Cabinetmakers with Shopbots

[jpillow60]

My two man shop builds commercial frameless cabinetry in veneer, melamine, and plastic laminate. My average daily material usage is 10 sheets 3/4" x 4' x 8' and 4 sheets 1/2" x 4' x8'. I want the cnc to size the parts, bore for 5mm shelf pins, and predrill for assembly. Cutting 35mm hinge holes would be a bonus. I'd like to use larger sheet sizes for economy. I'm interested in the PRSalpha 144-60-8 with the 5 hp Columbo spindle, 15 hp vacuum, and air drill head(s). This prices out between $31,000.00 and $35,000.00. With your experience, are you happy with the Shopbot? Are there any particular limitations I need to consider with my intended use? Speed? Accuracy? Ease of programing? I've been bombarded with sales pitches for $80,000.00 plus machines. I'm happy with our present sales volume and only intend to increase efficiency, so I can't justify that much money unless necessary. Thanks.

[hines]

Jim, You may want to speak with Ryan Patterson, creator of Cabinet Parts Pro. He cuts up to 300 sheets per week of plywood and melamine cabinet parts on his bot. Here's a link to a video of him cutting with his bot. http://cabinetpartspro.com/downloads.htm

[jhicks]

WOW!! I'm Impressed. 300 sheets per week? Thats 60 per day or one sheet every 8 minutes. Now thats moving some sheet stock. I'm envious but excited to hear someone is running that successfully. Keep it up and I'll have to revisit that video.

[stockbub]

I was were you are 3 months ago. I bought a prsstandard with 5x8 table so I could cut baltic birch. I have a 40x80 shop and was looking at my storage and only wanted to store 4 x 8 sheets. Right now I am considereing learning ecabinets (free, and sending them to either boxcutter or cabinetparts pro. You can get direct point to point systme, but it is 6,000+ dollars. I opted to not go with the vacuum table because 1 money and 2 other feed backs. From my understanding, their is not a vacuum table under 30hp that can keep up with cutting through plywood like we cabinet makers do.There is a local shop I went and saw there cnc machine $120,000 and they tried a 15hp vacuum, but was not enough for single pass, it does not produce enough cfm one holes start in cabinet. Another botter sorry I forgot his name has one and he said that he loses vacuum occasionally with his. I have decided that I will make 2 cuts at different speeds and depths to make my cabinets. The key is the rest of the assembly line and shop management. All our cabinets use face frame so your setup is going to be a little different then mine Vacuum on a 12' table needs to be a lot and how you set up your zones.

Hope this helps
Bubba

[gene]

Jim.
I have a prt alpha with a 7.5 hp single ph AND A SPINDLE and well over another 275,000.00 in equipment. I will sell you the hole shop contents for 225,000.00 FIRM All the equipment is in very good shape Everything you need and i guarentee EVERYTHING YOU NEED. If you would be intrested in the whole shop e mail me at generhodes@comcast.net (mailto:generhodes@comcast.net) I AN NOT INTERSTED IN SELLING PART ITS ALL OR NOTHING !!

[jpillow60]

Hello Gene,

I guess I should have put more background in my post. I've had a 4000 square foot shop in Northern Virginia since 1987. My father and I used to make residential face frame cabinetry. Now my brother and I concentrate on commercial projects. I presently have a vertical panel saw, edge bander, boring machine, wide belt sander, planer, jointer, table saw, and four shapers. I'm looking at the cnc router to reduce labor and give me more flexibility.

I've been solicited by most of the big (expensive) names. I can't see spending huge amounts of money for way more capacity than I'll ever need. I really like the new Shopbot machine and think it compares favorably with like priced machines. I have seen local shops overspend and loose their business during the occasional slow period. I am watching different cnc forums and trying to learn as much as possible before making a purchase decision. I also like the support I see from Shopbot and fellow Shopbot owners

Sorry but I'm not looking to remachine my shop. This forum is read by many and may lead you to a buyer.

Good luck.

[gene]

Jim.
Honestly the shopbot as far as drilling shelf holes it is not the way to go . it is done faster on a line borer. if you build cabinet boxes seperate from the toe kick the bot is not the way to go. I cut faster and more cleaner with a slide table saw. with that being said if you are looking at versality in doing fluted collums matching arches and cutting alot of the same pieces or alot of curved pieces with extreme accuracy then the bot IS the way to go.
My shop sounds alot like yours , right now its 3000 going to 4200 in the very near future (barring any other deals) The shopbot will give you another level in which you can step up to . It has definately been a good investment for my shop and has helped in many ways . it is limited only to your immagination, and when that happens read the forum, we groove alot of mdf doors for reface jobs and it as you know is very profitable. I cut 22 mdf doors for a job ,no paint or install or nothing 550.00 in less than 2 hrs. if you have not been to a camp or jamboree you definately need to attend one .
I was in atlanta and saw pnotos of entertainment centers a guy from fla did @ aprox 10.000.00 I know 8 was profit . Its all in the details. In my opinion 80,grand is crazy 30 is tollerable
If you have 3 ph go for the 15 hp roots blower and spindle and i think you will be happy.
If i can help with anything or if you will be in augusta Ga anytime let me know and you are welcome to come by and check it out for yourself.
Also check out ryan Patterson Cabinetpartspro.com
And vectric.com Two that are worth every dime.
Gene

[stockbub]

Hey Gene, what program and bits are you using to cut cabinet doors? what bits are you using?

Bubba

[gene]

I us free doors and if they are plain with no arches i do them in pw . Just type in the size ,offset inward the stile width and you are ready fot toolpathing . go to ryans website , i think he has bits there