Bot up and runnig

[Kyle Stapleton]

After a lot of fund raising and crazy problems we are up and running thanks to my woods class and Scott Worden

Here are some pictures.

Getting Power
Assembling the table

[Kyle Stapleton]

More pictures.
Making of vac table with two fein vacs
Remade Jim Stoddart's vac box to fit the new fein vac III

[Kyle Stapleton]

Little more.
First kid made project for our local Baseball team.

More to come....

[scottp55]

Thanks for all the pics Kyle, helps me understand the full size better.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Trying to make it like Alison Stoddart's post (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1820) but I think his is way to good and clean to beat.

[Kyle Stapleton]

First production run, props for a dance class that does free Zumba for our PE class.
Everything cut great but the bit slipped and the table will look a little fancy for a while (last picture is the table 3/16" deep:eek:).

[bleeth]

Well Kyle-They look great and now you learned to crank down on the wrenches when tightening your bit! I make it a rule to set the wrenches so I can squeeze them together with one hand so I get a strong grip and don't waste half my strength pushing against the axis and possibly screwing up my x or y location.

(A day without learning something is a wasted day :))

[curtiss]

Shop seems to lack dust...

Tie your wrenches together so you can lose them both at the same time.

As above, wrenches should be used at a small angle and squeezed together (like a scissors) to change bits.

[Kyle Stapleton]

The bit was tight but it was not high enough up in the spindle.
It was the first time I had a student do it. (guess I need to watch better).
Will be posting all the good and the bad.

[khaos]

Maybe if you got some gun bluing and dip the bits' shanks to the proper depth. Then you could have a teaching element and a visual cue to the proper depth.

No blue below, good to go. Or something. And the kids can also self monitor each other. :D

[Kyle Stapleton]

Good thinking, how long will the blue stay?

[myxpykalix]

When you moved it for the first time, did you have your "Frankenstein Moment"?:rolleyes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuoKNZjr8_U

[Kyle Stapleton]

Oh yes, also when the paper was here today I made a small error, I told the bot 0,0 was at the center of the table and then a ran a part that told it to jog 60 more inch in the x and I let out a big $hit when it hit the prox at 20 ips:eek:.

And it was all on tape (hope that does not make it into the story)

[curtiss]

I thought the PRS had six legs... ?

[srwtlc]

I hate when that happens! ;)

[Kyle Stapleton]

The older prs's only came with 4 legs but you can buy the other 2 if you want.
New picture.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Kid doing the hand work on the first project.

[tom_fiddler]

Very nice setup

[khaos]

Good thinking, how long will the blue stay?

The blueing will last pretty good I imagine that if you spin the bit you would have to redip but its pretty tough. Expect some scratches and wear but readability is key. :)

[Kyle Stapleton]

New hold down jigs first task hold down sheet to make prototype cam-lock, would like to make a nice one out of some Baltic birch.

Now we are ready to make some things, I think?

Thanks everyone for the help on the jig in my other post.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Painting our props.

There has to be a better way, the kids fine motor skills are bad, so painting the v-carving is looking very poor need some tips will post more pictures soon.

[paul_z]

Kyle,

It would take years to improve their motor skills. If it is OK for the wood to show, try this:

1. V Carve the design

2. Use a couple of coats of sanding sealer on the top including the v carved recesses

3. "Slop" on the paint in the v carved recesses. Make sure it covers all of the V recess. Accidental paint on the top surface is OK. Wait for paint to dry completely.

4. Sand only the top until the slop is gone

Result - a perfect paint job!

Paul Z

[scottp55]

Kyle, you made one of Scott W's for t-track! What would you do different? Congrats! I'm still procrastinating:)
Paul, Any particular kind of sanding sealer you like for natural wood finish, all I've got right now is lacquer and varnish---Usable? Using ash and trying to highlight cribbage peg hole countersink.

[paul_z]

I meant sealer in the most generic sense. It's used to keep the paint from bleeding through on the top and from bleeding sideways in the v carve.

I haven't tried lacquer but I would expect it to work. It would have the added advantage of drying very fast! You might want to run a test to be sure the v carve paint will stick to the lacquer.

If the top needs to be painted, put on a top coat with an almost dry foam roller as the last step. It takes a while but keeps the top coat from running down into the V Carve.

Paul Z

[scottp55]

Thanks Paul, Got to double check the sign guys. Thought about afterwards and should have searched first(what can I say-designing at 2am-should be an "Off" switch for brains:)

[Kyle Stapleton]

Scott, made a little video of the changes I would make if/when I make a new one.
http://screencast.com/t/LblgbGAwmG4

[steve_g]

Kyle…
I have a jig I use when making large volumes of smallish parts… I found that adding a leather surface to the cam face allows me to stop anywhere in its arc. You can better see the leather in the photo of a cam clamp I make…
SG

[Kyle Stapleton]

Nice jigs.
I think the first thing I'm going to 4th qt. (first real class with the bot) is we are going to make jigs so I can show how important hold downs are.

[scottp55]

Thanks for the vid Kyle. I think hold downs would be a great topic for a teacher as it's so important and it sneaks Physics in there:) Steve, nice jig and clamp! Any idea how eccentric you can make a cam clamp and still have it work well? Did you oil or treat the leather?

[steve_g]

Scott…
My cam offset is ⅛” for a total of ¼” of motion. I haven’t tried for more but I can tell you that I’ll need a longer cam handle if I do!
The leather is “saddle string” from Tandy. However they tan it is the way I use it. I originally bought it for a cane handle wrap before my hip replacement… I found out the hard way that the color isn’t permanent! (at least the burgundy isn’t)
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/lacing/5008-200.aspx (http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/lacing/5008-200.aspx)
SG

[scottp55]

Steve, For one I'm doing next I need 1/2" (5/8" better). You're handle looks like 3 1/2" protruding? Would you double it?
Yeah, any of the reds can prove difficult with sweat and sun fading. Thanks for the leather link. I WAS going to cut a piece from half a "Utility" skin I've got($220:eek:). Now I'll use some old chrome tanned moccasin leftovers:)

[steve_g]

Scott…
My cams are 3” from the center, doubling+ to around 7” sounds about right… My clamp body is two pieces of 12mm Baltic Birch milled and then assembled using the steel cam pivot dowel to help align all. The slit for the “spring” action is about 5”, if I was going for a greater range of movement, I would go longer if I was using Baltic Birch.
One change I’ll make next time is to let the hole for the pivot dowel go all the way through, so replacing the leather would be possible if necessary.
SG

[scottp55]

Thanks Steve, Hope Kyle gets some use out of info too:( Don't like picking brains on someone else's thread(but I still do it:) much better than wedging for me, as I can't stand over it to knock the thin end of the wedges accurately.
Going to have to mod mine to hold the ENDS of the wood instead of the middle as after cut-out, there's just an 1/8" of wood and the tabs holding it together, but the ends of the wood have a good 1 1/2" of solid wood remaining.

[steve_g]

Scott…
This discussion is pertinent to Kyles thread so I don’t feel like we’re hijacking! The jig I showed earlier has never had parts vibrate loose like I’ve had wedges do, the faces of the mechanism only move in an out so they don’t mar the face like cams alone or even wedges do. Also, this setup has much less tendency to want to tilt, lift or cant the material.
SG

[scottp55]

Yeah, Had wedges loosen during cut-out on the last few passes, and I wanted SO BAD to do something! And the lifting issue is a constant annoyance with wedging. Got a Z critical cut on the back of an "almost not a proto" cribbage board, so I need to surface first,cut, and then cut out blanks. Now they're shaped will swap jig out and use pocketed vac or friction fit jig to do front face. Planning on fully finished blanks going to Acadian Congress fair in August and using pocketed jig to customize individually or in runs so people can watch the Desktop do its thing.
It was nice to see Kyle do his clamp so fast, and his pocketing into the side of his jig option never occurred to me.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Taking my post back!!:D

Kids running custom part for our chairs.

[scottp55]

Sorry Kyle:o

[Kyle Stapleton]

First non v-carve sign.
Thanks to all the people of have posted on the sign forum.

[srwtlc]

Lookin' pretty good probie! :D

[scottp55]

Nice Kyle, Did you do the compass rose?

[Kyle Stapleton]

Yes, we did the rose.
We are painting the male letters and the v carving, hoping to have it done by Monday.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Just gone a new plotter pen (mini sharpie) for the bot and it works great.
It was made by a school down the road that has a metal CNC.

[Kyle Stapleton]

more sign work.
We are almost done just need to have a student do some hand work and touch it up.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Done, we still need work on the best way to paint but from where we were two weeks ago this is outstanding.

[Kyle Stapleton]

more picture
Plotter pen makes a great banner.

[Tom Bachman]

Ken that's pretty cool. Info on the plotter pen holder please. We might need to buy one here. What program did you do the chair drawing out of, V-Carve Pro?

After ten years of begging we just got a 32" buddy for our shop here. The kids are really getting onto doing things on it.

[Kyle Stapleton]

More info. On the plotter pen can be found on the forum in the for sale items, or if you have a metal shop with a lathe and a good teacher you can make one.
Made the drawing in pro-e and the tool path in aspire, plotted it out on a 3'x4' sheet.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Final broke a bit:eek:
Had a student:
1. Press spindle start button
2. Click start the file
3. Hit ok.

Is there a way to have the bot not run unless the spindle is on?

[scottp55]

Sorry Kyle, Having a student break a bit doesn't get YOU in the "Club":) Mount broken bit on sign next to "Did you start the spindle?". Bet you they don't do it again for quite a while.:)

[Kyle Stapleton]

I have done it all but, brake my own bit.
Sad day sending in the control board in to get the air drill working and she will be down for a week:(.

[Kyle Stapleton]

The bot is back!!
And the air drill runs, wow is that loud.

Thanks, Scott and Jeremy for tech support.

[Kyle Stapleton]

New sign!!

[Kyle Stapleton]

doing some new stuff in class (pockets and profiles) with superhero art:)
Kids/I are learning what pocket allowances are and how much you need to have for parts to inlay.
Had to cut the red rings twice, first ones did not fit so we took off .015" and they fit like a glove (with a .020" pocket allowance)

[Kyle Stapleton]

This is the art we are working from.

[scottp55]

Slow today, it took me till the last picture of #53 to see what you were doing:)
Lots of lessons in that project.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Done, this was the example that the whole designed, cut and painted.
Next they all get to do there own.

[Kyle Stapleton]

One more to show the 3d of it.
It will hang with a French cleat.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Oh no I used there and not their.:eek:

[Brady Watson]

It's always nice to see the excitement from the 'new kids' :D

It's a good reminder to seasoned users how much we take these machines for granted sometimes.

Carry on & keep having fun!

-B

[Kyle Stapleton]

Here is some student work

[Kyle Stapleton]

And more...

[Kyle Stapleton]

Last one...
iPad only lets you post one at a time:mad:

[gc3]

cute stuff...

students are learning along with teacher

now time to lean towards some production files...

cab parts, carved panels ect...

[Kyle Stapleton]

We have all outdoor line already on the books.
20 min. Per chair cut and drilled (love the air drill)

Checkout the woodworkers link at the bottom of the page.

[Kyle Stapleton]

plotter pen work

[Kyle Stapleton]

Final projects...

[Kyle Stapleton]

PC stand, almost done

[Kyle Stapleton]

Still working

[Kyle Stapleton]

Last drawer.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Who like bikes?

[srwtlc]

All good stuff there Kyle! You guys have really done well in the last 4 months! Will the Bot be all yours for the summer now?! ;)

[Kyle Stapleton]

Upgrading the DC, learning to make cabinets with the bot, testing out new bits.
Just put an a/c in the PC lab:D that blows into the cnc room to help with the heat from the vac table it also keeps the table from going crazy with the humidity.

[scottp55]

Kyle, what did you wind up with for DC ?

[Kyle Stapleton]

1500 v-system
It's great just got the ducting up today.:)

[scottp55]

Good you went HEPA. Like Oneida-only have dust deputy, but have emptied canister 5 times and just checked Fein Hepa and only slight discoloration of filter facing inlet with maybe a 1/4 cup of fine dust in bag.

[Kyle Stapleton]

New toy, new toy and just in time for school.
Still need to run the duct from the DC but it is running. :D

[Kyle Stapleton]

Thanks to the desktop crew that sent me some files to get my tabletop in working order.
Wow, 3 ips never looked this fast on the PRS alpha.

[gene]

I am glad to see this equipment in a teaching environment. I looked back this post and I am suprised that someone didn't ask if the collet was snapped into the collet nut . Dave described it very good to align the wrenches so you squeeze them with one hand. Also I liked the idea of tying the wrenches together so you can loose them both at one time. That will save me so much time.lol.. Overall . a lot of good info and some great work by your students. For cabinet software look at cabinets parts pro , it may have been included with the shopbot . Very easy to set up and learn and wont break the bank if it was not included. Keep up the good work.

[scottp55]

Looking GOOD Kyle!:)
Now you just have to find some decent hardwood(try cherry-You'll like it) and a nice 60Vbit and you can Play with small graphics and fonts. :)
3 IPS IS fast, for us little people you'd find. Start thinking Lilliputian instead of Brobdingnagian.:)
Good Job cherry-picking for your needs.
scott

[Kyle Stapleton]

The kids were very happy to see a seconded bot in the shop at the start of school.
I have been looking at CPP and it seems easy just need to get the setting right so it makes boxes the way I do.

How fast do you run your desktop Scott?

[scottp55]

Depends on cut Kyle, but cherry/VCarved font for instance/60Vbit-50%Diameter pass depth/ 1.1,.5,14K almost never get tear-out or noticeable deflection. If making a bunch then a I make a 1Diameter depth speed pass at about 1.6,1,15K. If just 1 then I'll just RR to pretty much eliminate sanding.
Surfacing with a 1.25" mortising bit .02-.03" passes I'll do 3.6 IPS.
Cutout with the Onsrud starer set .25"LH, 1/2Diameter passes at 2.6,.5,12.5K.
Play!:) Don't Know about 5.5"Z ones but my Z-upgrade kit is supposed to arrive today according to the tracking. :)

[Kyle Stapleton]

What does (1.1,.5, 14k) mean?
14k is rpm but not sure on the rest.

[scottp55]

Sorry Kyle, 1.1(X,Y Move speed in IPS), .5 (Z Move/plunge speed in IPS),14K (14 Thousand). AH! Last cut just finished:)

[Kyle Stapleton]

Got it thanks

[Kyle Stapleton]

V carving with paint!!

[chiloquinruss]

I know we are just looking at the signs but I can see the smiles on the students faces reflecting back! Well done teach! :) Russ

[scottp55]

Desktop or full size Kyle? How do the kids take to the Desktop by the way?
What Russ said! :)

[Kyle Stapleton]

Used both bots 60 v-bit in the desktop and 90 v-bit in the big boy.

They like having the desktop to run while the big one is working.

[Kyle Stapleton]

How did you know Russ?

[Kyle Stapleton]

Some new projects.

[Kyle Stapleton]

first 3d on our own!

[scottp55]

Kyle, was there a pic? Was just wondering if my computer's gone Funky again.

[Kyle Stapleton]

I tried.
Phone is not working today

[Kyle Stapleton]

The picture!

[scottp55]

Nice Kyle, Foam? size? Designed from scratch/Aspire? :)

[Kyle Stapleton]

It is foam, just a random piece we found laying around.
Student made it on Aspire from a jpg.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Inserts for some powerlifting awards.
Sad to say most be redone gold/yellow dryer too orange :mad:
But the kids did a great job painting.

[scottp55]

Kids did GREAT job painting:) (and Cutting)!!

[Kyle Stapleton]

Here is one my son and I did over the weekend as the blue paint was drying on the redos.
White coreon 8x12

[Kyle Stapleton]

Power lifting awards.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Six of them.

[srwtlc]

Those turned out great Kyle! Would have loved to have received one of those back in my powerlifting days!

[David Iannone]

They look real good.

[Kyle Stapleton]

For a final project one of my students that is really into the bots did some 3d slicing out of some 3/4" corian.
Looks great so far.

[Kyle Stapleton]

More finals.

[scottp55]

Nice to see the kids having fun Kyle! :)
How much input from you was needed on the "Rapa Nui" head ?
How much assembly time does the material give you?
What bit? Nostrils almost look undercut, but know it must just be pic---Was it a tapered BN?
Someone must be a good teacher:)
scott

[Kyle Stapleton]

How much input from you was needed on the "Rapa Nui" head ?
Just gave him some key words to look up (stl, slicing) and I helped with the toolpath, but I think he would have been fine on his own.
How much assembly time does the material give you?
He is using 30 min. Locktite.

What bit? Nostrils almost look undercut, but know it must just be pic---Was it a tapered BN?
Rough was a .25" UC and final was .125 TBN with 1 deg of tapper.

Someone must be a good teacher.
Good students make easy teaching.

[Steve Wonser]

Hi Kyle,

It's great to see Kids taking an interest in making physical rather than virtual objects. It looks like you are doing a great job inspiring and teaching them!

I have a ShopBot Desktop and noticed that you switched your spoil board from the one with the array of dowel holes to one with T-Slots. What prompted the change? Do you like the new version better?

Thanks,
Steve

[Kyle Stapleton]

With the wedge system we had before we have a lot of material popping up. So we went to the t-tracks and things have been a lot better.

[scottp55]

Steve, Make the same type of clamps as Kyle, but use 1/4 24 nylon bolt(or Allen heads) with washers and fasten into your threaded inserts. Wedges and dowels tend to distort or loosen eventually.

[chiloquinruss]

They may not convey their gratitude for having a 'caring' teacher now, but in years to come they will! I still have a lasting friendship and fondness for two of my old 'shop' teachers, both in their 90's!

Well done teach! Russ

[Kyle Stapleton]

Head is done.
Not sure what happened with the tool mark on the back??

[scottp55]

Yeah, You you usually do very small stepovers, and the profile with the worst toolmarks is the one closest to your middle holddown (opposite of what I expected:(
Be interested in what 3D experienced people say!
Did you fill the Desktops "Elbow Grease Reservoir" ? :)
Tell him Great Job and to keep it up to make us "Fogey's" look bad:)
scott

[Kyle Stapleton]

12 sheets of UV finished ply
4 hours
3 6'x4'x2' cabnets
2 people
1 bot

Not sure what is up with the pictures?

[Kyle Stapleton]

Done and shipped.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Working on painting.

[Kyle Stapleton]

More project picture.

[scottp55]

Nice Kyle
I would think the Adirondacks would be good for the kids to learn material lists and production techniques and just plain old woodworking skills. :)
I'd think they would probably sell well too?
Unfinished?
Where did Cabinets go?

[Kyle Stapleton]

Some new projects.
They are made from corian using the vcarve toolpath with a flat area clean out tool.
After that they are spray painted and sand/polished, 100g to remove the paint after that we use a 4 step process made by 3M.
It is called trizact and is made for polishing acrylic.27131

[Kyle Stapleton]

Another project.27229

[chiloquinruss]

All it takes is one look at that smile to know how good of a job you did with your students. Great piece! May the FORCE be with you! Russ

[Kyle Stapleton]

Some new sign projects.28131281322813328134

[Kyle Stapleton]

New standing desks for the school.
29023

[chiloquinruss]

Did the students help in the design stage or just the construction? I am mentoring at the local high school and I have no problem getting them interested after the parts are cut but designing something! That's a different story. It's not the software that's an issue, they just don't seem to want to start with a blank sheet and end up with some sort of project. Any ideas? Love the standing desks, very cool. Russ

[Kyle Stapleton]

Students helped with the redesign after the prototype was made ( making it look better, adding cup holders, ect. Students did tool pathing on the dfx file made from Creo.
They do like it more once the parts are cut (5 kids made 9 of these in 6 hours, the real slow down was the wipe on finish). 14-17 year old kids have a hard time with design, I believe because they just do not have the background older people have with how things work. Once they (18) seniors they start to get a better handle on design but it is still very hard. That said, they have some ideas the I would never think of because they don't have the hang ups with "that can't be done".

[Kyle Stapleton]

New powerlifting Awards.29344

[tri4sale]

New power lifting Awards.http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29344&stc=1

They did a nice job on those

[Kyle Stapleton]

Thanks, too bad they all went to different towns.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Just went over the square puzzle from the Shopbot project page in class.
It turned out to be a good teaching project as all of the parts were miss shaped. :confused: But we got them all fixed and did one test cut and it came out great. Now we are cutting 20 more my fundraising for local silent auctions.
2971229711

[Kyle Stapleton]

New project, Child dishwashing station for a local Montessori School.
Stands 18.5" tall at the counter top, 15.5" deep and 61" long.
29833298342983529836

[Kyle Stapleton]

New product Garage lockers

[Kyle Stapleton]

Garage lockers.
7'.75" wide by about 6' tall

[Kyle Stapleton]

sorry for the double post, I was trapped

[flatheadyoungin]

Looking good!

[Kyle Stapleton]

I switched over from Creo 3.0 to Inverter 2015 (to match Project Lead the Way at our high school) and thought this would be a fun project to go to PC to real life.
I modeled a Lego mini x-way and exported the file and made a 4/1 scale model out of corian.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Here are some picutes...

[Kyle Stapleton]

It was a fun little project, I made it quick during my prep so skimped on the sanding, but it still looks nice.

[chiloquinruss]

That looks like a fun project. I have thought many times about doing up a 'oversize' set and I think you just put me over the hump! ;) Thanks for posting. Russ

[Klaas]

Hello all I realy liked all the pictures and files I am a member of ShopBot I make mostly large toys for kids like wagons rocking horses sand digers child furniture and more.
I have a few pages If you search ( a few wooden toys you you will find them.
Thanks again Klaas

[scottp55]

Nice little Corian project Kyle!! :)

Speaking of Corian...is any still available for sale?
scott

[Kyle Stapleton]

Thanks to all,
As for Corian... it is but only for people in the community education classes I teach.
Classes are free and corian cheap.

[scottp55]

Thanks Kyle!
Sorry I missed that boat:)
scott

[bleeth]

Cute Kyle!
Scott: You can often get cut-offs and/or sink cutouts for free from nearby fabricators.
Means no shipping either and shipping Corian pieces ain't cheap!!

[scottp55]

Thanks Dave! :)

[Kyle Stapleton]

Desktop dust boot extension.
I finally got sick of the mess long bits made at the desktop.
I cut some .125 mdf on the laser and glued them up.

If anyone wants the file just pm me and I will send it over (can't upload my .ai file)