Shop Monster PRS Alpha 9660

[dkrage]

First, thanks to all of you whose ideas posted on these forums I have blatantly stolen and pummeled into my machine. Truly, this place is a wealth of info...amazing.

So, I finally ordered a "stripper" PRSA 9660 late this summer of 2011, rec'd it in early Sept 2011 and began my "monstering" plan after much research on this forum and elsewhere.

The idea was to engineer and build my way into a top notch machine suited to my needs (smallish high end custom European cabinet and sometimes furniture shop). It would be a fun challenge, hopefully save a few $$, I'd learn alot, and I'd have a really cool machine to make more stuff to pay for said cool machine...

Thumbnail sketch:
- Started with PRSA9660, spindle omitted, air assist Z added, SB folks very helpful!
- eCabinets with the Thermwood SB link
- Already had Apple iMac QuadCore/Parallels/Windoze 7 Home (seems to work fine with all these PC apps...).
- Trying cheap water cooled Chinese spindle, 3kW (4HP). So far, so good. It's rated for 24kRPM, but I'm limiting it to 18kRPM and using proper VFD implementation as well as a neat liquid cooling system. Fingers crossed.
- Blurry Customs AVS125 ATC with prox sensor drawbar feedback, six tools/forks...and room for many more if required.
- Designed/built an ancillary control system with 5HP Delta VFD-B, micro-PLC, etc. and SB RPM widget (basically a Delta USB<->RS485 translator) to control the spindle, ATC, cooling system, and vac pumps.
- 3/4" Baltic Birch for base plate (2 pieces)
- 3/4" Extira "exterior MDF" for vac plenum, starting with 6 zones, (4) 2' x 4', (2) 1' x 4', bonded with Titebond polyurethane adhesive
- 3/4" LDF for spoilboard, same adhesive
- Added my own Kabelschlepp X axis cable chain...just couldn't see dragging around all those cables

In process as of this writing:
- (4) Lighthouse LH7123 motor vac source, control integration with vac sensor
- ATC code development (or at least hacking the SB ATC code)
- DIY vacuum sheet lifter
- Design/fab an ATC tolerant dust foot.
- Add "Z" prox for proper XYZ homing.

More to do:
- Pneumatic shot pins for for sheet alignment on table
- Pneumatic pusher (to align sheets against shot pins)
- Go to eCabs training....yowsa.
- I'll think of more, I'm sure.

So here's a link to a pic/vid gallery showing the process, check back once in awhile for updates (at least until it's done and making lots of sawdust):

http://gallery.me.com/dkrage/100021

Comments, criticism, suggestions, questions, are all welcome.

Oh, and yes, I've already crashed my pretty Whiteside 1/2" carbide spiral upcut into a steel crossmember...carbide bit not so pretty anymore.
Nice shiny "engine turned" 1/2" dot on the crossmember though.


Thanks for looking.
Dan

[Gary Campbell]

And the torch is passed.........

[dkrage]

Wow..thanks very much Gary...but this is still in process.
Lot's to do yet before this beastie actually generates some revenue!!!
What could go wrong? heh heh heh...

[wberminio]

We are all watching

[gc3]

" (at least until it's done and making lots of sawdust):"

you mean chips right?...

looks like a nice build, better prepare a nice maintenance
schedule as well

[dkrage]

" (at least until it's done and making lots of sawdust):"

you mean chips right?...

looks like a nice build, better prepare a nice maintenance
schedule as well

OK, chips is technically correct.
Although that Extira I used for the plenum board made some stuff strongly resembling sawdust...sticky-ish, too.

Outside of the normal SB User's Guide Maintenance section recommendations, whaddya thinking? I'm all ears.

Here are some things on my list already:
- ATC (specifically the toolholders and the ATC coupling) need to be kept quite clean.
- Cooling system...self contained. Anti-bacterial/microbial/fungal/ nuclear blue fluid was chosen to not only observe normal operation, but leaks are easily noticeable. (Don't ask...).
- The to-be-built Lighthouse based vac box: filters as req'd and I'll have an operation indicator for each of the four motors, so if one is dead, I'll know pretty quickly. They are individually protected with a CB.