USED PRT ALPHA 60 X 144

[Chuck Keysor]

I have been reading the Shopbot forum for a few months, with my plan to buy a PRT ALPHA 60 x 144 next year. (I have to finish my shop and learn how to use the seat of Mastercam I now own.) I looked at the used Shopbot forum for the first time tonight. I found a used machine listed by Dave Gardner. The price seems great, and it is the machine I want. But: a)I know nothing about evaluating such a machine. b)My basement shop has a 5 foot wide door. This machine would have to be disassembled to get it into my shop. I know a new machine comes knocked down. But is it sane to disassemble this machine and transport it to near Chicago? c) After being knocked down, what is the smallest size truck would this need to be moved? d) I am motivated by the price and don't mind sitting on this until next year. Any advise you can give me is welcome. Thanks, Chuck

[myxpykalix]

If you decide to disassemble it all the parts will fit in the back of an average pick up truck.
If you decide to leave it together you could roll it up on a trailer and cinch it down. Is it actually 12' long?
If it is an Alpha i assume it is just a few years old. Keep in mind that unless this machine has been used in a production shop chances are it has fairly low (relatively speaking) hours on it and even if it was in a shop these things are built pretty tough. They tend to hold value because they aren't a piece of junk that falls apart.
If you were to have to put it all together it wouldn't take but a day or so. Don't be concerned about having left over parts after you get it togeher, i had several extra pieces and i just threw them away...lol

[cip]

Chuck;
I own that same machine and it's actually almost 14' long and a little over 6' wide.
I would recommend that you get a trailer to transport it. Or have it moved using a tilt bed flat bed wrecker. To take it apart and reassemble it would be a real waste of time.

I just moved mine and found that a heavy duty caster under each of the corner legs works very well. The machine weight is right around 1400 lbs. And assuming it has a steel frame table and legs you should be fine with the casters.

I would recommend unplugging all of the stepper motors so as not to spike the drivers when you move the gantry.

Move the Y axis gantry to one end to remove the weight from the middle of the unit. Be sure to block / clamp the gantry and Y axis car so that they won't move.

Good luck
Mike

[Chuck Keysor]

Thanks Jack and Mike for your feedback! Mike, as noted in my post, the doorway into my basement shop is 5 feet wide (through a cement foundation wall so I can't enlarge it). So can you offer your thoughts on the sanity of taking this unit apart and reassembling it, since I MUST take it a apart.

And, I am assuming I can work with the people of Shopbot to bring the machine back up to working order should I encounter problems with either the machine, or my own lack of knowledge. Thanks again, Chuck

[jerry_stanek]

Once you disassemble it you will have a good idea on how it goes back together. Just remember to label the cables and you should be fine. Also as you take every thing apart clean and check to see if any parts are worn. You will get a lot of good experience with the workings of it.

[toych]

Chuck, the least of your worries will be assembly and disassembly. Hundreds of people on this forum have assembled their own machines with no issues.

It sounds like you don't have an option anyway with the small door to your shop.

Buy it, put it together and start learning. Your Mastercam skills can catch up to your machining skills. Fire that bad boy up and make some sawdust....it's incredibly fun!

Personally I learn something almost every time I fire up the bot.

Darren

[Chuck Keysor]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I have contacted the seller to begin discussing the purchase of his machine. I am still open to further comments if anyone has something to add. Thanks again, Chuck

[myxpykalix]

Your carriage will stay in one piece and can fit thru the door. Same with rails so the only main part will be the bottom of the table and since all of that is predrilled you will just have to maybe mark it with tape and a marker how you take it apart, then reassemble it back that same way.
The biggest thing you need to be careful of is that you make sure your table is "square". The rails need to be parrallel to each other and level with each other.
Putting it back together is not nearly as daunting a task as you might fear.

[Chuck Keysor]

Thanks Jack for your added input.

I talked to someone at the Shopbot office today, and they did tell me that annual support for a used machine is $1400. This was important for me to find out. Chuck

[thewoodcrafter]

They actually told you it costs $1400 to answer questions on the phone?

You are kidding, right?

Who did you talk to?

[myxpykalix]

I would be extremely surprised at them instituting a policy like that. I've never heard of this before.

[ljdm]

I've talked to support many times about my 'Bot that I purchased used(a much older machine), free of charge. I haven't heard of them charging for support, unless it's a new policy, and then it would have been discussed at great length here on the forum.

[ed_lang]

Just a guess, but I expect that was the "extended" warranty for a used machine. Support, as in asking questions will be at no charge as it has been.

I have not talked to ShopBot, so this is ONLY my guess.

[Ryan P]

This price is for the extended warranty and includes PartWorks software. There is not a fee for Tech support.

[myxpykalix]

Well its good to hear that Ted hadn't fallen down and hit his head and came up with some crazy business plan...lol

[Chuck Keysor]

It is my belief that the machine I am looking at works fine. I am pretty organized and good at technical disassembly/reassembly, but have no Shopbot experience.

Can anyone, including Ryan comment on what circumstances would indicate my need to spend the $1400? Also, the seller might already have Partworks. Should I look at this as an option only if I totally mess up the machine (like dropping it off the truck)?

I won't be around during business hours for a couple of days. Otherwise I would call Ryan back to discuss this futher.

Thanks again, Chuck

[Chuck Keysor]

I have purchased the used PRT Alpha, and it is now disassembled and waiting for my shop to be completed.

My questions are: 1) What are the functional differences between a PRT alpha and the current PRS alpha routers? 2) My unit was upgraded in 2004. Are there any further upgrades that need to be made, or which should be made?

Any input or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Chuck

[thewoodcrafter]

When you say your machine was upgraded in 2004, what was upgraded?

The only upgrade I know of for an Alpha would be the 7.2 geared steppers.
I did this to my machine and it made a big difference in performance. Well worth the cost.

[david_gardner]

It was upgraded from a standard to an alpha in 2004. Still has direct drive steppers.

[Chuck Keysor]

The documentation which came with my PRTalpha included a document and kit instructions for "Upgrading the PRT to PRTalpha". In the instructions, it shows adding stiffening brackets, limit switches, a new alpha zero plate, a new dust skirt, 3 new alpha step motors, and associated wiring changes. These changes were all implemented to my PRT to convert it into a PRTalpha. Chuck