ShopBot Link manual not making sense

[dlcw]

I am just getting started trying to use the ShopBot Link and have run into a little snag. I'm trying to get cutting tools set up in the Link. On page 23 it states "Each tool will need to be set up in Tool Management on the Thermwood Control Prior to setting up the Operations here". On page 24 of the manual it states :ShopBot Link only allows tools that are correctly set up in the 91000 Super Control's Tool Table. The tool table can be accessed by exiting ShopBot Link and pressing F9 (Tool Management), then F2 (Tool Table) keys on the keyboard".

????????????

What is the manual talking about? When you exit ShopBot Link you are at the Windows Desktop. F9 and F2 don't do anything. Is there a whole piece of software that is needed that I have not been made aware of when I purchased ShopBot Link?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Don Thomson
Diamond Lake Custom Woodworks, LLC
www.diamondlakewoodworks.com (http://www.diamondlakewoodworks.com)

[thewoodcrafter]

That is pretty odd.

My manual is different.
Did you get that manual when you bought the Link?
If you have a 91000 controller you have a Thermwood CNC machine and don't need the Link.

Skip all that and just set up your tools in the Link.

[dlcw]

Roger,

Thank you for the reply. I got the manual with the software (June 12). It says

Last Updated: L.E. 5-13-2009 Version 1.x.

I don't have a Thermwood CNC machine, I have a ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x60 I purchased in May of this year. It's interesting because the online manual on Thermwoods website is the same one I have with all the references to 91000 machines, etc. I wonder what is going with Thermwood's documentation?

I will attempt to set up tools without any instructions because my manual doesn't show how to set tools up. A lot of guessing is in order with a a touch of trial and terror... :-(

Thank you,

Don

[Gary Campbell]

Don...
I think that the SB Link is a subset of the Thermwood Controller of some number(91000**?). It appears that the references to that version have not yet been removed from the Link manual. I have heard some talk about a manual update, but I think before that is done, they are waiting for all the features, fixes and updates to be complete so that they can be a part of the manual.

If you have a specific question, post it here. I am sure that you will get the help that you need. Many of us have set up the tooling and are cutting successfuly.
Gary

[dlcw]

Gary,

Thank you for the clarification on the manual. I had no idea of the background of the ShopBot Link program, and your explanation helped a lot.

A specific question would be - does anyone have procedures (instructions), they can send to me, for setting up tooling in ShopBot Link as these instructions aren't in my version of the manual?

I am very excited about getting my system up and operational to start making chips fly, making some money and exploring the features and capabilities of this software (eCabinets & ShopBot Link).

Thank you,

Don

[thewoodcrafter]

Don,
I looked for the first on-line manual that I downloaded in April. Could not find it.

How many heads does your machine have?
Spindles, drills, etc.

You only need to make 1 tool for each head.
It is pretty straight forward.
Click on the Tooling tab.
Make an outline tool. Fill in the blanks. I am using 1/4" bit
The lower half of this screen is for the list of tools with tool number.
Again, if you have 1 head you will only have 1 tool.
Do not make more tools than cutting heads.
I made Operation and Tool Number the same.
Your Outline tool number need to match an Operation Tool.
Really not a lot to it.

I completely skipped the Group Settings at the top of the page.
I only have 2 tools so I didn't see a need for groups of tools.

[dlcw]

Roger,

That helped a lot. My machine has 1 spindle and 1 air drill.

You mention the outline tool. I am using a 3/8" compression bit. Can this same tool number/Operation Tool be specified to cut the mortises and tenon joinery that will be cut into panels or does a different tool number/Operation Tool need to be specified for that purpose? In eCabinets I've set things up so that a 3/8" bit can be used for mortise and tenon joints.

I assume I can somehow specify a drill bit (in my case 1/4") for the Air Drill to drill shelf pin holes? Is this done the same way as setting up the spindle bit? How does one indicate that this bit is in the Air Drill and not the spindle? Is the software smart enough to figure this out and apply the spindle to air drill offsets in "my_variables.sbc" when drilling the shelf pin holes?

Thanks again so much!

Don

[Gary Campbell]

Don...
In order to use 2 heads ( drill & spindle) you will have to set up your tool numbers in the link as required by your toolchanger files. I have some information to get you started in my last 2 columns: http://www.shopbottools.com/garysmusings.htm#Link1

Most of we Link users are doing this successfully. Here is a video showing this in a test file: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmYlwc4Cmlw&feature=channel
Gary

[Gary Campbell]

Live link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmYlwc4Cmlw&feature=channel

[dlcw]

Gary,

Thanks a million!!

This got me functioning with the drill after some modifications to the MTC file. It seems that no matter what ShopBot Link set the tool number to (i.e. 31 for the drill) the MTC file was hard coding it back to a value of 13. So I set variable &tool (in the MTC file) = &Tool (the variable set in SB Link).

I am also trying to get the air drill to cycle on and off using the VC command you outlined in your article. It seems that the variables &On_Threshold is being set to %(141) and the &Off_Threshold is being set to %(142). I tried hard coding the values and the drill still does not cycle on and off. I have the values at .75" and my safe Z is set to 1". So I think I'm getting the idea from your article - It just doesn't seem to want to work..... My ShopBot manual doesn't list any system variables beyond %109. How do I find out what system variable values are beyond whats listed in my manual? I searched the forum with no luck.

One last question involves SHOPBOT.INI. This file doesn't exists anywhere on the harddrive in the computer where I'm running the ShopBot control software. Has this file been done away with and a new way devised to hold the information, once in this file?

Thanks again Gary!

Don

[Gary Campbell]

Don...
I have a couple versions of the C6,C7 & C9 files that have been tested and are working on other machines. I have not tried, as of yet, the SB MTC file due to our schedule. If you email me your machine model and a copy of your my_variables file, I can get you working. I will have a few more questions for you, but need to look over your stuff first.

SB seems to have better luck with using the system variables as parameters than I have. I also wasnt able to make it work that way, but did with hard coded numbers. One of these days I may get the guys at Durham to enlighten me.

Due to Vista compliance, the shopbot.ini file is now buried way down deep in a hidden user file. You can access them by going to [H]elp User [D]ata Files (view) and then copying them to your preferred location or a memory stick. (Thanks Ted)
Gary