Just picked up the new machine

[mikeb]

Well , I just got back hours ago from picking up the new shopbot. I thought picking it up would be a nice trip ,get down to some good weather for a couple of days, I' m from the great white north. Anyway starting out, ran into a bit of snow right from the beginning on the bottom of lake Erie, ,not bad I can handle that. after that pretty clear sailing down to the head office in N carolina. Pick up the machine around 9 am Monday morning, and start thinking of a short cut through the mountains of Virginia, Looked a lot shorter on the map, and the distance was a lot shorter. If only you could go the same speed , or evenhalf the speed it would have been a good move, but it just happen to be a snow day in that area, maybe 2 inches of snow on the ground[and sticking] through 8-9degree inclines and declines pulling a trailer with 1300 pounds in it! Wow is all I can say. It would be a great ride for the motorcycle, in the summer, but ,,I couln't believe it there were full size rigs doing this route, almost took me out a couple of times.Anyway, made it home, my son and I, all in one piece, a litle wiser,[ next time motorcycles and only in the summertime. Now time to assemble

[seana]

Welcome to the group and congratulations!!

Wouldn't recommend pulling a trailer with 1300 lbs on it with a motorcycle though.


Now the fun starts. Take your time don't rush it. It will really pay off in the end how well you set it up the first time.

Sean

[GlenP]

Welcome to the Canuck botters fun club Mike. If you are ever going for a bike road trip keep me in mind. I am near Belleville but we could meet up somewhere and become "Wild Hogs".

Glad to hear you got it home and now the fun begins.

[khaos]

congrats!!! Glad to have you with us.

[wberminio]

Mike- the fun has just begun!

Welcome!


Erminio

[chiloquinruss]

Step 1. Patience
Step 2. read the manual several times before starting.
Step 3. measure
Step 4. level
Step 5. while saying in your mind step 1 repat steps 3 and 4 over and over and over and . . . .
Step 6. above everything else have fun and welcome to the group.

Russ

[dlcw]

Welcome to the group Mike!

How you view woodworking will change forever. You will wonder how you did so many things prior to the CNC now that the machine makes many of those tasks easier and faster. This machine will open many new opportunities and possibilities.

Don't get caught up in the "if the CNC can't do it, it can't be done" mentality. There are other woodworking machines and handtools that can do a better job then the CNC for specific tasks. I still reach regularly for my handplanes and my chisels.

Like Russ says: level, measure, repeat. Just like the shampoo bottle says. The adage of measure twice, cut once is partially applicable. Here: measure and level dozens of times before you tighten everything down. Then after you've run the machine for awhile check your level and measurements again.

Above all else, be patient.

You will have issues to work out, it's part of the ritual. ShopBot tech support and this forum will get you through if you don't give up. It has happened for many people before you. Everyone here is willing to help you through tough times. You will prevail!

Don
www.dlwoodworks.com (http://www.dlwoodworks.com)

[dana_swift]

mike- which machine did you get? Knowing that will help get you more relevant information.

Most of the setting up is common to all shopbots. So any of us can help, but when you get to specifics of a given model it helps to find another owner of that model for info.

Its overwhelming at first, but you get up and going and it all starts to make sense. We have been through it and are very glad we did.

Welcome!

D

[myxpykalix]

I knew nothing about cnc when i bought mine and had a special table welded up and got mine put together by myself so if i can do it you should have no problem.

[myxpykalix]

oh and remember the only stupid question is the one you don't ask...

[mikeb]

Hey guys, went with the standard to start with, 48-96, thought Id go this route,while learning the ins and outs. will upgrade when comfortable knowing I wont screw anything up! Started assembly and got the frame together ,still needs a little tweaking, but going smoothly so far. Lots of bolts eh! Hope to finish it up over the weekend if all goes well.

Mike

[GlenP]

Man if you get to the point of not screwing anything up you got me beat. lol
If you haven't hit a screw, clamp or drove the bit into the middle of your part you haven't lived yet.
Yes lots of bolts. Post some pic if you can Mike. I am sure all would agree we would love to see your setup. Don't worry about sweeping the floor to show us some super clean shop.....those pics bug the heck out me. lol

[paul_z]

I agree with Glen. There are those who have hit clamps (in my case with my most expensive bit) and there are those who will hit clamps.

Just take it in stride. Until you are quite experienced, air cut first.

Paul Z

[myxpykalix]

Mike,
There are two things you must do before you can consider yourself a true shopbotter.

One is you must break your first bit...no rules on how we need to know that you did,

And second you need to learn the secret shopbot pledge and handshake.....without those two, you are not an official member of the club.




(shhh...don't tell him there is no pledge or handshake because as an initiation we will send him out Snipe hunting next!)

[dlcw]

He also needs to know the official logo of a shopbotter.

Don

[Gary Campbell]

Dont forget that there are 2 classes of ShopBotters. Those that display the logo on their shirt and those that display it on their pants.

Gary

[ken_rychlik]

Gary, I have both. The prt was taller and gave shirt tracks. The prs isn't as tall and gives pants tracks.

Kenneth

[myxpykalix]

So now you kbow why shopbot T shirts are blue...

Ted Hall is a frickin genius!

[ssflyer]

I was truly impressed just how well my carbide v-bit cut through the hardened steel jaw of my clamp!
Of course, it only got about 3/4" before shattering the bit


Ron

[curtiss]

One great thing to learn the hard way is to clamp down your project, start the file, and then notice you have the work piece mounted 90 degrees the wrong way.

One "free tip" would be to hold the router wrenches with a small angle between them and use a "sissors action" with both hands on both wrenches to tighen or loosen the collet.

[myxpykalix]

curtis is that "free tip" a lesson you learned "the hard way"?

[ssflyer]

Curtis,

That's exactly how I learned about carbide cutting hardened steel!

[navigator7]

Ron,
Don't feel so bad. I know a Cleveland Mill that produces identical results when a carbide cutter is drawn into a hardened steel jaw.