Broke brand new ShopBot Probe

[cjohnson]

Well, tried to learn as much as I could on the limited information for using the copy program. Did a lot of air test. Never could get the copy 2d copy program to work right. It would move a certian distance, go in a circle, then give an error message. However, I did get the 3d option to work.

Since i was wanting to make a flange for my transmission pan, i put the pan on the table and taped it down real good. Started the 2d program and everything was going well. The machine moved the probe up to the flange, backed away, moved up, paused, then plowed over the pan breaking the tip on the probe. I couldn't have hit stop soon enough. Broke the tip off at the threads.

The threads to the tip are so small that I will never be able to drill it out and retap it with my current set of old eyes. I'll either buy another one (tip holder), sell it, or throw the whole darn thing in the trash. Right now the latter option seems the most appealing.

I looked for help in the assembly manual, the accessories manual, the help file in the program, even went to another site that has some help files for the shopbot. Read them all.

By the way, this is not a flame. Just a bit frustrated (you old time shopbot users should be able to identify with this).

So I guess my question is, has anyone utilized the 2d trace copy program with success and what are the steps to do so? Scan right to left, left to right, never go under this, always measure at this low point, or whatever. I could use some advise/encouragement.

Thanks in advance.

cj

[harryball]

I understand the frustration, I personally have never gotten much use out of the probe. Others seem to have luck and everything works well. Just chuck it in and let it run.

For me it stalls, runs all over the table or just never finishes. I chalked it up to a combination of my inexperience and perhaps software. I have been waiting to revisit it and try again... but haven't gotten back to it. The last project I needed to 2D trace I thought about the probe a few seconds then used a copy machine to reduce the image, scanned it and traced it in corel.

For the life of me I don't understand how something so simple can work so horribly wrong for me and not for others (until now :-) Then again, I still get the awful drift using the keyboard to make moves where other don't either.

I've been hoping the new beta control software will heal all the problems when it goes to final release.

Robert

[bill.young]

hey Craig,

It's not anything you're doing. We've found a problem in the last version of the ShopBot software that effects the way probing works...both 2d and 3d...that's been fixed in the latest beta software. If you have a PRS tool, an Alpha, or a PRT with a 4g board you might want to try the beta out.

Of course that doesn't help you for now because your probe is broken! Give support at ShopBot a call and tell them what happened and they'll get you fixed up.

Sorry for the frustration,
Bill

[myxpykalix]

Mine did the same thing. I sent it back to shopbot and they fixed it for me. Send yours back and let them fix it. Mine is still sitting in the box unopened and i haven't tried it again but thats too much money to just throw away. There are also articles cited here on how to make your own probe that might help in you fixing that one if you want. If you don't want it send it to me before you throw it in the trash! If you need any pics i can take some good closeups of mine and send if needed.

[myxpykalix]

Bill,
I have a probe and should i go get the latest beta software and install before i try probng again? What version do i look for?

[harryball]

I loaded the latest beta about an hour ago before doing an engraving. I noticed the most recent beta actually FIXED my drifting issues when moving with the keyboard. This file has several hours to run but I'll try the probe this evening or tomorrow and see what happens.

Robert

[bill.young]

Hey Robert and John,

There are a lot of fixes in the newest beta and a couple of new features, but just be aware that betas are test versions and although I don't know of any problems there MIGHT still be some bugs in them. We want to encourage folks to try them out...that's how we find out about any problems...but just make sure that you test them thoroughly before using them for production.

One quick note: if you do find any problems in the beta...or in general have any software or hardware problems...please send them to support at ShopBot and don't just post them here on the forum. It's awfully easy for things to get overlooked on the forum and not get to the person that needs to see them.

Bill

[cjohnson]

Thanks Bill. I started to call ShopBot a couple of times but hestitated for various reasons. I don't want to bother them with such petty issues if I can fix them myself. I had some problems earlier in the week and deleted the Beta version but have since found out that it wasn't caused by the beta but another program. I will reload the Beta and give it a try.

Jack, I will send the probe to you if I can't make it work. It is a lot of money but its far cheaper to throw or give away than having a heart attack over. However, I am hesitant to send you something that may give YOU a heart attack too.

[gwilson]

I have been think about getting a probe for my PRT96 w/ original control box. When I get one is this a problem I should expect, I am running 3.4.27PRT software.
Thank You
gerald

[bill.young]

The probing fix will make it into the next PRT software release but I don't know for sure when that will be...I'll see if I can find out. For now you'd most likely have problems with 2d probing, especially at smaller resolutions, and possibly 3d probing.

[gwilson]

Thanks Bill, The release will probably be out before I get my probe.
Gerald

[harryball]

I'm ran the most recent beta most of the day today over several jobs including a carving job. It did great and curve cuts were smoother on MDF, I cut out a bunch of 6" beveled letters and the curved cuts were by far the smoothest I've ever gotten off the bot.

I tried a quick 2D probe and it actually worked. I didn't do anything with the output or try to adjust anything... just let it run. Maybe things are looking up! I'll try a 3D something or other and see what happens.

Robert

[bill.young]

I'll blame it on my poor memory but I might have lied to y'all...there is one thing that I know of that doesn't work in the current beta. Because of the change from Normally Open to Normally Closed prox switches in the PRS tools, the part of the Setup Virtual Tool that automatically sets up your prox switch offsets for the XYZero program doesn't work correctly. The XYZero program works fine and you can still set them up manually in the Setup program...it's just the automatic part that doesn't work.

This only effects the PRS tools and will be fixed before the final release, but until then if you have a PRS tool you'll need to select the manual option when setting up your XY prox switches with the Setup Virtual Tool.

Bill

[cjohnson]

What is really needed is a real good instruction manual for use with the probe with some examples for both 2d and 3d. That way is would be easier to determine if our tool is misbehaving.
cj

[jlg]

none of the software for prt4g had worked for me before this updated Beta.
Beta sb3_5_0b14. 3-19-07 Is working for me at this time . I have only used this in the 2d mode.
I have used the new beta probing work as large as 3' by 4' at .5 and speed .75 with good luck. Thanks SHOPBOT!!!!!!