.

-B