ShopBot Build Day 1, 2, 3

[Keith Outten]

My first day of assembling my ShopBot CNC router has ended with the table assembly being completed except for the plywood/MDF installation and I'm ready to start mounting the carriage assembly tomorrow. The ten foot long X-axis rails were a real challenge to align and level today, it is important at this stage to make sure that the rails are perfectly perpendicular and level.

Tomorrow morning I will mount the carriage rails and gear racks, then the carriage and servo motors. If time allows the electrical work is next then the dust collection and the computer software installation.

At this rate it may be sometime this week before I get to the trial run :o

[Gary Max]

Keith --- didn't you ordered the model that they came down and set up???
Like the color.
Spending days with ---nut A going into part B while making sure C is square.
To much fun

[Michael Stafford]

Are we having fun yet??? The grin on your avatar should grow proportionately to the fun we are having with our new tools. Enjoy!!!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

You're doing it right Keith.....taking your time.....getting it right the first time is the important thing! Enjoy...and keep us posted!

[Ted Shrader]

At this rate it may be sometime this week before I get to the trial run :oKeith -

It is not like you have anything else to do. It will go together.

Did you get rid of the other tools that were in the way?

Regards,
Ted

[Jim Becker]

That's a very "stout" looking machine, Keith. I'm really looking forward to your continued details on both the setup and the use of the machine. I hope you'll have time to go beyond your sign making and try it out for some cabinetry-oriented things...just for grins, at least...since some of the folks who partcipate at SMC who have pro operations might find that useful.

[Dennis Peacock]

Very cool Keith. I can't wait to see it all complete. I know you are excited too...just keep taking your time and it will be perfect. :D

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Very cool Keith. I can't wait to see the progress and the first thing you make from it. Will you include where you got it and how much everything costs?

[Tom LaRussa]

My first day of assembling my ShopBot CNC router has ended
That's a cool looking thingie you got there, Keith.

Only thing I can't figure out is where the chip breaker goes? :rolleyes:

[Jason Roehl]

Uhhhh....adopt me? So what software did you get? Did you get the 3-D stuff that costs almost as much as the machine?

[Keith Outten]

Gary,

I didn't pay the premium price to have a tech rep setup my new machine as I really wanted the experience. It also helps down the road when problems arise if you have the experience of assembling the machine.

Ted,

I still have the drum sander, if you are still interested let me know before I shuffle it to my storage building as I need the shop space.

Jim,

I hope to be able to try to use the new router on as many types of projects as I can and put it though it's paces if for no other reason than to see what she will do :) Anything I learn I will certainly share.

Kelly,

I will include all the details on the new router when I get the trial run behind me. After a few months of working with the machine I will write an article to document my personal opinions from a new operator point of view.

Tom,

Chip Breaker! Did I miss it or forget to install it :) There are so many bags of parts I expect that the machine will be finished when the bags are all empty :)

Jason,

I had to leave the ArtCam Pro software at the dealer for now, at $7,500.00 it is a bit pricey at this point. Maybe Later :) :)

To All,

I will try to post another message here in this thread later tonight or tomorrow morning with an update on todays progress. Unfortunately I have come down with a cold and I'm fading fast, it was a very long day. Thanks for all the interest, this is a very cool machine and should be as much fun to play with as to work with and I am looking forward to the learning phase as well as the advanced stages of CNC routing.

[Linda Tetreault]

Keith, congrats on the new equipment, check out
http://www.scrollsaws.com/
Rick has been experimenting with a small router, & has made lots of cdr files for it. FYI Linda

[Jason Roehl]

To All,

I will try to post another message here in this thread later tonight or tomorrow morning with an update on todays progress. Unfortunately I have come down with a cold and I'm fading fast, it was a very long day. Thanks for all the interest, this is a very cool machine and should be as much fun to play with as to work with and I am looking forward to the learning phase as well as the advanced stages of CNC routing.

Well, you better box it up and ship it to me, then. You don't want that thing to catch a virus! :D

Too bad on the 3-D software--I saw something made with it at a WW show earlier this year--very cool.

[Chris Padilla]

Lookin' good, Keith! It always pays to get the bones correct!!

[Keith Outten]

Sunday I finished mounting the plywood/MDF table, mounted the Y-axis carriage and the Porter Cable router motor. All of the servo motors are now installed, two for the X-axis and one for the Y-axis and the Z-axis came mounted in the carriage assembly.

I'm happy to report that everything seems to be working out well, the extra time I spent leveling and shimming the rails made for a very smooth running carriage, you can push it with one finger and it requires very little force. I have to admit that I am impressed with the quality of the parts and the fit. I haven't had to ream any holes or force an alignment. The quality of the machined surfaces and the parts as they were manufactured has been top notch.

My next task is to mount the control box and run the wires from the servos to the control box. It looks like I will have to run another power line back to my electrical panel as the ShopBot requires a 230 volt four wire power lead. This will add probably two days to the trial run as I will have to pull the new wire across the width and down the length of my workshop.

[Chris Padilla]

Is that 240 V 20 or 30 A, Keith? You running #10?

[Gary Max]

Keith when I went to thier website ---the price of software is the first thing I saw.
Ouch

[Gary Sutherland]

Keith...

What type of hold down methods are you planning to use for your projects? Are you doing some sort of vacuum?

Looks great! And fun too!!

Gary

[JayStPeter]

Looks cool Keith.

Is there a provision for dust collection?

A friend has another brand. He built a big plastic "room" around the whole thing for dust containment.

Jay

[Keith Outten]

Chris,
The ShopBot requires a four wire 230 volts/ 30 amp service so I will be running #10-3 wire.

Gary M,
I didn't purchase any software with my ShopBot. The ArtCam Pro is very pricey but there are a few other programs in the $250.00 range that will allow you to do 3D routing. There are two programs that come with the router, one is a lightweight CAD/CAM program and the other a utility to convert files and send them to the router.

Gary S,
There are lots of methods to hold down material while routing. The top layer of the table is MDF and is sacrificial so you can use screws and there are also clamps and fixtures. Last but not least is a vacuum table which I will probably build in time.

Jay,
The ShopBot has a clear acrylic dust hood or boot that surrounds the bottom of the spindle and the bit. During the demonstration I witnesed in Duram North Carolina the dust boot worked well and there were very few chips that got past the collection system.

[Alan Turner]

Keith,
THis guy is not in my plans, but I am enjoying your postings and learing of a new type (to me) of tool. The one thing I didn't notice was the mobility kit, but I guess you are adding that later. (:
I really agree with your strategy of building it yourself in order to learn it from the ground up. When you are done you will really own it.
Alan

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Absolutely beautiful machine. Can't wait to see the first creation!!

[Chris Padilla]

Keith,

What picture will be the guinea pig? Would you like the big, up-close shot of me in my Razorback snout taken by Waymon?? :D hehehe

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Mercy Kieth-------------------------That thing is BIGGER than my WHOLE SHOP!!!!!!!

Looks great, though.

Bruce

[John Miliunas]

Dang...Only in my dreams! :( Looks like it's coming along nicely. Be sure to post MANY pics of your first project off of it! :cool:

[Keith Outten]

Well it isn't exactly Day3 it is more like a few days work condensed to bring you all up to spped as to the current status of my ShopBot CNC router installation.

I have completed pulling 60 feet of wire and installed the new circuit breaker for the router which turned out to be a days work. I have mounted the control box and router and run all the control wires to the control box. The only remaining item left to complete the installation is to mount the small limit switches, hook up the dust collection and install the software on my laptop computer.

Tomorrow should be the big day, I hope to have all remaining work done and be able to perform the trial run before lunch. I don't have pictures this time as there isn't anything to see however I will post plenty of pics tomorrow when I get the router up and running.

[Mike Kelly]

I can't stand any more suspense! Where are all of the neat projects you have turned out this week on the ShopBot?????

[Chris DeHut]

Hi Kieth and everyone.

During the last couple of years we have been building and refinning our shop made CNC router. Recently it made it's debut in issue #11 of the magazine. It was used to rough in the background for the relief carved panels on this cabinet.

http://www.woodworkingathome.com/Mag/0011-WaHM.htm

While the roughing operation only saved me the time of roughing in the background, the rest of the operation was all hand tooled - about 60 hours of hand carving. When I finished the carvings, I swore I would never carve again. After about 2 weeks of looking at the project, I can't wait to carve the next project!

The CNC router is a lot of fun and I believe the woodworking industry as a whole is just starting to realize it's potential. We are hoping to bring CNC routers into use within home shops. In future issues of the magazine we will be covering some various aspects of the machine and what it can do.

Just thought I would share this information here as it seems applicable.

Chris DeHut

[Keith Outten]

Mike,

ARRG!!! The learning curve is very steep these first few days. I have been slaving over the manual each night this week doing one hour training sessions trying to learn to use the software. I have accomplished most of the basic moves including setting the origin for all three axis, I hope to be able to master a couple more skills this evening. My shop schedule has me working on five of Jet Mini tailstock blocks that I have promised and I am running late delivering (this is the last batch). Also I have sign work that is getting near the delivery date so one hour per night is all I can spare right now.

If I was up to speed and could get the ShopBot in a productive mode I could cut my sign workload be a factor of ten but it just isn't going to happen that quick. It looks like a few more days or at least this coming weekend before I will be able to make the chips fly :(

I am trying to keep good notes on my experience with the router. I hope to be able to publish an article documenting every step of the way in hopes that it will help others who decide to take the plunge in the future.