Can a shopbot do the same as a much more expensive CNC?

[miruscabinetry]

I am just in the very first stages of looking at CNC for my cabinet shop. I don't yet have the volume to justify it, but I hope to.
There is definitely good potential for that.
So, other than cost, what is the benefit of the Shopbot system? Do they have a proprietary software that costs more money?
I'm also looking at Thermwood CNC because of the free eCabinet systems.
I'm sure all these questions are already answered here, but I don't really have a ton of time to sift through tons of forum threads. I hope you guys understand.
I guess maybe if I had the ShopBot, I'd have more time for internet reading, huh?

[harryball]

Find an owner and go visit for a demo. Best way to answer your questions and get a feel for the quality of the machine. I've never regeretted my Shopbot.

/RB

[myxpykalix]

You might want to ask this in the Shopbot Message Board section instead of the Buddy section. Just because some who don't own buddy's may not look here.

Also i'm no expert but I don't think a Buddy is the right machine for a cabinet shop. If you are going to be cutting full sheets of plywood and other sheet stock you want a full size machine.

[dana_swift]

Scott- I would recommend a gantry shopbot for cabinet work. You will be constantly cutting sheet goods and optimum material use requires the full size machines.

Shopbot's software is proprietary, but it is not a "fee" item. If you look on their website it is a free download, in addition you can download the latest beta version(s). This run-time control software won't make much sense if you dont have a shopbot to control, but you can look right now. Designing cabinets or anything else usually involves some form of tool-pathing design software.

Tool-pathing design software is written by other companies, several excellent titles are provided with the bot, and included in the price. For most users that is all they need (me included). If you want specialized cabinet software you will have to buy that separately. Packages are available for very little money that will get you started, then like all software you can spend some really big bucks if you need specialized features.

Read the forum a lot, you will find a lot of others in the cabinet business. (I am not.) The forum is one of the free features of shopbot that make it worth every cent. You will be able to get a lot of info from others in your business. Not only that, but folks in other businesses have ideas that have high cross-market value. I try to at least peek at the forum every day or two.

Good luck-

D

[dana_swift]

Most likely- yes. That is the direct answer to your question: "Can a shopbot do the same thing as a much more expensive CNC". That "yes" comes with very few qualifications also. Call them and talk to them about it, they know what different industries need.

I have no idea why anybody pays more money to get no significant improvement on the specs. A router can cut only about 4-6 inches per second in wood. The shopbot can move that router much faster than that and stay in spec. Once the system is limited by the router or spindle horse power, the motion system (the shopbot) has done all it can do.

The only advantage to a more expensive machine is to have a tool changer. Consider a "dual z" model if that is important to you. That would be a big help with the tool change issue and much less expensive.

Sorry for the second post-

D

[jerry_stanek]

You can also look at the Midwest rapid changer for the porter cable set up. John Forney has one and it seems to work very well. I don't know if John ever got his auto changer hooked up but he can change bits by hand faster than you can get the wrenches on the nuts.