First actual piece of usable product!

[coryatjohn]

Here's the first usable piece I've cut with my new ShopBot:

http://www.usnaviguide.com/shopbot/dc-trim.png

It's 9.25" in diameter and has a 1/2" pocket with a 1/2" x 1" flange. It's made from a piece of stair tread 1" thick.

This is a flange for my DC system. Overall results are excellent. Not bad for next to zero experience!

It took 17 minutes to cut it and about 55 years to prepare for the task.

[Brady Watson]

It took 17 minutes to cut it and about 55 years to prepare for the task.

Bravo!

Not everyone get's the '55yr' part! - Mostly customers! :p

-B

[Bob Eustace]

Good on you John! What you will find with the bot is you can do things easily that you have never even dreamed about. In Australia our dust systems truly are pathethic for instance. The fittings are all 90mm and no one seems to make cheap tube. Sewer pipe is an ideal medium and is relatively cheap BUT its 100mm and a heck of a lot of suction can get lost with a 10mm gap. The solution is to knock off one of your wifes HDPE 1/2" cutting boards and make your own rectangular O-rings. Might I suggest that for your next shop project you make a cart with a cyclone for your shopvac? Even simple stuff like labelling the species in your timber rack lifts your shop to the next level!

[ssflyer]

Nice John,

One of the coolest things about the ShopBot - making tooling, jigs and parts for the 'Bot, itself! :D

The first cuts on mine were to precisely cut my spoilboard to accept some 8020 T-Track for hold downs...

[Brian Harnett]

Yup its satisfying to start using the tool, its just the beginning and it did not catch on fire :)

[Brady Watson]

Yup its satisfying to start using the tool, its just the beginning and it did not catch on fire :)

Dude...Now don't go starting a flame war :D:D:D

-B

[coryatjohn]

No fires yet!

I'm amazed at how "easy" the entire process was. I took that class at ShopBot back in October and that really helped. TJ went a lot of the typical "gotchas" and spent a lot of time talking about how to run the machine. That gave me the confidence to know I was (?) doing things correctly.

What's truly amazing though is that I had an idea for a part, designed it in PartWorks and then "printed" it with the machine. It took me a lot less time to do it with the software and SB than it would have taken me with my standard shop tools. I needed two of these and the second was just a matter of mounting another blank and "pressing the button" again.

I still have a huge amount to learn but I am over the major hump: I have my machine, it's assembled and working and I can use the software.

I've read a lot about Aspire and that's probably something I should get. Can anyone put in a paragraph why I should buy Aspire ($1500)? I have to convince the wife.

[kubotaman]

Well John since you and I talked on the phone and I recommended Aspire for your next purcahse I stand by my words. I just got the update and it is great. As far as words for the "little lady' just tell her you are going to purchase it no matter what! That is the way it is! You can always live under your new machine if need be. If she lets you??!!

[Greencarvings]

I will give you some word to live by, that you can use after your Aspire purchase . . ..


It is always easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.:D

[coryatjohn]

It is always easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.:D

My wife is a retired Air Force Major and an airline captain. It's better to get the ok in advance with her.

[Brady Watson]

Might be kinda fun if she throws you in the brig...wink...wink..;)

-B

[chiloquinruss]

As much satisfaction as you received from your first 'useful' project, expect that and much more with the combination of your bot, Aspire, and your ideas! An unbeatable combination! I am an avid Aspire fan! The whole process is so much more satisfying than I had ever expected. I'm lovin' it! Russ

[coryatjohn]

Here's are a couple more things I just finished:

My daughter (4yr) wanted "a heart and a star." so I made these today out of some scraps of cedar fencing. The heart and star are about 5"x5"x1.25" (two 5/8" scraps glued together). It was my first attempt at lettering and edge trim using the a V bit and changing bits mid job.

I used PartWorks 3.5 to design and toolpath the models.

http://www.usnaviguide.com/shopbot/catherine-shapes.png

[Hoytbasses]

great first jobs.....

I've cut two projects that came out pretty good! I am finding the Partsworks pretty easy to use.. easier than I expected it to be. My biggest problem is finding the time to experiment and get comfortable with the software in anticipation of having to teach my students to use the 'bot......

lotsa fun!

Karl

p.s.... the brig is the Navy jail... thankfully, I didn't have to find out first hand what it was when i was in the Navy. The Marital Brig... that's another story:-(