To Bot or not to Bot

[johncbrownmd]

I am a hobbyist and I am considering getting into CNC. I have looked at the Legacy series but have heard bad things about customer service and good things about Shop Bot service and availability. Should I get the small unit and will it open my horizons - it's a big investment once you get all the things to get started. Are there projects available ie program templates?
I saw that this segment of the forum gets a lot of views so if someone could give me some direction I would really appreciate it.

[harryball]

If you can, attend the Jamboree and/or a local camp if you can find one. Talk to other owners, get a demo.

As for the small unit, if that's what you are looking for, ShopBot is suppose to be introducing a new smaller machine at the Jamboree.

I agree with the support, friendly owners and great forum, it was a large part of our decision to purchase a ShopBot rather than another brand.

/RB

[kubotaman]

I have both machines, a ShopBot 5X10 Alpha and a Legacy 1800 CNC. I will tell you without a doubt that ShopBot is much easier to use and is heads above Legacy in support. If you have a choice you can't go wrong with ShopBot! They are also way above in quality!!:eek:

[myxpykalix]

John,
You probably read MY rant over in the legacy forum. I bought a 900 with ALL the bells and whistles, motor drives, accessories, ect and when i couldn't get ANY help from them Art Ransom and I and others started the legacy forum many years ago to help each other.

I have not forgotten the lousey treatment I recieved and it was like night and day in terms of customer support here. The problem with tech support at Shopbot is that it will spoil you in comparison to other companies. Your biggest source of support and help will be this forum.

Ask shopbot to give you the name of a botter close to you that can go get a demo.

Regarding templates, unlike with the legacy, it isn't a physical template but a digital template. With different programs you can make 2D or 3D designs.
Check out www.vectric.com (http://www.vectric.com) and download some of their demo programs and watch some of their tutorials. You will find that cnc is not as hard as you think.

The size table you wind up will be more a decision based on budget then anything else. I have the biggest table they made with an indexer so i could do anything that would come my way but probably 75% of my jobs could be done on a 4x4 table.

You will not regret your decision if you buy a shopbot, you will regret a legacy. They don't have their "conversational cam" fixed or done and the support is nonexistent. And NO...i'm not bitter......lol

[michael_schwartz]

I am a hobbyist and I am considering getting into CNC. I have looked at the Legacy series but have heard bad things about customer service and good things about Shop Bot service and availability. Should I get the small unit and will it open my horizons - it's a big investment once you get all the things to get started. Are there projects available ie program templates?
I saw that this segment of the forum gets a lot of views so if someone could give me some direction I would really appreciate it.

Download the demo versions of V-carve Pro and Aspire and you can start working with them right now to get a feel for what you can do. There is plenty of 2D, and 3D, art content around that you can find either for free or purchase to incorporate into your projects. You can find some projects that are ready to cut, but for the most part it doesn't take much time to learn to tool path a file.

If you buy a new or recent Shopbot it will come with Partworks which is basically V-Carve Pro and Cut 3D from Vectric but only with Shopbot post processors.

[wberminio]

If you are new to CNC- there is no other choice,

I have had my PRS for almost 3 years now.
If it wasn't for ShopBot Tech support and this forum I'd have an expensive hunk of metal now.
Go with the largest machine you can afford and if you want to do any production go with the Alpha.