Where is the BT32 hole drilling file?

[tim_mcknight]

I am starting work on my vacuum table and I can't for the life of me find the file to drill holes in my vac board that aligns with the threaded holes in the aluminum table. I thought there was a factory file to do this? I looked on the site with no success and looked in all my files on my PC and can't locate it. Is there such a file or am I imagining it? If it does exist where might it be?

Thanks...

[tim_mcknight]

Another question... There is a "O" stamped into the lower left corner of my aluminum table. When I run a C3 command the center of the spindle is off of that location by approximately 1.5". The table moved, in the positive direction, 1.5" past the spindle center line so that the spindle is now 1.5" away from the "O" mark. Do I need to move my X limit so the table "O" mark stops under the spindle or is it common for the table to run past the location of the "O" stamped mark on the table?

If someone can point me to the drilling file that I requested above where should the program begin from? The stamped "O" location or the C3 location?

[Brady Watson]

I *think* these are correct - It's been a while. Measure the holes on your machine to be sure. You may have to group the holes & nudge them over so that they match the origin on your machine.

This is for 1st Gen BT32 & BT48 with 1/2" AL table.

-B

[tim_mcknight]

Thanks for the file Brady. Is there any reason why the holes have 9 flat sides instead of being circular in shape?

Can you help out on my second question too?

[Brady Watson]

Tim,
It's hard to say why the holes would be '9-sided' without seeing a picture. My guess would be that some automated tapping routine was used in the manufacture of the AL table. Same goes for the 'O' - I'm not aware of this being any type of special mark from ShopBot. It could have been something done at the mill or a blem.

You should set up your own C3 location. Put a sharp (60 deg) V-bit and manually set the X & Y zero where they are on the edge of your spoilboard. You can then go to ShopBot Setup under the Tools menu in SB3 to automate the setting up of the C3 command. Otherwise you can move each axis and write down the negative number shown on the DRO and replace the values for each axis in the my_variables.sbc file in SBParts\Custom. This is what ShopBot Setup does for you...

This is a good exercise in realizing that 'what you see is what you get' in PartWorks in relation to your tool. After zeroing the X & Y on the edge of your table (or run a C3 after you properly set it up), take that same v-bit and using the keyboard (SK command or just k), move the bit until it is on center with the bottom left most hole. Write down the X,Y value. Then do the same for the farthest hole from 0,0 and write the X,Y value down. Then in PartWorks, draw a rectangle the same size as your table. Group the circles (so you don't lose relative position to each other) and position them so that the center of the bottom most circle is in the location you wrote down for the 1st circle/hole in the table. Check the last check the last circle/hole as well to make sure it is on center with the 2nd value you recorded from the table. Tweak as necessary. You can use a tape measure on the table to get the centers of the holes as well.

-B

[tim_mcknight]

Thank you again for your generous help Brady.