I want to buy a shopbot Buddy, but I dont know if its big enough. I live on the coast so I am going to market the beach cottage signs. Thats all. It comes in a 24" x 36" I think. that should be big enough. To buy a bigger one like the 48"x96"x6" I'm looking at twice the money. My question is would I really use the bigger one enough to justify buying it. The economy has got the funds sort of strecthed out. My cottage signs run about 2'x3' anyway. The Buddy should be enough. what do you think? Thanks.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
You can do better. I just saw a gerber saber 4x4 for 4800 bux..
I built a 4x4, I soon found it would be nicer to be at 4x8. I spent the money to go up to a 4x8. It saved me lots of setup time. But. Did I need the extra? Yes, because I can see when production will require less time wasted on setups.
Let me point out there a a lot of big name machines around going out the door really cheap. Shops are unloading them cheap. A multicam here went for 5 grand with upgraded spindles and controller boards.
An xyz went for less than 5 grand here just to get it out of the way. I heard about another multicam that sold real low with lots of goodies with it. I saw a 12 ft shopbot that went for ten grand.
I am serious. There are lots of powerful name brand machines being dumped. Shop around and you will find one. I knew of at least 3 myself.
Posted by John Arnott (Member # 215) on :
If you can do the jobs you want to do on the small machine....that's fine. When people find out you have a machine, the requests start coming in. You can buy the small machine for now, but you will buy a 4x8 later! I have a 4x8 and sometimes need the 10', but I find a way to work around this.
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
I would not even consider a machine that didn't use Mach 3 from Artsoft to run the router. Most Shopbotters drool when they see Mach running. So for me, that eliminates ShopBot and Multicam.
Posted by Rodger MacMunn (Member # 4316) on :
Buddy, check out CAMaster in Calhoun GA. Very sturdy machine (all welded) ....... even their small machine (The Stinger) is solid. It comes with Mach3.
Posted by Eric Humphreville (Member # 4762) on :
Do you need another program between the design software and mach 3?
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
yes, i use corel draw X3 and DFXTools wich is a plugin for corel to export perfect dfx files.
Also corel will export .plt files that mach 3 can operate with. A perfect combination for designing. Export to gcode for Mach3 to drive the machine I can run my machine That is until I get Aspire from vectric.
[ September 06, 2010, 09:56 PM: Message edited by: Curtis hammond ]
Posted by Joe Crumley (Member # 2307) on :
Eric,
You can use your present design program with Mach 3.
This program shows you what's going on with the router, helping to avoid mistakes and speeding up the process. The reason so many of us like Mach it allows the operator to start, stop, move the gantry around and then continue on with the work in progress. For example you may need to change out a bit. No problem, just punch the Tool Change Button and the gantry will raise the router to a safe positition then move it over to the tool change area, drop down and await it's new tool. The really neat thing is it shows you just about everything that's going on during routing and lets you make changes on the fly. You can the spindle speed and travel speed while it's cutting.The program only cost about $150.00
Unfortunately since Shopbot runs a priority system Mach won't work.
Happy Routing
Posted by Buddy Norris (Member # 49) on :
But how do you know what you,re getting in a used router Curtis? someone elses problems. what about tech. support? I love the prices but what are you getting and how can you find out just by watching it run for a little while, if even that? what about the two year warranty?
[ September 07, 2010, 03:09 PM: Message edited by: Buddy Norris ]
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
Most of the used routers on the market are being sold because they are not being used, not because they are full of problems. Many have bought because they are cool and they thought they could develop a business for them, then find out the router isn't making them any money.
The good routers by their nature are pretty tough. The motors, gearing, ways, and structure are way stronger than the bits they are using, so you'll usually break a bit before damage the machine. Mach software or the limit switches will stop the router before it goes beyond it's range. Most of the stuff that wears the fastest like, collets, and bits should be replaced on a regular basis anyway. If the machine has electrical problems, it probably won't run so a demo should give you good feedback on whether it's junk or not.
I would definitely buy one that runs Mach, is not Chinese, and has a decent amount of steel in it's base. As far as tech support, most manufacturers today don't have much. All they are interested is getting the router out the door. The Shopbot forum is what keeps Shopbots running, and I've heard Multicam has good support, which is part of the reason they are so expensive.
