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Thread: Purchased a used 48"x60" shopbot this week

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    3

    Default Purchased a used 48"x60" shopbot this week

    Hello Everyone, This is my first post on the forums and I wanted to introduce myself. I have been in the sign making business for around 10 years now as an employee & most of my experience is in design and vinyl graphics. Since I enjoy my job I decided I wanted to do something slightly different but still be able to apply my knowledge. Before I purchased this router table I was running a plasma table in my home garage for around a year. The table was really cheaply manufactured and was flimsy but good enough for a hobby. I eventually lost interest because the plasma table wasn't able to cut aluminum effectively & the amount of dust on everything was getting out of hand. The added cost to convert the hobby level table into a water bed just wasn't worth the time or effort. I noticed a Shopbot for sale one day for a decent price that wasn't actively being advertised. So I decided to get rid of the plasma table and pick up this older shopbot. The gantry on the shopbot weighs almost as much as my old 5'x10' plasma table without the slats probably. The shopbot came with all the original paper work, software & training manuals from 2006. I believe the table is a PRT standard table.

    I have a couple of questions for you guys running the older tables.

    1. My table came with Part Wizard 3.2. Since more then a decade has pasted since this software was released what are you guys using now on the PRT tables? I will not do any graphic design in Part Wizard. I would only import dxf files I create & run the CAM software to process the cuts so I don't know if upgrading would be worth it in the long run.

    2. Is the old shopbot control software reliable?

    3. I plan on cutting mostly 0.063, 0.080 & 0.125 aluminum... What are your suggestions, tricks, and tips for successfully cutting it?

    4. Are parts for this table still available or have you guys retrofitted other parts?

    Thank you for any information.
    52013871_553334168512429_9174747273282715648_n.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2,383

    Default

    That is a older PRS standard with the 4g controller. There are a lot of those out there running just fine I would look into cut 2d from Vectric to do what you want. You can download a working demo of that software from Vectric also You should be able to use the latest Shopbot software.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    3

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jerry_stanek View Post
    That is a older PRS standard with the 4g controller. There are a lot of those out there running just fine I would look into cut 2d from Vectric to do what you want. You can download a working demo of that software from Vectric also You should be able to use the latest Shopbot software.
    Thank you Jerry... I had no idea I would be able to use the latest control software which is great news. I will check out the software you suggested also.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 1999
    Location
    Rock Hill SC
    Posts
    500

    Default

    Shopbot is a valuable resource for support. They can provide parts and information for whatever you need, and they will.
    Check with them to see if you are eligible to upgrade that software. Pretty much this whole forum uses one or another of the Vectric products and they support them quite well too.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2,383

    Default

    Call Shopbot and have it put into your name so you can get the free support from them. my first one I was the third owner and Shopbot helped me with some problems

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Delray Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,708

    Default

    What version of the control software are you running?
    Most of the latest changes are more relative to using desktops and you may be just fine with the version you have.
    Also: For simple translation of importing dxf and setting up a cut strategy Part Wizard also works just fine.
    It is very much a KISS software and the current basic software from Vectric does have more capability.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Delray Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,708

    Default

    Aluminum:
    Hold down is critical. Unlike the plasma your router will want to move the piece around and that will ruin it fast.
    Use carbide end mills made for it. Many brands are good. Always ramp into your cuts. Take thin passes. You are cutting thin material and will notice cutting differences in different grades of aluminum.
    Search "Aluminum" on the forum and you will gather lots of info.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    cnc routing, portland or
    Posts
    3,633

    Default

    I have found a onsrud downcut 0-flutes work well for thin 6060 aluminum. it helps keep it in place.

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