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Ok they could would with a lot of extra effort.
Making jigs as part of the class?, it would be the whole class (I had the same idea it does not work) I had 7 kids 90 minutes a day for 45 days and each kid did 4 projects (see my other posts) with the time it takes to teach the cam/cad software and designing projects time runs out fast and if you had to tile everything bigger then a shoe box the kids would get nothing done.
As for the thinking any flat surface would work well, you run out of flat surfaces fast in a shop that has to be cleaned every 60-90 min.
How long would it take to cut a sheet of ply into cab parts with a handy bot and tiling? If it is over that 60-90 min if would not have the kids do it unless they have a free class after woods, and even with that they will be taking up space that the next class will need.
I'm not tring to be a downer on the handy bot but if I brought two into my classroom instead of one desktop my kid would look at me like I was crazy.
Soooo, save you money, wright some grants, reach out to your industrially park, keep your eye on the forum and buy the biggest bot you can afford.
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Thanks for all the feedback: especially Russ for that incredible visual: if you don't teach then perhaps you should :cool:
And thanks to Kyle for the educator's input. What grades are you working with? I'm in full agreement that jig making wouldn't be a class project: it might be a good project for a hot-shot kid with an independent study and CNC experience. Frankly, jigging up jobs, at least in my shop, is the instructors' responsibility.
As I said in the opening paragraph: we have a desktop and it's getting use every single block of the day. I want to add to my CNC capabilities since we're already seeing backlogs of kids waiting to use the machine with flash-drives in hand: I can probably find the money for another desktop and will probably go that way, but I was thinking that IF the handibots are as flexible as they appear to be, having two for the cost of one desktop might allow me to have three machines humming at the same time.
And No.... the plan is NOT to cut stringers, but that was an apt illustration of perhaps the potential of the little machine with dedicated jigging.
Anybody in New England area have a handibot that I can see in action?
Thanks again: I'm probably going with a second desktop but I'm leaving the options open until I can see one of the little guys in action.
Have a great week, all
Karl Hoyt.
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Hello All. I have been working with the Handibot a lot, and have created jigs for multiple uses. If you check out the March blogs and forum posts on the Handibot website (Handibot.com)j or the 100kSchools.org website, you'll find pictures of a jig that allows you to machine boards longer than the cutting area of the Handibot. A video of it in action is found in the Handibot forum posts.
I used the plans for the Handibot to create the jig that it sits in.
One thing I learned is that, if you are creating a jig that surrounds the Handibot, use material that is no thicker than half inch. The clearance as the Handibot moves to the front is only .5", and .75" material will cause it to stall out.
I set a solid core door on top of a resin table as my base for the Handibot, used with or without its jig(s). It's flat and heavy and can be replaced without too much effort. And, I can put a thick vinyl table cloth on it and still use my space for a table for doing glass work.
Whatever you do with the Desktop and Handibot, I'd love to see it posted on 100kSchools. Let me know how I can help you do that...(Sallye@shopbottools.com works well for that.)
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thanks for that feedback, Sallye... I will definitely check out the handibot site... I'd still like to see one 'up close and personal' and since Summer is early upon us, I might be up for a road trip to do so if anyone knows someone using a handibot in the greater new England, upstate NY area.....
thanks
Karl
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Just got one
Just got one. Currently we have a full size machine and Desktop ShopBots.
I had a big problem last year with doing a plaque project with a backlog of projects waiting to be flipped so we can cut a keyhole slot.
If that is all I do with the HandiBot, that is money well spent. I have a lot of other plans as well.
kEEP IN touch
Brett Dickinson
956-455-6153