Desktop Cabinet?

[Lee Miller]

Have any of you designed a special place for your Desktop? Mine shipped this morning and I want to make a nice Desktop/Laptop setup for it. Please share your pictures, ideas, advice, warnings, etc, as I am totally new to CNC and to this forum.

Thank you,

Lee Miller
Blossom Farm Studio

[Kyle Stapleton]

Packs in the back of my van for craft shows.

[Lee Miller]

Thanks Kyle - a fellow teacher! I've been teaching high school mathematics for 25 years.

Do you get any extra chatter from your portable setup? Is the plexiglass for safety only, or does it serve another purpose?

Lee

[Kyle Stapleton]

Table shakes but everything we cut comes off great.
The plexiglass is for safety at craft shows, we do not use it at the school.
We did find out the is keeps the dust in well when we leave the dust shoe off so people can see it run.
Is this yours or are you teaching with it?

[Lee Miller]

It's mine. I have a toy business I'm trying to take from very small to small by summer. Christmas was an eye-opener in terms of what I can keep up with by hand.

There is a Buddy in the woodshop where I teach and it is, sadly, not being used at all. It came from another campus that shut down their woodshop last year. Ours is the last woodshop in the district. I'd sure like to see a program similar to yours here.

[scottp55]

Lee, first pic is how the Desktop lived for 6 months. Just an old cabinet lagged into wall and 2 layers 3/4" on top. If I had to do from scratch I might get two narrow cabinets/reinforce leaving a slot in the middle for wheelchair/put on casters and use a rugged top.
But Shopbot made a wheelchair adapted MakerCrate(we bought one for our Northern Desktop too) and I just added a swing shelf for monitor etc. and LOVE it:) It's working out great.
Oh, used to keep all 4 casters locked, but not anymore and haven't noticed any difference in the cut quality. The Desktop seems tight enough so it doesn't make a noticeable difference.
I AM glad I "Dirtbagged" the PC and the UPS! (I use the compressor to clean stuff off more than I should:(
Congrats on the Desktop!! You'll love it more and more:)
scott

[willnewton]

If pic #4 was opened up a bit to show the SB logo on the cabinet as in pic #3, I think you would have a great photo for a Shopbot magazine ad. Also, the natural edge top and CNC perfected logo on your computer cabinet play off each other nicely.

Nice. Very nice. :cool:

[Lee Miller]

Hey Scott - Thanks. Nice setup. I have very limited space in the room that will house my Desktop. In fact, my main workbench will have to go away. Functionally, your original setup would serve me better as I'll need to replace all the storage my workbench provides. I won't have room for a separate computer cart - perhaps a slide-out for the laptop. I expect to be doing production runs and will need space for stock and product - again, perhaps pop-up or slide-out "wings" on either side?
I guess my main concern is stability. I get the impression from you and Kyle that I won't need a massive bench to get clean cuts.

[Lee Miller]

By the way, what does "Dirtbagged" the PC and the UPS mean?

[scottp55]

Nah. That would show even more how messy and dis-organized my shop is:)
Also would point out the "Obvious" design flaw in my shelf(DON'T put the ashtray Behind the coffee cup!!! makes for Lousy tasting coffee!!!).
I do send Dianne at Shopbot pics fairly often to thank TJ and Bill Young for making a wheelchair MakerCrate. Felt pretty good when it went on the "Wall of Fame" at the factory :)
Currently working with another Desktopper in Oz to get a pic of his backyard Kangaroos huddled around his Desktop (Momma at keyboard with Joeys looking with "Rapture" at the Desktop? ) to prove that Shopbot really is a "Worldwide Community". He said if he could get me down to help wheel the Desktop out into the backyard we'd send Dianne a pic! Dianne said it was a Great Idea and that my Quantas ticket was "In the Mail" :)
Funny, the snowstorms must be holding up delivery?
scott

[scottp55]

Oops, Just saw your questions.
Some people do use the original crate and just beef up the top with an additional piece of 3/4" glued up. If you reinforced the corners a tad, and cut an access panel in one side I think it would hold a fair amount of 24" stock.
I'm missing having the drawers right there(bits,clamps etc.stuff that piles up), but I wouldn't bolt it to the wall like I did as it made it difficult to access and impossible to "Tile" stuff through the Y-axis. That cabinet had a pull-out "cutting board/drawing board" which would have worked good for a laptop, BUT to the left side would be much better than the center for Z-ing,jigging and watching cut quality. Make it "Yours" as every-bodies needs are different.
Massive is Good, but not really needed in my experience. Shopbot takes all theirs on Crates like mine to trade shows etc. on casters, and easy movement in a small shop is a great convenience.
Desktop is TIGHT and never noticed a difference in cut quality between the Lagged to the wall, and 4 unlocked casters.
Oh, Dirtbag.http://dirtbag.biz/

Do recommend some type of shield if you can, sometimes nice to watch the cut of a new bit or wood closely when dialing it in, Also not always enough safety glasses to go around when you're showing off your new toy:)
scott

[bob_dodd]

I attached a 2x4 cleat to wall at same height as dresser , also use it for storage, attached plywood to cleat and set on dresser , lap top mounted to wall on shelf , dust collection is behind dresser and under desk top

[Lee Miller]

Here's my first design idea. Eight drawers and a slide-out for the laptop, enclosed space for dust collection, and wings for material and finished product and to support longer pieces. It will be on casters.

I've never actually seen the Desktop in person, so I don't know the exact arrangement of cables and dust collection. I assume the laptop on the side with the spindle control box makes sense?

[scottp55]

Lee, Been thinking on this since yesterday.
If you'll notice, Kyle added cross-bracing to add torsional rigidity and I've got Bill Young's "flat dovetails" on all sides and a full sheet with cutout in the back to do the same thing.
I thought yours would have a full sheet back to do the same thing.
If you're Fabbing this up yourself, could you dado in a 1/2" sheet to separate the "drawers" and the DC section? I know you wanted slide ins left and right, but maybe Piano hinge instead so they will fold flat when not needed(I'd add a folding leg and support it diagonally back to the cabinet instead of vertically to the floor).
Just tossing out thoughts here-Please don't take offense:(
My original thought on mine was to use Rocklers retractable "workbench" casters with leg levellers.
http://www.rockler.com/workbench-caster-kit-4-pack
BUT, Had somebody available to help me shift the Desktop the next morning and would have had to fur them out and add leg levellers and it got too late that night so I tossed the 360degree swivel lock casters on figuring on "Jacking it up" and replacing later(course it hasn't happened and probably won't now).
http://www.rockler.com/total-lock-shop-stand-casters
BUT, with your "wings" and putting stock on them, It might Help prevent material "Walking" when the Desktop starts doing short "Rapid" moves. I'd still be concerned about stuff placed on wings walking and rolling off the edge. So maybe add a slight "Lip" to the wings?
I might leave the doors off the back for the moment until you figure out your DC plumbing? I'd highly recommend adding a DustDeputy to your DC or you'll be dragging your vac out of the back of the cabinet every few days to clean the filter off like I had to do because it kept clogging and losing suction. Problem is The DD has the hose coming off vertically and you won't have enough height inside the cabinet? I'd put it on the left and on casters as well and bungee to the cabinet so it moves With the cabinet.
For DC hose, I used a wrought iron plant stand that people stick into their lawn. It has "prongs" and I just drilled holes in the cabinet and inserted it(need to add a 4X4" block underneath and drill that out as mine is "rounding"over the 1"ply) and it has sufficient height to let the hose clear the E-Chain and a 10' piece of clear hose reaches both the limits of machine travel and the DD without very much extra.
VFD hangs over the edge of the Desktop on the right side(and has some important wires hanging out also) and a couple times I've had stuff sitting there and it's "Cleaned it off" OR JAMMED! Might put Laptop on left side as that's where the USB for the Desktop is as well(back left corner), Power cord is plugged in back right corner.
Might want to add a Power switch(strip?) to the vac so you can turn it on/off from an easily reachable spot so you're not constantly moving to the back. Quite often I'll leave the vac off until I'm certain I'm getting good chips on a new material/cut/bit and then turn it on.
Rambling, and pretty sure I forgot something:)
Hopefully others will have good ideas.
scott

[Lee Miller]

Scott, that's a lot of good feedback and I appreciate it. Thinking more about the dust collection and your thoughts, I've decided to eventually make or buy a separate two-stage system. For now, I'll use a shop-vac inside the cabinet. I'm setting up in an already cramped 10'x12' space, and I need to fit it all in a single cabinet until I get a bigger space. Later I can fill the DC cavity with additional drawers.

I added fold-away supports for the wings to the Sketchup model. I have some thin rubber mats I can use to keep material from walking.

I like the retractable castors for more stability - thanks.

I suppose this may seem like overkill to some; the goal is to use the machine, not build a shrine to it. Really, I'm just trying to maximize the functional use of my limited space.

By the way, does anyone have a Sketchup model of the Desktop?

Lee

[scottp55]

Same size room that our Northern Desktop is in:) TIGHT
I had pictured Desktop front being towards the laptop, You May have problems with that big shelf in the front for changing bits/Zeroing etc..
Most often used corner for most is the front/left 0,0 corner.
Good luck.

[Lee Miller]

I see your point. The wings will be down most of the time.

Working on the basic cabinet this afternoon - no wings, no drawers. It's in Chicago today, scheduled to be here Wednesday. Feels an awful lot like the week before Christmas 1968 when I knew I was getting my first bicycle. :)

[scottp55]

:)
But the Desktop come with a Box and not a Bow:) BUT at least you get to open a box!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtxBEW8x7NI
Funny, Guy in Camden,Maine is getting his that very same day. He's supposed to be in my shop Thursday for an all day demo. I don't think I'd be able to leave a brand new Desktop unused, to drive 150 miles to play on someone elses machine:)
Have fun!
scott

[rtswallow]

Lee,
I built an enclosure using 2 x 2 lumber with 6 mil plastic stapled on 3 sides and top. Bottom 3/4 inch plywood. Front made with floor mat plastic runner held down with a 1 inch pipe to insure it's close proximity to the face of the enclosure. With a shop vac running and connected to the router enclosure port, it literally pulls the front flap against the front 2 x 2's. I do not get any dust in my workshop.

Rog Swallow

[Lee Miller]

Roger - That sounds great. Any pictures?

I may opt for the smaller enclosure they sell as an accessory, but I like the idea of building my own.

Lee

[Lee Miller]

Well, after several tangents I finally have the basic cabinet together. No drawers or wings yet, but it's coming along. I have a temporary shelf for the laptop and I like the placement. No excuse for not setting the spindle speed now. I don't have the retractable castors yet and I'm not liking the wheels very much.

I decided to rewire the shop and install some better lighting. Plenty of power and light at the bench now and some white paint on the walls - feels much less like a cave in here. Two more ceiling lights and I'm set.

243352433624337

[scottp55]

Looking Good Lee:)
Looks plenty Beefy and lots of storage.
Not enough clutter in your shop though:)

There may not be an excuse...But you'll be amazed at some of the "Stupid Human Tricks" Your brain can pull on you when you get rushed and tired:)
Get a routine down now and stick to it.
Glance around before the cut for little things like "is the deck clear" / do I have enough Z clearance to drive around/ little things.
TJ did a simple JH, and swept 2 drill drivers onto the floor. I've done the same thing and a collet and bit met the concrete (trashed).
Good time to get good "Habits"
Happy Sawdust:)
scott

[Lee Miller]

Thanks Scott. I was thinking that very thing when I set my drink down right behind the VFD.

Oh, there's clutter. There's barely room to walk through the other half of the room.