Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] re:RE: Quandry

Ballendo;

I think you have given me the answer I needed. I will investigate a little
further based NOW on my immediate needs and goals. Thanks

At 07:15 AM 10/15/00 +0000, ballendo@... wrote:

>Hugh wrote:
> >What do you think of ShopBot? (www.shopbottools.com/products.htm)
> >Is their s/w proprietary or just the .shp extension?
>
>Shopbot s/w is proprietary. Like Flashcut, they use a "signal
>generator/driver box" and talk to it thru a serial port. With DOS!

> DOS is OK with me. I have two laptops sitting in my shop -- a 486 sx
> 33 and a 486 dx 66. Either one of them should be able to drive the machine.

>I have mentioned before that their s/w includes some very useful
>features. Ted Hall, who designed the machine and original S/W, is one
>of us, in spirit, at least.(don't know if he's on our list or not)
>
>His software is written to reflect someone who wants to make parts.
>And isn't concerned with conforming to anybody's "standard".
>
>The orig. s/w was not compatible with anything but shopbot. However,
>with about 500 machines out, there is quite a user group of
>"shopbotters" who help each other very much like our own CCED list!
>And who have written "converters" for Gcode to shopbot, among other
>things.

>How do I find it?

>The original machine, IMO, was extremely lacking. Improvements
>include a change from cable drive to rack and pinion, and an upgrade
>from hardware store "glass door rollers" to bishop-wisecarver Dual-
>vee wheels. However, the B-W wheels still ride on the "unistrut
>ways" which is probably the weakest part of the design. The wheels
>"cut-in" to the strut to a point and then seem to work reliably for a
>number of users. Also now available is a steel welded base.

>
>Can the ways be changed without totally dispupting the machine?

>Look at the example uses shown on the website(s). If your intended
>use is similar, I feel the shopbot has become a viable alternative.
>
>
> >If I had all the parts I could build it myself. Price comes out to a
> >little less. What do you think?
>
>Should you build yourself?
>
>As I say whenever this question is asked, What are YOUR goals?
>Strengths? Weaknesses? Time-frame?
>
>IMO, if the only reason you are doing it yourself is to save some
>money, you lose! You WILL spend AT LEAST as much in time/money that
>you could have bought a machine! Re-read the previous paragraph.

>I love a challenge. This sounds like one. But first, I need to get a
>working machine to make sawdust, er parts.

>Hope this helps.

>It did, Thanks.

>Ballendo
>
>P.S. Tornado's and rain are easy to check up on. National Weather
>Service. Is he lying to you?
>Weather conditions WERE bad in TN earlier this year. Whether his shop was
>in the path I can't say. He DID give me the name of the trucking Co. and
>they DO exist, but, at this point I am not going to play detective just to
>see if he lied. Not worth it. Bottom line is - I need a machine soon and
>I don't think he can provide it.

>Maybe not. Mariss just posted some of the HUGE number of things that
>CAN go wrong in a business. You may want to re-read his "lucky"
>thread. Good Luck.
>
>Read it 6 times already and had to think if I really want to go into
>business for myself. But, the answer still comes up - YES!
>
>Hugh
>
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