Tips & Tricks - Your Feedback Needed!

[Brady Watson]

I hope that everyone's 2007 has been as productive, lucrative and successful as mine has! In the past year, I've had the opportunity to work on many interesting projects and challenging jobs - Big parts, small parts, exotic materials and challenging designs. I've come to realize that I often take for granted all of the things that I have learned since starting this CNC adventure, and forget the areas in the CNC process where I used to struggle. When I got started, I knew nothing, & because of the helpful crew at ShopBot and this great community of down to earth & friendly users, my abilities have grown at a quantum pace. This is a fun and exciting venture we are all involved in, regardless of how each of us exert the benefits of our CNCs, and there is always something new to learn to enhance our experience.

I'm sure that I am not alone when I say that I bought a ShopBot primarily because of friendly nature and always eager to help attitude of Shopbotters. I never owned a CNC tool before, and it was like stepping out into the big unknown. I know what it's like just starting out on a beans and cheese diet. I also know how frustrating some things can be, when we can't readily find a solution to a tough problem that we need to solve in order to make ends meet.

That being said, My Tips & Tricks column has some useful information that came out of my own problem solving situations. They are things that I thought would have mass appeal. What I need to know is, where are people getting stuck? What are your blind spots that you would like to get some clarity around? What types of problems (software, cutting, hold down, other) are you encountering? I thought that instead of me offering what I think people want to learn, that I would take suggestions right from you guys. If appropriate & suitable for a column write-up, I will use your ideas in the next column. You'll get some insight into what you want to learn, and I'll have an idea as to what people need. Win-Win, that's what this community is all about.

You can post your suggestions here, or privately email suggestions, with 'TIPS & TRICKS' in the subject line to: bjwat@comcast.net (mailto:bjwat@comcast.net)

Thanks!!!
-Brady

[Brady Watson]

Bump

[ljdm]

Bump?
How about a "Vacuum Hold-down Setups For Dummies" approach for those of us that need it made even clearer than it already is? Would be nice to be able to have as many types of setups/optional equipment explained in one article. A rehash/compilation of the various methods employed, with different variations of vacs, table configurations, best method(s) for different types of materials to be held down, etc.
Another good topic would be toolpath methods, advantages of climb vs conventional, best bits, feed rate, RPM for different materials. Alot of this is available if you search the forum, takes alot of sifting. Nice to have it condensed in one place.

[rhfurniture]

Hows about spindle maintainance, programming vfd's, how they work, adding extras (I have a toggle switch on mine that I can switch between idle/warmup speed and set speed, and a big ampeter on the outside of the case), changeing bearings (you kind of did that in a post), torque and power curves, ER collets - how to tell if they are worn & sizes to choose, when to add chokes and filters, power feeds and all that kindofstuff. I recently added one to my shopbot. It was not a "package from shopbot" so was not pre-setup, and I learned a lot, though I am sure I only skimmed the surface.
-R

[Gary Campbell]

Brady...
How about a "V" tutorial? Take the (VR) page. There is little or no documentation. Since I applied your reccommended settings my machine has been much smoother. An explanation of the settings and what goes on when changing in each direction, would really help. That may save hundreds (like myself) from blindly having to try greater changes to make a visible operational change, so that we can try to tune the Bot for different cutting applications.
Gary

[pfulghum]

Second Gary G. proposal on "VR"...Ramp, Slow Corner, etc.

-- pat

[mmccue29]

I would like to thank you for all that you do for the forum and shopbotters. You have always been helpful and informative.

Merry Chirstmas!

[ernie_balch]

How about Generating 3D models for tool paths? Now that Shopbots come with partworks3D it would be nice to learn how to generate these files.

ernie

[sailfl]

Sorry to be ignorant but where do you find these Trips and Tricks?

[rhfurniture]

Tell us all about Grover (and other animiles) and their role in your workshop.

http://www.shopbottools.com/Brady's_tricks.htm

[Brady Watson]

Thanks for the comments & suggestions so far. Keep 'em coming...and keep in mind the info will have to be condensed to article length.

Here is a working link to the Tips & Tricks page: http://tinyurl.com/2tl6at

-B

[bill.young]

Hey Brady,

If you want to elaborate on some of the topics beyond article length, the ShopBot wiki would be a great place to put them. A couple of the topics that have been suggested above already have some info in there, but all the topics could use much more.

Bill

[gerard]

on a side note Brady, Im curious to know how long you have been exploring CNC, how long ago was it that you were a beginner, it seems to me that in that time, you have become amazingly skilled at using the shopbot, and even better, willing to share, and help others who are in need, we all have a gift that we bring to the table, and from the various forum posts, yours is the willingness to help, thanks


I would like to see something on various hold down techniques, as vacuum seems to be the way to go with alot fo projects, I still wonder how else to hold down materials in various situations

[Brady Watson]

Bill - thanks. I'll keep that idea open. Right now I want to concentrate on the column, and what people want to learn.

Gerard,
I bought my machine in 2001, but I saw my 1st CNC in operation around 1993. I knew I had to have one...The ShopBot has helped me become fully self-expressed and use many of my dormant talents that I picked up along the way in my numerous prior ventures and educational disciplines. I get paid to play everyday...which wasn't the case before I bought a Bot.

-B

[gerard]

Brady, this probably goes off on a tangent better served in another topic, but a bell rang clear when you said, "I get paid to play every day" I ran a landscape maintenance business, and I used to say that I was the luckiest guy in the world because I got paid to play with toys every day, many reasons forced me to take a career job, and pay for play is no longer common

do what you love and you will never work another day in your life