I'm considering a Desktop Max, any new owner's comments?

[bob_s]

I have sold my PRS alpha 4x8 and am now trying to decide what to replace it with in my new shop. I have a limited amount of space and will be doing mostly 3d carvings that will fit within 24 x 36, so I'm leaning heavily toward a Desktop Max. Are there any owners out there with comments or concerns about this new machine?
Thanks
Bob

[WaltzWorks]

I just got mine out of the crate yesterday :-)

It's my first CNC so I don't have anything to compare it to. It seems good so far. Is there anything you wanted to know?

[scottp55]

Congrats on your Max Tom!
Bob, Been helping a new friend get his Max set up long distance(email/phone).
Other than we had to swap all my files end for end(0,0 is at lower left with your belly to the VFD) and we had to change MS to get rid of a little mid-band resonance I heard for a couple hours over the phone(all set now)
It seems to cut the same at similar speeds/quality/ and accuracy as my Desktops.
Slight funkiness with the factory MDF spoilboard being misplaced for the factory set limit switches with the factory TS, but moving spoilboard a shade will give you the -.5,-.5 from 0,0 that's standard.
At second hand/long distance it seems sweet, but my friend has nothing to compare it against either.
Tom, Just a regular Desktopper, but if you have any questions, feel free to email me under my contact info.
Welcome,
scott

[chiloquinruss]

I don't own a Max but I had the pleasure to run one at the Maker Faire for a couple of days demonstrating. It is a terrific machine and extremely accurate which is great for 3d carving. I believe it is the MOST accurate of all the bots. The regular Desktop has a single lead screw while the Max has two, one on each side. I already have a 48x96 but if I was in the looking mode the Max looks pretty good to me. Not affiliated just love dem' bots! Russ

[GaryGraff]

I own the Desktop Max. I am very happy with it. The only complaint I have is that the gantry moves in the X direction. You are always moving the gantry to change router bites and to position your material on the spoil board. You also have to work around the moving gantry and speed control box to vacuum the saw dust out of the groove for the cutout. I would like to see the gantry move in the Y direction like on the Desktop 18" x 24"

Gary

[bob_s]

Thanks for the responses.
It was a really big decision to sell my PRS, but as we were contemplating moving to a brand new house I realized I wanted to do more 3d. I also wanted a shop with plenty of open space and in a 2 car garage that wasn't going to happen with a 48 x96 and the other tools, bikes and the occasional car. I do think this will be a new adventure, as was the PRS, just a bit smaller.
thanks
Bob

[WaltzWorks]

After playing for a few days:
I noticed the same thing. My spoil board was mounted about +1/4" in the X axis.
Yes, I am constantly moving the gantry out of my way to change bits.
I always forget to put the dust skirt on before I zero the Z and it leaves the spindle like 1" above the work piece so I have to go move the Z up.
Overall, seriously cool machine!

I am having some problem where my fine cuts are not removing all the pieces left from the rough cut on the last pass, almost like the detail cut isn't taking the last pass or something. I still don't know if it's me or not. I'm zeroing every time I change bits and it's done it to me more than once. I'm starting to thing I might have messed something up in VCarve.

[scottp55]

Tom, About the Z not lifting up after Z-Zeroing..I think you forgot to check the "I have Z prox" box.
Do a C3 and the input TS in the command line and check that box and continue on until the "Make it easy for me" shows up.
Then the Z-routine does the double tap/pauses at safe z you have set in VC/ and then continues to upper Z prox and retracts an inch.
Tons of room for dust foot now.
Other place is VC in command line, and change safe Zpullup(NOT related to VCP8 Z-1)

Are you Z-Zering in the same exact spot as on the first bit, with no sawdust of tearout throwing it off, and checking zero plate is clean?
You can do a UR and then move spoilboard so your pointest bit is about 1/16" on the MDF on both 0's/retighten and then cut your rabbet again?
Hope any of this helped. IF work is just "Fuzzied" then try cutting the same toolpath again and you see a big difference(one of the most helpful hint these guy gave me

[WaltzWorks]

Thanks, Scott. I'll give that a try.

The problem I'm having looks almost exactly like this one, who's got a few recommendations for me to try out too:
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/sho...keting-letters

I actually don't zero the Z at the same spot every time, usually because the surface i set the plate on when I zeroed was cut away during the roughing path. I've seen that mentioned a few times. What effect does that have on the zeroing?

[scottp55]

Tom,
I forgot something.
You have to do a VN first and turn your limit switches ON before The Z routine will change
also"and then continues to upper Z prox and retracts an inch" Should be 1/8".
Probably the rest of this should be on a separate thread as it's off Bob's topic,
But...Z-Zero on a section that won't be cut away BOTH times(even if you surfaced the wood on machine).Flatness and careful Z'ing is essential for consistent results.
ON that pic on the other thread...looks like he didn't have the same bit in the collet that he drew with, AND/OR he never checked "solid" in his 2D preview and didn't notice the bit was too large to fit the small areas.
scott