Just Starting

[fatkid]

I am new to the shopbot and i have had the chance to start to learn how to use it at my school, but i am basically the only person here who cares to find out what is needed to use the machine...
I am just wondering what i have to do in order to make sure that the machine is in good working order and that it will be as precise as possible. Any suggestions will help thanks.

[daniel]

Just remeber never to move the Router Gantry's with the wires still pluged in. Next I would check to see if the school has the shopbot manual. If they do, then read the section Getting started. It should be towards the end of the book. It will tell you how to check your motors and how to test cut a circle and square.

If you need more info, just come back here.

[billp]

Joshua,
Get some styrofoam, and do your test cutting with it. Do squares, rectangles, and circles at a shallow, then deeper, depth. This will give you immediate feedback as to whether or not your basic machine setup is aligned properly.Use the largest carpenter's square you can,to check for accuracy. And with the foam you can't really hurt anything , (unless you cut too deeply....).

[fatkid]

daniel...
yes the school does have the shopbot manual well i have it anyhow... my teacher let me borrow it so that i could find out how to work the machine... i will look for that section thanks.

bill...
i will have to try that... i know that the machine works because the people at the school have done some simple signs... mostly with just cutting out a persons name but the main thing that i was worried about was if the shopbot was aligned/zeroed out correctly so that when i started to work with it i didnt end up costing myself too much money...

[garyb]

Josh, you might post or call SB for anyone operating a Shopbot in the Idaho Falls area,
A trip to someones shop to see it operating would help you immensely, and if you can get your teacher to make it a class trip (if they still do that) it may stir enough interest to get the schools Shopbot back into a working curriculum.

[richards]

Josh,

I'm about 200 miles away in South Jordan, Utah. You're welcome to visit. I would be happy to stop by on my next trip through Idaho Falls (I visit Rigby several times a year); however, I don't have any idea when my next trip might be.

You might also consider visiting one of the High Schools down here in the Jordan School District. As far as I know, every High School in that district has a Shopbot.

There are several other Shopbot owners in Utah that would show you how to check out your machine. There is someone in Logan that's probably only 125 miles or so from Idaho Falls.

You might give Shopbot a call and ask them for a few names and telephone numbers of those on their list who are willing to demonstrate the Shopbot.

Mike