Upgrading a PR

[bruce]

I've recently purchased a "vintage" PR (I think it's a PR96). Since I got it for a good price, I'm able to spend a bit to upgrade it. But I don't actually know what kind of upgrades are possible with this machine (I'm talking mechanical rather than software).

I'd love a "list" of all the possible upgrades. Any suggestions?

Bruce

[Brady Watson]

Bruce,
Most likely, you will have to create 'the list' by searching the archives on this board.

Here is one example of an upgraded PR

[Mike Windsor]

I have a PR machine , and the best thing that I did was to upgrade to the PRT control box . The speed increase and torque was incredible . I also bought a new style Z axis .

[bruce]

Thanks Brady. Luckily, it looks like the former owner of my machine did exactly this upgrade.

Mike, what do you mean by a "new style" Z axis? Is it a screw and ball type? I think that the former owner of my Bot replaced the original z axis: from something I read in my manual, it sounds to me like the older bots used a rack and pinion z axis. Am I wrong?

Obviously, I should've asked the guy I bought my machine from more questions, but I didn't know what to ask at the time. All I know is he did some really cool things with it.

Bruce

[Brady Watson]

Bruce,
The newer ones use the rack and pinion on the Z, and the older ones use the lead screw type.

-Brady

[ron brown]

The true "Older Bots" used a threaded rod to actuate the "Z". In a near pre-historic time period, ShopBot "upgraded" to a ballscrew.

IF the ballscrew is kept clean of dust and especially dust from MDF, the ballscrew "Z" works well.

Ron

[bruce]

Thanks Brady and Ron,

Looks like I'll have to start referring to my machine as "prehistoric" rather than "vintage".

Bruce

[Brady Watson]

It's still a good machine, Bruce. It just needs to be run at a slower speed than a PRT or Alpha. It can do 2D and 3D just like any other machine.

-Brady