Wire Guide?

[gg_haskell]

I am setting up my prsstandard and am wondering if it matters which side I mount the wire guide to. The instructions say to mount it on the left, but I would rather mount it on the right due to my shop size and desired control box location.

[gg_haskell]

Has anybody run their cables above the shopbot along with the dust hose? I am working with a small space and would like the floor to be as clear as possible. I had hoped to hang the control box on the wall as well.

[bleeth]

No problem doing that. You simply need enough height so the length needed to have no restriction when moving the gantry all over the table will not interfere when you are nearest the axis point and need the shortest distance. Some have solved this issue by bringing an arm out from the wall that swivels and others have put a track on their ceiling. These options work well for a lower ceiling. For a high ceiling the dust hose and control lines can be hung from a fixed point above the bot easily.

[wildwood109]

help.i have a used prt60-120 machine with two gantrys and two routers each, i need some help wiring it to the boxs

[zeykr]

Lawrence,
What do you need to know? I'd assume each gantry is independent with it's own control box and wired as a normal PRT. The manuals for PRT's are still avail on shopbots web site under support if you need to see the where what connects, or is there a specific problem we can help with?

[wildwood109]

ha ken zey,hi and thanks,yes i have two control systems one for each,my manual is saying that to plug in the cables on the board starting from left to right is,x-1red,x-2red,y-blue,z-white and last is optionalchanel for i think the #2router_z? then i have 1 more y_bluue cable left! now my control box has two motor driver boards in them,do i put that other y-blue on that board?it will be the only thing on it? any help here would make me happy befor i put the power on.thanks

[harold_weber]

Looks like you have two X motors, two Y motors, and two Z motors.

That's my setup as well(except I only have one gantry). You may attach the second Y motor cable to the Y motor socket on the second board.

[wildwood109]

thanks harold. An additional question: I need to get a new pc to run the software. Will Vista run the software? And can I connect to the control via USB/Serial converter?
lawrence

[harold_weber]

I have no personal experience with Vista. I'm told it is still possible to buy new PC's with XP. Search this Forum, and you will see experiences others have had. Apparently, it works OK if you do a "clean" install, but for ANY Windows version, you need to make sure you have as many background processes turned off as practical. For example, you DON'T want Windows to decide to check the internet for software updates while you are cutting a part........ You want the Windows system to devote 100% of its time to running the ShopBot control software, 99.99% of the time will not be satisfactory.

Also, no experience with a USB to Serial converter, my motherboards always have had serial ports.

[wildwood109]

thank you all for the big help,anyone know about USB?SERIAL CONVERTER to the control box,will this work?

[jerry_stanek]

Check out microcenter.com they have refurbished computers that come with XP pro. I ended getting one to run my bot and it works great. Go to their online catalog and see page 13.

[wildwood109]

ha thanks jerry, i would like to know if the usb port to serial con.will work,any one trying that.

[gary_n]

I have used a USB to serial port cable before and had no problems with it. I got it at Radio Shack.