Just ordered my Buddy.

[Dwild14]

Hello all. I just ordered my BT 48 and so thought I would register for this forum and introduce myself. I wanted to say off the bat that this forum was invaluable in helping me make the decision to purchase the buddy as well as helping to educate me on what to expect after it arrives. My options were either the BT32 alpha or the BT48 standard and I opted for a larger cutting area. I am a part time furniture maker and am hoping to ramp up my output both on speculative and custom pieces as well as get into some product making for retail. I am installing the shopbot in a shared "maker space" in Nashville, TN which hopefully will work out well. I did want to get some feedback as it relates to some more immediate modifications that I am planning on making when it does arrive. Andrew Coholic has provided some great instructions on table modifications and my plan is to fabricate a T-slot table (every 6") in mdf. I also plan on investing in the kent dust shoe as well. My plan is also to make a "cabinet" for my bot as instructed by Chris Schaie (Bot in a Box) for both dust/noise reasons as well as to be able to lock it up at the end of the day. If anyone has any different suggestions or recommend I wait on these mods until I have more time on the machine, I would love to hear it. Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance.

Dave Wildman

[shilala]

Congratulations, Dave!!!
I have the same machine you do. I love it.
You already have some work ahead of you that'll keep you busy for awhile, and your general question is really too broad to respond to.

The only "general" thing I can say is to lean on the forum, ask questions, be patient, make a good table AFTER you've gotten comfortable with the machine, and wait and see if the dust shoe is going to help you out.

The reason I suggest waiting to build your new table is that you'll have crashes. Other newbs in the Maker Space are going to have crashes. No sense tearing up an expensive table.
You can always add t-track to the new bed (table) you build. You'll need the new bed right away, or at least I did. The mdf table that came on my bot was really awful. Not remotely flat anywhere. You won't need the t-track right away. There's a learning curve involved in not smashing into them and breaking bits.

See what guys have used to build their table. I made mine out of 2-3/4" slabs of baltic birch ply. Painted the whole thing to match the bot. It's held up spectacularly.

Lastly, when you use screws to hold down your material, drill out screw holes and countersink them as deep as you can. If you're 3d modeling, go deeper than the models. It'll save you broken bits.
And be prepared to break bits. At first it's frustrating, but then it gets fun as the crashes get further and further apart. It tells you you're learning fast.

Best of luck, have fun, and Godspeed to ya, brother!!!

[Ajcoholic]

Hello all. I just ordered my BT 48 and so thought I would register for this forum and introduce myself. I wanted to say off the bat that this forum was invaluable in helping me make the decision to purchase the buddy as well as helping to educate me on what to expect after it arrives. My options were either the BT32 alpha or the BT48 standard and I opted for a larger cutting area. I am a part time furniture maker and am hoping to ramp up my output both on speculative and custom pieces as well as get into some product making for retail. I am installing the shopbot in a shared "maker space" in Nashville, TN which hopefully will work out well. I did want to get some feedback as it relates to some more immediate modifications that I am planning on making when it does arrive. Andrew Coholic has provided some great instructions on table modifications and my plan is to fabricate a T-slot table (every 6") in mdf. I also plan on investing in the kent dust shoe as well. My plan is also to make a "cabinet" for my bot as instructed by Chris Schaie (Bot in a Box) for both dust/noise reasons as well as to be able to lock it up at the end of the day. If anyone has any different suggestions or recommend I wait on these mods until I have more time on the machine, I would love to hear it. Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance.

Dave Wildman

Dave,
Dont be so scared about breaking bits, lol. It took me 2 1/2 years before I broke a bit and that was trying to cut some 1/2" G10 composite last summer.

As a woodworker already, you will have a better grasp of what feed you can push various bits through ply, solid woods etc. It still takes some learning to get used to but the more you do the more you learn and the smoother things go. It took me about 6 months to get really comfortable making parts etc.

I absolutely love my new aluminum table, but the old MDF one with T tracks was very useable.

Good luck, have fun and dont forget to order a Kent CNC dust shoe, as the stock one will drive you nuts IMO :)

Did you get a spindle? Or using a router? WHat about software?

[tomc720]

Hey Scott, I just bought a bt alpha 48 and just hooked up power to it. I would love to have a conversation to make sure I am doing everything correctly. Please let me know if you would do that.
thanks tom
tomc720@gmail.com

[Dwild14]

Scott. Thanks for the input. Once I get set up I am going to start out doing some air cutting and then progress to foam to minimize immediate breakage but I am sure I will break some bits. Andrew I purchased the standard BT 48 so porter cable router and stepper motors. I decided being able to cut 48" on the y was more important than the nicer spindle/axes motors. Hopefully I won't regret this decision. I am spatially confined and don't even think I could upgrade to the 6' powerstick so I don't think I will need the stronger servo motors. I did get Vcarve and partworks 3d with the package. I looked at Rhino/Rhinocam and was a little overwhelmed and I like the simplicity and pragmatism of the vectric interface. My background is architecture and I am running a freeware 2d design program similar to Autocad LT and I am teaching myself Blender which is the freeware 3d modeling software. I don't feel like there isn't anything that I won't be able to do with this setup. Time will tell.

Thanks again for the input.
Dave Wildman

[scottp55]

Congrats David!!
Keep your finger near the Spacebar:)

[Ajcoholic]

Congrats David!!
Keep your finger near the Spacebar:)

You guys are all doom and gloom...:rolleyes:

My first day I unpacked it and got everything ready to run. Day two I was making some carved out cutting boards, chair seats and some signs.

Just take time to learn the computer side of things BEFORE The machine arrives and you'll be much better off. Try a few simple projects. A V carved sign, cutting some shapes from sheet ply or MDF etc. Its not that hard if you do some tutorials and work on the software a bit each day or second day.

That being said when I got my machine back in Jan/Feb of 2012, I had one child under 1 yr old. Now with a 3 1/2 yr old and a baby in the house I have a hard time to log on for a bit in the evening, never mind sitting down for a few hours trying to learn the program...:D

[angelosart]

Congrats Dave
I've had mine for two years. I would definitely recommend upgrading the dust shoe. The one that comes with the SB is fine but not great. Either the Kent or a fabrication design that I got off the forum which I did. And yes this forum and SB support are incredible.
Enjoy it!
Angelo

[cowboy1296]

I hope you can add a wing to your house because the crate that the buddy comes in is huge.

When you do get around to putting t tracks in your table, put them somewhat deeper than flush. That way you can come back and resurface your table without removing the tracks.

I had to swallow hard when i upgraded to aspire 3.5 but it was worth the money. When there next update comes out i might buy the upgrades.

Based on your comments you are ahead of the curve for a rookie, i had no idea what x, y and z meant when i started.

I do work periodically for a couple of furniture makers, i cut the 3d and they build their furniture around them. Here are a couple to give you some ideas.