Where to Put the shopbot

[gerard]

so as I look around a very full 30x40 garage, the thought comes to mind, hmmmm, where do I put the shopbot, and what is the benefit to putting it there, so here is my question, where would you put your machine if there were no other contraints to its placement, against the wall? in a corner? in the middle of the room?

[bill.young]

Hey Gerald,

There's a start at some information on placing a ShopBot in your shop in the ShopBot wiki...

http://shopbotwiki.com/index.php?title=SBLocation

And if you use Sketchup you can create a model of your shop and then download models of most of the ShopBots models and accessories from the Sketchup 3dWarehouse and move them around to try different layouts.

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?q=ShopBot&btnG=Search&styp=m

Bill

[jamesgilliam]

Gerard, I moved mine from half a small two car garage and into a 40 X 60 building and I think I needed to build bigger. Best advise I can give you is leave plenty of room at one end so you can use a cart to transfer material. Some of this stuff gets heavy after a while. James

[chiloquinruss]

With all of the things that get hooked up to the ShopBot, cables, vacuum, etc, is there a MAXIMUM distance from a wall that should be considered? I think based on the machines / shops I've seen it looks to be about 4 to 6 feet on one side or the other. Your thoughts? Also the Wiki references some roll around carts. I've seen the designs for material handleing / storage, what about trash parts, scrap, hand tools, etc, what do you use / recommend. Thanks, Russ

[jamesgilliam]

Russ, On one side of mine I have the control box and computer set up on a computer desk about 2 1/2 feet from the machine. Next to it I have a small rolling tool box with everything else, bits, tools,... The other side is open to the shop. Sheet storage is about 10 feet from the open end of the machine, and I have built four rolling carts/easels for tranfering material/painting signs. If I get a chance I will take a couple of pictures and post them.

[chiloquinruss]

I look forward to the pix, thanks. Russ

[jamesgilliam]

Russ, As promised here are the pics. Excuse the mess, when I get on a project things are usually messy in the shop. Plus we are using alot of the rack and other cabinets and tables as storage for household items.

View showing open side

6408

Between the Bot and the computer station, about 3 feet

6409

View from 0,0 toward material rack

6410

Between machine and rack

6411

As you can see my shop is very crowded at this time. I am hoping for that to change when we get moved into the house, and Jo-Anne's pottery shop is finished. The shed that will be off to the side of the shop, if we ever dry out enough to get a couple of slabs in will catch the mowers and all the flamable materials, plus the other stuff I don't want in the shop.

James

[chiloquinruss]

James - Thanks for the pix. I notice that you currently don't have an overhead vacuum system for dust collection. With the material you are cutting is this not a requirement or do you have another method for dust collection?

Great looking shop and I've certainly seen messier!


I know exactly what you are saying about drying out. The contractor is waiting for the last of the snow to go so we can get the pad set for my shop. Then I'll really be bugging the folks on the forum for information.


Thanks again.

BTW Gerald I didn't mean to hijack your thread, sorry.

Russ

[gerard]

Russ, not to worry, I make no claim on any thread that I may have started, by keeping a thread active, it stays in the for front, and others with similar questions can see.

James, thanks for the pictures, it helps in understanding the orientation of the machine within a shop.

[jamesgilliam]

Russ, About the only time I run dust collection is surfacing the table. For the most part the material I cut is not that messy, and a quick blast of air and a broom make a quick clean up.

Glad the pictures are a help.

I had checked the location where the house is going yesterday, dug down 30", came back an hour later and only 1/8" of water in the bottom of the hole. Last night we got rain again. The wait continues. James