I need help again

[diapowder2000]

I thought I have PRT96 but they said what I have is PR96, PW1 with ShopBot v2.28 DOS OS loaded in
WindowME. I bought PW2 and a new computer(WindowXP) to improve quality of cut lines of circle & arcs and found out it's not compatible with
PR control box with black power supply outside.
Is there any way that I can improve line quality of circle,characters such as O,S & C with the router I have ?
They are not true circle and/or arcs. It's rather
continuation of line segments.

[zeykr]

You might be able to purchase a used prt control box. I have an old pr machine with a prt Z and prt control box. So it looks like a pr but behaves more like a prt.

[diapowder2000]

Hi, Ken
Thank you for info. Do you use PartWizard2 now
with PRT contol box?
When you have PR control box, PW1, DOS OS, did you have this type of problem? I attached two
photos so you can see What I'm talking about.
7817
7818

[tony_mac]

What Tolerance are you using when calculating the toolpaths?

Tony

[zeykr]

Chris,
I never had a pr control box, mine was already updated when I bought it used. Have never used the DOS software either.

[zeykr]

Did you create the c & o in partwizard or in turbocad and import into part wizard? I saw where someone in previous theread asked to see your sbp file - did they get a chance to look at it? You might want to post the sbp file here, and if you created it in turbocad, post the file you exported to pw. Someone here can then look at it to see if line segments are in the file (software problem) or not (hardware problem). Once determined if it's hardware or software it can be narrowed down as to where to look for the problem.

[scott_smith]

Chris,
You should not need to upgrade anything. The attached picture was done on the same setup you have. PR96, PW1, DOS.


7819

You need to look at the steps between the drawing program and the .SBP file to find what is squaring off your arcs. I don't think it's your machine.

[Brady Watson]

This seems to me like it may be a hardware problem. Have you checked the machine for 'slop'??? Shake the router mount, carriage etc to see if there is any play in it. PRs are a bit fussy if the rollers on the carriage are not sitting right. Run the tool and keep your eye on the router...look and listen for anything rattling or loose.

-Brady

[diapowder2000]

Scott,
I bought it from a company near Durham and moved them to LA partially disassembled by trucking company and reassembled on Feb. 18.
Obviously, it is not my machine yet. It'll take
sometime to get to know each other. How I wish I can make sign like that.

Brady,
Nothing's rattling or loose yet but it makes
a little bit of grinding noise from R & P area of
X/Y axes when it moves and a kind of squeeky
sound when it stops or comes home position.
Could it be a problem?

Thank you much, gentlemen.

[paco]

I second Tony, check the tolerance of the toolpath in PW. Check the vector node points (shortkey is 'N' after selecting only one vector); are they bezier (smooth? blue nodes not black), arcs (clear node in between each vector nodes), or numerous straight lines (only black nodes... and straight lines). Review your settings in SB software controller. Do you use the 'arc' post in PW?

[bill.young]

Hey Chris,

My vote is that it's a file problem. Did you create the original text in a CAD program that explodes text before it saves it as a dxf file..that can cause a problem like that.

Ken's got the right idea. Either post your file here or get someone to look at it and that will tell pretty quickly if it's a file or hardware problem.

Bill

[superior]

Chris: I remember there was an upgrade on the old PR's like yours and mine regarding smoothing the arcs. I think it was in the last upgrade to 2.8 or such. I just remember it really helped my machine. Check with Bill or Bill or Gordon, I'll bet one of them remembers it.
Doug

[diapowder2000]

Tony/Paco

Since I have PW1, there is no way I can adjust
'tolerance' of toolpath.(If there is, I do not about it)Start Depth & Finish Depth. That's it.
Not like PW2.

Ken/Bill

Yes, I exploded text and saved dxf file while I
use TurboCad but same thing happens with PW1.
I've followed PW2 Quick Start Tutorial with my PW1
and was able to cut circle and profile square
but circle(12"dia) is continuation of line segments(about 1 1/8").

Now I have to figure out how to post file. I'm a real novice.

Thank you ve------ry much, gentlemen.

[paco]

If there is a tolerance setting, it's there...


7820

... but I can't confirm since I don't have PW installed right now.

Have you checked your vector(s) node points?

To upload a file, use upload attachment right under the message entry box beside 'Preview/Post Message' button... but I believe you'll be limit in size...?

[mikejohn]

why not cut a circle with a CP or CG command?
If you get smooth arcs it then points towards drawing problems.
If you get a number of straight lines it eliminates your original cutting file as being the problem, suggesting a hardware problem.
..........Mike

[beacon14]

with segments that big you should be able to see them in preview mode if you zoom in - that'll tell you for sure if it's in the file

[john_david]

I am pretty sure the problem is in the Turbo cad conversion I had a similar problem before.
try re doing the drawing in turbo cad or maybe a different software. I cannot remember what I did to fix this but I did and It had something do do with the way Turbocad did the arcs.
Keep looking you will find it in Turbocad

Hope this helps

JD

[john_david]

Chris,
I think you have to explode the arc in turbo cad to fix this problem
Slowly but surley it's coming to me

[diapowder2000]

One botter in Atlanta sent me a file for test
C,O & S by e-mail and I run "FP" command and
the router cut perfect C,O & S. So I think it's not a hardware problem. I was worried that I made a big mistake while I'm assembling or something happened during shipping from Durham
to LA.
Now I have to find out what's wrong with my PW1.
Right after I cut COS, I tried to cut "COSTA" with PW1, and had same problem of line segments(actually profiling with 90d v-bit).
7821

[scott_s_logan@nps.gov]

The problem is the tolerance. Hard to change unless you know the trick.It can only be changed if you select a V-cut bit, and it will show up in a window. Change it to .001. My machine had your problem and that cured it for good.

[diapowder2000]

Scott,

Thanks million!!! It really works that way. It was hiding behind V-Cut bit.
I'm cutting now. I'll post photo later.

[Brady Watson]

Hey Chris,
I would be worth your while to upgrade to PW v2 for only $100. Call ShopBot for details. There is also a training video available on PW2 as well.

-Brady

[diapowder2000]

Dear fellow Botters
Thank you so very much for your pieces of supports and advices. You're great!!!

Brady, Thank you. I've got PWv2 but problem is that it's not compatible with my PR DOS contol box.

Another problem: I made a file for 6inch font,
the router cut was only 3 5/8inch. What did I do wrong?

[diapowder2000]

The cuts came out like these.
7822

[Brady Watson]

Chris,
Why do you say that it is not compatible with your PR DOS control box? Your PR will run ANY SBP created by PW1, 2, Insignia, Pro, Vector etc.

The reason that your 6-inch parts came out to be 3.625" is because fonts are sized in relation to the capitol letter 'E'. This means that the E will be 6" and other letters may be smaller. Check it out in PW by ungrouping all of the letters and using the Transform tool to measure what you have.

-Brady

[diapowder2000]

Brady, Thank you.
What I mean to say was that my computer with PR DOS & PW1 has Window ME and PW2 I've got from
SB is operating with Window XP/2000. So I have to
use two computers to make files and to cut.

I'll check font size later. Thank you.

[mr_logan]

Chris,
Glad to pass on that tolerance information. I got a ton of help from Shopbot factory (in that case) but I will have to say that this forum is an incredible site and more information than I have time to read.
Mr. Logan

[mikejohn]

Chris
Many of us have a separate computer which only operates the ShopBot, using a second computer to draw and create cutting files.
Keeping the ShopBot 'clean' of a lot of clutter is probably the best way to go.
..........Mike

[diapowder2000]

Thank you Scott & Mike.
I'm out of town now.