New shopbot

[jkaras2000]

Just picked up my New PRS Standard 4x8. Spent rest of yesterday and evening moving it into shop and assembling it. Saturday morning now, and back on it. Hope to have it done by the afternoon. Had to spend additional time cleaning and moving things in shop to make up for additional space needed to locate machine. Had it not been for the last minute housekeeping might have been further along. Special thanks to Erminio for all his support, advice, and friendship. This is one Memorial Day Weekend I will never forget. HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY ALL. Joe

[Acmeaviator]

Congrats Joe!

[myxpykalix]

Joe when i got mine I kept the box because i decided i wanted to be buried in it when i die:rolleyes:

But the weather got to it and it broke down before i did so i had to throw it away:eek:

[curtiss]

I see you got the blue one.

If you program it right, the bot will cut open the crate for you...

[ATX Poly Products]

It is a exciting thing is it not!...

I just upgraded my prs 48x48 to a 96x48 and put a 2.2 hsd on it. They are a great machine!

I look forward to more pics of your assembly

[michael_schwartz]

Your going to have a fun time. Be sure to share some of you work when you are up and running :cool:

[jkaras2000]

Hey Gang: Thanks for the great support and replies. Here is an update. It actually has spindle on it now, and is 85% wired. I will update in the morning. Having a hard time figuring how to hook up the red push button kill switch. Directions seem vague, or perhaps I'm just missing it. I emailed tech, so hope to have an answer by the morning. I have 30 amp 220 breaker, any one know what proper amperage breaker I should use? Thanks again from Buchanan NY. Joe. PS: It is very exciting, Kinda like when my wife gave birth!

[myxpykalix]

PS: It is very exciting, Kinda like when my wife gave birth!

Well it is afterall your new baby, right?:D

[wberminio]

Look Great Joe!
You'll be cutting soon!

Erminio

[jkaras2000]

THANKS EVERYONE. Good Morning. Getting ready to hit it again. Can anyone please tell me if surfacing the table top is critical to optimum performance. I most likely am going to do it, but would like to get some input. I have Aspire Software, and also would like to know if the surfacing program is included in Aspire? I will take a look in the program to see as well. I plan on using some T Slot Track below the table surface for cam and hold down clamps, but am not sure how deep to recess the T Slot Track. I am using 3/4 MDF, and thought about a 1/8" recess below the table surface. Any advice is appreciated. Wife is starting to get a little annoyed with the amount of time I have been spending with bot. Honey Do list is growing. JOE.

[jerry_stanek]

Yes you will need to surface you top. The Shopbot has a program to make a surfacing file under Tools. Enjoy your new toy

[bleeth]

Boy I forgot how shiny they are when new!!

[ATX Poly Products]

I have 2 layers Of cabinet grade 3 quarter inch With carriage bolts and 2 layers of m d f 3 quarter Glued down... surfacing the table is a must. make sure your dust collectors hooked up to do it it makes a lot of dust

[ATX Poly Products]

My e-stop is hooked to 4/ST and G on a input plug...

[jkaras2000]

Thanks again gang. In case anyone can help futher, here are some questions I have. Thanks Joe.
1. Is it safe to roll the car while unit is wired but not to a live feed?
2. Do I hook up usb from VFD box to usb in control box, and then do I tap into the multi USB outlet from my computer. Both the control box and VFD have USB connections, so I am confused.
3. I noticed a slight chatter when rolling the car, can I adjust this with allen wrench on nuts in center of wheel bearings? (I squared and leveled the table pretty well)
4.I am looking at three extra wheel guard plates? Are they used for somthing else that I am missing, or are they extras. I mounted four on both sides and front and back of car.
5. I have Partworks, and Aspire. However I was never given the Partworks code to activate software. My question is, will I need to use Partworks in order to run the table leveling file? Or is that in Aspire as well. I checked Aspire and could not find it. Thanks Joe.

[dana_swift]

#1) Moving the car around without power on is fairly routine. Dont push fast because the stepper motors become generators. I dont know how likely damage is from the generator effect, but I push mine around pretty often when the power is off. Its impossible when the power is on.

#2) Someone else will have to answer.

#3) I get a slight feel from each tooth on the rack gear when I push by hand, a small amount of that is probably normal. Since I cant experience what you are getting, use your judgement. Does it move smoothly under power?

#4) Someone else will have to answer.

#5) Partworks is not needed if you have Aspire. Surfacing the table can be done with the SBP file alone. Aspire is not needed, although it can be used to generate a surfacing cut file.

Surfacing is absolutely necessary for Z accuracy. Although you can cut without it, the result may be "wavy". The V rails are flatter than the spoil-board, surfacing transfers that flatness.

Hope that helps! I enjoy the photos and updates-

D

[jkaras2000]

Frank from Shopbot just called me. We discussed all my questions, and all is good. Thanks Frank and all you guys. I should be able to run machine shortly. Although wife has me mixing in Honey Do list at the same time. Joe

[jkaras2000]

Thanks Dana: You just gave me comfort. I was afraid I would fry something by moving things by hand. I only did it slowly to be able to work on machine etc. Frank from shopbot just answered some questions. Very good fellow as are you and everyone else. It's just about wired now and going. I plan on using T Slot Track along the tabe with hold down clamp/dogs and cams that use the T Slot. Would you suggest me dadoing my spoil board to accept them using my table saw? Or should I attemp creating a file using 3/4 bit with the bot to do the same thing. I could do this after the surfacing program runs too. Let me know what you think. Joe.

[michael_schwartz]

Use the bot, forget the Tablesaw :cool: Measure the T track with calipers, it might not be exactly 3/4. You can use a smaller bit if you have to.

I would incorporate the T track separate fixtures that I could place onto the machine as needed, because I like to cut into my spoil board. However that is your choice based on how you plan to use the machine.

[wberminio]

Joe call me if I can help!

914-330-4094 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 914-330-4094 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

[jkaras2000]

Hey everyone: Thanks again for everyones help. I have Shopbot all wired and hooked up to computer. I was able to move X,Y,Z, Axis's, via computer. Spoke to Erminio Marrese via the phone and he got me up and running. Have not started the spindle up yet? Have to figure out how to do that next. Am posting some more pics of the updated progress. Thanks to all for support. Can't complain too much, I had a couple of nice girls keeping me company during this whole thing. Wife and daughters peeked in once and a while, but just don't understand. Maybe they will when the bot makes them a nice jewelry box or somthing? All the best. Joe. :cool:
PS: Check out the nice Blue Wire Ties I picked up at the hardware store when they opened this morning. They have Pink ones Too if Interested.

[jkaras2000]

I have to take a fresh look at it in the morning, but the spindle does not seem to be live. If any one has some thought, I could sure use them now. I have 2.2 HP Single Phase spindle. Thanks Joe.

[myxpykalix]

You know they say, look for the most obvious thing...well..I know my router is wired theu the control box but it also has fuses in line. Go make sure you have fuses installed.

[jkaras2000]

Thanks Jack: Your right, it's probably something silly. Could be a fuse is not seated properly etc. It's strange the 24volt fan on top of the spindle is working though. But I suppose only one leg of the 220 feed could be powering it. If the other leg is not coming through. Maybe that's the cause. Power is coming through to an extent because along with the spindle fan, all servos are working as well. Joe. :cool:

[jerry_stanek]

wish I had some helpers like the two in the second picture. Your table is looking good also.

[cowboy1296]

I gave my crate to a neighbor who has a dog that weighs just under 200 lbs. He built a dog house out of it.

[curtiss]

Your wife does not make you take down pictures of girls you used to go out with ???

[MogulTx]

No Curtis. Those might BE pictures of his wife.... ;)


Joe,

I have seen posts about others who had the fan come on but not the spindle. It was a mis-wired issue. Search through the posts, and you will likely have an answer in minutes. I don't have a spindle (yet) so I can't be of assistance via checking my own set up... Good Luck. And Nice looking wife, you lucky dog!

Monty

[jerry_stanek]

My spindle fan works off the shopbot control I do not have the usb cable to turn my spindle on I have to start my VFD and then hit the start button on the VFD to start my spindle.

[jkaras2000]

I feel like a kid on Xmas. I got spindle working, and even cut a 7 3/16 demo circle file file in some scrap wood. Yippppeee. Only problem now, is that the spindle will not turn on when I toggle Alt 1 or is it Cntrl 1. Anyway it turns on before it cuts the file. It does it on it's own after asking if I want it to. It did attempt to drop down and cut once without spindle turning on. Maybe some bugs left, but I'm damn excited. Thanks Joe. :cool:

[Gary Campbell]

Joe...
Along with Alt +1 you need to either have the keyboard [K] active or toggle Alt+4 to run the spindle

[zeykr]

I think you'll need to be in (K)eyboard mode and hit alt-1 or hit both Alt-1 and Alt-4 to start the spindle. Basically it has to have the spindle enabled (alt-1) and be in 'run mode' (alt-4). (K)eyboard also puts it in run mode.

If you are manually running a command like CR (cut Rectangle) you'll need to manually enable the spindle first (alt-1) it will then start when commands starts, or I prefer to do both alt-1 and alt-4 and start if before I enter a command so I know I have it running.

When cutting a file from vcarve or other software, if you chosen your post processor correctly, the machine should tell the spindle when to start and stop.

Edit: That Gary is always right on top of things. Beat me again!

[jkaras2000]

Thanks Gary and Ken and everyone else: I got off with tech support this afternoon, and we think that there is a problem with the spindle control box. I have the V1000 spindle controller. All the LED read outs are frozen and say CPF00. Both the tech and I could not find the code listed in the V1000 owners manual. Just my luck, my machine discovers or invents a new problem code. One thing for sure, the F in the readout must stand for FAILURE. I emailed tech support pics of my wiring job, so maybe they will be able to see what's up, or perhaps the V1000 is just a lemon. I'll keep you posted. Thanks Joe :cool:

[jkaras2000]

I spoke with Chris from Tech Support this afternoon. He had me check the wiring in the V1000 control box. It turns out there was a loose connection. Previously the darn thing was frozen and LED readout would not change. It is now working perfectly, and I can do spindle warm up procedure which I could not do before. Thanks to all the Guys Shopbot Tech Support (Frank, Chris, Ryan). You guys are the best, and thanks to all my forum supporters. I now can focus on getting my table set up, and then start carving etc. Joe.:cool: