Low Headroom Mod for PRSalpha

[Gary Campbell]

It seems the one thing I didn't read in the weeks waiting for the machine to be built was the required headroom. A couple orders to McMaster later and all is well and good. Posting this in case others may have the same problem. (I do know that removing the sacred wire carrier is sacrelige) It may not look like a 'Bot, but it sure works like one!
Gary

517

518

[srwtlc]

Here's an alternative that may give some people enough room to still use the original guide.


519

I picked up some hex head metric bolts the same as the allen head endplate bolts and some 1/2" x 1-1/2" bolts and welded them head to head. I then placed them in the lowest set of end plate holes and using the same guide bracket, moved the tail end of the guide down approximately 6".

Keep in mind, that for an E-chain, you only need to go half the travel of the Y-car, but then you need something to contain the wires the rest of the way.

[ted]

We'll be looking at Scott's solution (and a couple of others) as a way to reduce the height profile of the wire guide, as well as going with energy chain on wider tools.

The wire guide helps keep cost down and does provide routing for the dust collector hose. But as Gary suggests, we'd really hate to give up that ShopBot look!!

Ted Hall, ShopBot Tools

[Gary Campbell]

Scott..
I wasnt able to get any combination of the OEM wire guide under the ceiling. Then went to the chain,then did exactly that.. used the chart formula for the E-Chain length, then decided that for looks I wanted to extend it to the other side of the car from the middle. Order #2 from McMaster.
Gary

[srwtlc]

Hey Gary,

Yeah, I almost ordered a Kabelshelp carrier with dividers for $70 (half travel), but thought I'd give this a try first. My ceilings are 8 feet at the wall, but go up to 9 feet at the other side of the bot so I was able to gain enough by dropping the end.

[dewey_dog]

Gary, Can you be more specific about the wire guide ie. part # in McMaster Carr. I am getting a new alpha and really like the looks of what you have done, or possibly speak w/ you also about vac table? Thanks

[Gary Campbell]

Timothy,
The McMaster parts I used were:
4409T593 (6') Open Style Side-Hinge Cable And Hose Carrier, (2) 4556T582 Mounting Bracket.
The chain comes in different sizes, styles and bend radii, but this one seemed best to me to keep the spindle wiring separate from the LV wiring as per the manual. The chart on the catalog page shows that you only really need 55" to do the job, but I reordered 2 more feet to complete the run all the way to the other (+Y) side of the X car.
520
You will need a bracket to mount the movable end to, I made mine from PVC sheet cuz I had cutoffs from the table. Heres a pic of the back side.

521
I didnt want the dust hose next to the LV wires so I hung it off a pocket door track from the ceiling. The spring support (car antenna) was "post engineered" to stop the hose from closing off under suction at the support.

522
By the way... SB has T-Nuts that will slip into the extrusion channels for hold down. Pricey, but work great. Good luck,
Gary

[harryball]

As viewed from the side lines...

If the new PRS doesn't fit into an 8' ceiling footprint it might seem Shopbot is shifting more focus away from the small/home/hobby shop. Not throwing stones, just bringing to light a possible perception.

Maybe Shopbot could offer the cable track as an option $$ and those with ceiling space that are content to save cash can opt for the standard configuration. I have to admit, I like the way the cable track looks. Maybe it could be molded in blue plastic.

So far as the DC hose goes, I have mine on an arm over the table so securing it to the hoop is not a big deal. I can see where bringing it up from underneath without a hoop would be a problem.

Robert

[Gary Campbell]

Robert..
My room for the Bot was an old office left over from a prior tennant and was actually less than 8'. The delay waiting for the chain was my price for not doing my homework!
Gary

[harryball]

I missed that. I also meant to say...

Your DC solution pictured above is ingenious, I'd have never thought of using a sliding door track. I purchased my DC hose in 10' lengths from Rockler and it holds up pretty well, it looks thicker than the hose you have pictured and doesn't have a crush problem like my previous hoses.


Robert

[Gary Campbell]

Robert..
You are right about the hose, I have some of the heavier gauge clear hose, but found a lot less binding as the Bot moves around the table with the lighter stuff. This hose didnt crush but sort of did the "slinky slide" when the Y car was right under the support. Works great now.
Gary

[3imoh]

Howdy all-

I have 8ft ceilings as well and I ended up doing something similar with my PRS with the e-chain. I wanted to run a 6" DC hose to the bot since I am going to be running 2 heads, so I bent/welded up a mount that holds a 6x4x4 wye and the chain.

Gary, I like the sliding track idea...will have to think about that next time. I ended up making up an arm that follows the bot. One unintended feature came from having to egg out the holes where the arm plate mounts to that concrete wall (the hammer drill walked a little). This allowed me to mount the plate a little skewed, which makes the arm naturally want to rotate to the far corner of the wall. It always insures that the hose will be leading (or following) the bot properly.



523
524
525
526
527
528

[dewey_dog]

Gary, First Thanks. I like the johnson door track idea. My old prt is leaving today and I am not due to recieve the new one till the last of July. I run the lighter gauge 4" hose and have never had it colapse, it is attached to a 2hp Oneida.

[paco]

Nice work you both guys! Thanks for post the details and pictures.

Bot on!

[Gary Campbell]

Howie..
I started with the swing arm idea and ran out of room with lights and wallspace to mount it. I like your setup tho... especially the "auto return". Good Job!
Paco... Yer Welcome!
Gary

[bahed]

How about cutting a section off of each of the legs and then re-welding ? Once again however, I am probably missing something !!

[bill_lumley]

Gary , Howie

I have a PRS on order and need to put a cable carrier on it also . I have a few quick questions :

1) Gary- Did you need a SET of the mounting brackets ? You indicate 2 but I was wondering if the set containted both ends ? (2) 4556T582 Mounting Bracket.

2) Gary/Howie - does the bracket attach easily to the point where it begins on the Y Carriage or is some drilling required ? It appears you both made some attachment yourselves at the point where it connects to the Z carriage . Is that the case ?

Thanks Bill

[dubliner]

Bill - I added chain too with much help from Gary & Howie ( thanks lads!) You will have to order two "ends" to finish the last link on bothe ends so it can be attached to a bracket that you will have to fashion yourself. There are plenty of spare holes if you wont use the boom so just make it sturdy, operational & as neat as you can.I'd be glad to take some more pics if you need some ideas.


529

[bill_lumley]

Thanks Neville , I wouldn't mind a few pics of each end where you identify the part(s) that you made so I can be working on mine before the machine comes . BTW - Shopbot now offers this as an option on new machines for $250 but they only do a portion of the Y axis and wires are left on top of the gantry for the remainder ...

Bill

[Gary Campbell]

Bill..
I used 2 end brackets but you could get by with one, or even none. The flat section of E-chain laying on my gantry from the center to the left end (in my 1st post, 2nd pic) is redundant and the SB kit most likely includes the amount needed. Most of the sites that sell the stuff have an application chart. I ordered a 6' length, which was more than needed, but after I mounted it, I decided for looks I wanted to continue it across the gantry.

As far as the mounting goes, my July 7th post shows the movable end, fairly well as it attaches to the bracket I made. I attached the E-chain to the gantry with 2 rectangular 1/8" aluminum plates that fit inside the chain and were drilled to allow short bolts to thread into drop in T nuts in the gantry extrusion.
Gary

[wberminio]

Bill

I did a setup very similar to Gary's and it turned out working out very well.
I also followed his example with the sliding door track for the dust hose.It turned out to be an effective setup.

Erminio