Why the High Table Sides?

[joe_dusel]

I know this must be a dumb question, but why does the ShopBot have the high table sides? They look like they must get in the way when you are loading and unloading panels.

Thanks!

Joe

[thewoodcrafter]

Good question Joe.
I have always wondered myself but never asked.
I think it is the type of rails ShopBot uses on the X axis. It is just sharpened angle iron with V groove rollers. Not something that can be placed under the table. And maybe kept high to keep cleaner.
You can only load from the ends. If the rails are kept greased they do get in the way by keeping you from leaning on them.

[myxpykalix]

I think it has to do with the clearance area under the carriage for Z height. The height of the carriage on the rails along with the lower height of the table surface is what gives you your 6" clearance. If the rails were lower you would have less Z cutting depth.
At least thats what i think it is....

[cwshop]

When I first looked at Shopbot’s from there first beginnings, I never thought much about the rails. Then I bought a PRT one of the first they made. I made a steel table much like they recommended with the sides. Love my machine, but the rails are a defendant change I would like to make. It would be so handy to just side material on and off from the side without going over the rails. Of all the nice improvements Shopbot has made over the years, I think they have over looked this one. If they ever get the X-rails below the table surface, I might just buy me a NEW MACHINE. YE HI.

[dakers]

Joe thanks for your question. i wanted to know the same thing too.

I had a Gerber Sabre router with all the options at $75,000.00 and it was a great router. But the price point of the shopbot is what is drawing me to it plus the forum. It was a servo router. We had a Camtech with stepper motors. We had problems with the steppers and could never solve it. the router just had a mind of it's own about twice a week and destroyed material. We thought it was the static in the dust collection system and we tried everything to fix it but never did. both routers loaded from the sides but we never loaded from the sides for some reason. We always loaded from the end. I always assumed the shopbot had high sides because it was more economical to build and sell but i really do not know what problems the rails impose on others. would like to read more posts about it.

[rb99]

The Y carriage is not stiff enough to be like other CNC machines.

RB

[harryball]

I suspected when I saw the PRS gantry design we were on our way to a machine without rails. Don't know if that's true or not but it would be a welcome change. Dick is right... an extra $25-50k not to have rails would keep me out of the market altogether. I'm very happy with my PRTAlpha96.

I've only found the rails to be a moderate nuisance at times and a black sawtooth pattern is on almost all of my work shirts.

/RB

[knight_toolworks]

I think it would really raise the price. plus the drive may have to go to servo's too that would really increase the price and slow the machine down unless the price jumped quite a bit.

[mims]

I looked hard at Shopbot when buying my router. The final deciding point was the rails. I decided to go with another US built router that did not have rails, because the machine is in a small workshop and is not possible to load from the ends. I have about 3' clearance from the ends of the table, so I am forced to load full sheets from the side.

Shopbot obviously has a good thing going with a good machine, but I just wanted to mention that is why I chose another machine. For reference, the machine did not cost any more than the same sized 'Bot, so I'd think it should be possible for Shopbot to offer such a machine and not increase price much if at all.

[harryball]

I also looked at another machine similarly priced with no side rails. I was having a very difficult time deciding. The friendly people at the IWF and the forums made the difference. I felt more confident about getting support and help from other botters. The other brand I just wasn't so sure. Aat the time, other owners appeared awful scarce and it seemed all support came from one person.

Maybe I'm way off but looking at the PRS style gantry it doesn't look impossible to lower and almost elminate the rails while keeping the same drive system.

/RB