Handheld "CNC" Router... Wait What???

[CNYDWW]

A friend of mine just sent me this link. I can see all the booths popping up at fairs for carved signs etc.

http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2012-08/mits-new-smart-woodworking-tool-makes-routing-more-precise

[adrianm]

I like the way they say that CNC machine can only cut things smaller than themselves. They're obviously a long way out of date or have been looking at the wrong machines.

[myxpykalix]

I applaud their efforts and ingenuity but what they didn't explain is the setup with all the stickers and how much pre work went into cutting the shape. But it's students like that and ingenuity that make this country great!:D

[curtiss]

This unit will probably not put ShopBot out of business...

The router seems to have a lot of ...possible human error factor.... the fun would seem to wear off after about 10 minutes and would need a dust collector for the operator to sit there and run it for 8 hours...

[Brady Watson]

YOU have to BE THERE to run it! Who wants that?

Production doesn't stop around here because somebody has to poop :eek:

-B

[CNYDWW]

Thanks for the chuckles guys. I could just see a company marketing this for a pretty good dollar and selling you the plywood to use with it. It takes my machine about 30 min to cut 60 8" jack o lanterns out of hardboard. There's no way this thing could do that.

[garyr6]

ya, but i would guess it doesn't come in blue.....

[dana_swift]

Its innovative to have come from ShopBot. That is a really great idea, Looks to me like it needs a lot of improvement. The unit seems to have required a manual Z setting, so there is a huge improvement possibility.

The video shows the operator changing the direction of the base, that may be ignored by the motion platform within the base, but I wondered if they were "fudging" their display. They seemed to turn the base at the corners to "help". If so.. it needs more improvement for sure.

I would bet a blue version would be much better. SB tends to not release things before they are "well baked". I appreciate that in SB.

What we can know is the future will be interesting to watch unfold-

D

[knight_toolworks]

I would like to see how this deals with real resistance like cutting hard woods. all the forces involved you would have to take extremely light cuts with it.

[curtiss]

Great production point Brady, had NOT thought of that at all....

But what do I do if the E-STOP does not reach all the way to the bathroom ??? :)

[billp]

Curtis,
You ARE in luck! Here's a little gem from Cabela's for moments JUST like that!
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Luggable-Loo-Toilet-Seat-and-Bucket/714054.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3D searchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProduc ts%26Ntt%3DLuggable%2Bloo%26x%3D17%26y%3D8%26WTz_l %3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=Luggable+loo&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[Brady Watson]

But what do I do if the E-STOP does not reach all the way to the bathroom ??? :)

See...It's all been thought of...:D

I guess the key is to not screw up!

-B

[CNYDWW]

Great production point Brady, had NOT thought of that at all....

But what do I do if the E-STOP does not reach all the way to the bathroom ??? :)

Well then my friend you need one of these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqkklVI7WBo

and the SB app to hit the stop.

[twelchPTM]

watched the vid, seems like a neat toy but anthing thicker or harder then what they were cutting would definatly cause problems. I imagine the user would have to maintain constant downward pressure to prevent the router from jumping. i would definatly enjoy seeing it in action up close, but its a long way from anything more then a novelty

[meatbal80]

couldnt a tech like this be used to index material on the table automaticaly. like when you have a oval blank that needs carving the bot could go around and look at the piece then overlay the toolpaths first then adjust and cut.

Or could that unit be mounted onto the Z to allow for realtime x and y adjustments on the fly allowing the bot to run faster as the problem of missed steps becomes less of an issue.

Within reason the base parts of this tech would make some really big changes as to how cnc routers (lasers ect) can be used.