Desktop Deliciousness

[Brady Watson]

The rail is longer and the drive nut is upside down. You need a different YZ plate as well. You'll have to remove your spindle/router, the old rail, bearings and YZ plate in order to install the new stuff. Not a big deal if you take your time.

I don't know how much the kit is yet.

-B

[scottp55]

Thanks Brady, Yeah, Dianne said it was in the pipeline, but no idea when or how much. I imagine a lot will depend on interest and demand. Still playing with your Desktop?

[wespor]

Ahh, this is depressing me. If I had know this was coming I would have held off buying a bot for 4 months. Limited z-axis was my biggest concern about the purchase.

[scottp55]

Don't feel like the lone ranger Weston, we just bought the second one in January

[wespor]

Well, I'll wait to hear how much the upgrade kit costs before getting too sour. I feel like we should get a discount or something. I specifically asked about z-axis upgrades before I purchased my DT. I definitely would have waited for this if anyone had mentioned it.

[bleeth]

Weston: When I bought my PRT I got the most they had to offer then in a 4 x 8. One month after I bought it (on payments) they brought out the first Alpha. I was really p----d off. Then they told me they would be glad to sell me an upgrade kit for a "discount" but I didn't have the bucks. Turned out to be a good thing as the first Alpha's were awful. 1:1 motors had tons of chatter when cutting parts and the gantry was too weak to really cut ply much faster than the PRT with good accuracy.
Bottom line is, SB rarely gives any advance notice of upgrades, but does on all new machines.

[scottp55]

Yeah Weston, The additional Z probably introduces .0001" flex which when run with a 22.5 degree v-bit at 13.5 K causes harmonic distortion(or is that sympathetic vibration? I disforget) that results in "Tacoma Bridge Syndrome"! Please don't take this seriously anybody, Desktop is my best invention since I came up with sliced bread If they had these specs last year would have saved me oodles of time deciding between machines. Personally glad that Shopbot continues to listen to people and improve their machines

[Brady Watson]

You have to keep in mind that there is always a lot more to these things than meets the eye...Documentation has to be done, instructions and procedures for field installation created - aside from the actual hard parts themselves. Not everyone has good mechanical skills & you have to consider how much time it would cost for tech support if there wasn't good documentation before they sent anything out the door. Hang tight - I am sure they will come up with the whole shebang soon.

Yes - still using my DT & loving it. I haven't been 'round these parts' much lately due to some family emergencies and things of that sort.

-B

[scottp55]

Hope everything's OK Brady. As us Newbies expect miracles from your Desktop so we can copy them!

[wespor]

Hang tight - I am sure they will come up with the whole shebang soon.

You are right, I just hope I don't screw up the installation.