20+ years with ShopBot

[bill.young]

Hi all...I've been making stuff with ShopBots for longer than most and decided to try to document some of the successes and failures I've had over the years. It's definitely not a how-to, but some of you might find some of it interesting.

I'm very early on in the timeline but am trying to post something every couple of days. Hopefully I'll get it done before my memory gives out!

https://medium.com/make-it-your-own-d-mn-self

[scottp55]

Thanks Bill!!
Something to look forward to while drinking first cuppa tomorrow! :)
scott

[scottp55]

Good read for a drizzly morning with hot Java Bill! :)
Think I'll steal and use your line;
"I once thought I was clever!"
As it applies to me more and more it seems:)

My Makercrate is just as strong and useful 5 years later, even after using it in wheelchair mode and yarding it all Over the shop almost daily for access!
My back thanks you and TJ daily for making that adaptation!

Thanks Bill!
scott

[bill.young]

Glad to be able to make it for you Scott!

I've posted a couple more articles in the series. I'm still in the "cable drive" years so pictures are small and fuzzy and details are sketchy, but as I move through time hopefully both will improve!

https://medium.com/make-it-your-own-d-mn-self

[scottp55]

:)
I'm one of those "No Hardware" part guys.....IS driving me a little nuts with live edge project still in planning, BUT if Brian Harnett and others can do it, I'll try:)
(not half bad at it with hand tools and a chisel mortiser..but with the Desktop?) :)
It's good coffee reading Bill!
scott

[bill.young]

Hey Scott...I'd hate for you to run short of coffee reading material so have posted a few more posts in the series. I'm up to the early/mid 2000's I guess

https://medium.com/make-it-your-own-d-mn-self

Bill

[scottp55]

:)
Manana Bill :)
May not have power Thursday am with the Northeaster(minus snow)
Thanks!!
scott

[scottp55]

Funny Bill..I personally liked the through tenons with wedges on the "block" trays you didn't even mention:)
LIKED the "Just because you can, that doesn’t always mean you should..." because being smart/clever can bite you in the b**t often:)
Liked the Racer one.....must have been fun to watch the kids!!
BUT the most practical tip was "take your calipers to the hardware store when buying dowels"...I learned the hard way!
Enjoyable!! :)
Thanks!
scott

[bill.young]

Hey Scott...I use that detail a lot, but unfortunately it didn't work all the well on this project. As soon as the kids figured out that they could wiggle the wedges end get them out, they would take the trays apart and lose the wedges. I eventually had to glue them in!

I'm 3d printing them these days and it works pretty well. Just posted some pictures on my Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/seaside5592/

Bill

[scottp55]

Glued in wedges does kinda defeat the purpose..don't it:)
When my friends kids were young, my barrister bookcase wedges were JUST the right size to get vacuumed up BUT clog the hose....all projects since then, wedges were made to big to vac up!! :)
GLAD I made extras!

Printed wedges kinda clash with Craftsman decor here...besides..no Printer here, and don't know what bit to use for carving Pumpkin wedges:)

[coryatjohn]

I'm going on seven years with my SB and I have to say, it has been a life altering experience. I've always been a tinkerer and a fixer and someone with an ingenious project up my sleeve. My problem in the past has been my lack of skill using hand tools. I'm good for about 1/8" accuracy on pretty much anything. Using the SB has changed all that. Now, I can expect to design and build a project that has hundreds of parts that all fit together in an exacting way. I'm working on one now that has over three hundred individually machined components and is four feet by three feet in area. After hundreds of glue joints, the entire thing is still within a 1/16" tolerance. That's pretty amazing to me.

I dread the eventual downsizing of my lifestyle. At some point, I will have to give up my full size gantry tool and move to a desktop size unit. That will be a sad day for me but someone will get a heck of a good deal on a very well maintained and preserved PRS Alpha.

[jerry_stanek]

I've had one for 13 years I started out with a PR and upgraded that then I bought a new used PRS standard that I still have. I also have a PRT that I bought for parts I needed a new control board as lighting took mine out and there was a piece meal PRT with a good controller that I picked up to get me by until my parts came in. I am thinking of going with the Acorn controller now as I see that it is supposed to be more robust and no com errors. According to Centroid I have all the parts other then their Acorn control board Gary Campbell showed how smooth and fast it should run.