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I have growing interest in cnc routers and plasma cutters. I have a friend right up the street with a plasma cutter, but he is in the sheet metal industry. I am interested in a router that will carve hdu and also route a dibond type sign. Actually I expect to hand carve my own signs, but I could at least do a layout with it. My thoughts are it's overall uses. Are these also good for non-sign related projects such a cabinetmaking, etc.?? I would like at least a 4x8 or 4x10 size. I have heard all price ranges, but would be interested in your views. Their is even a 4x4 cnc plasma cutter out there at 1500.00 and has pretty good reviews. Thanks for your opinions....bronzeo
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
We have a couple cabinet manufacturers here in town and both have a few routers on duty.
The possibilities are really endless.. anything you can cut with a router you can switch to a CNC version to do the same thing, and you can even use them for things you'd never even think about cutting with a router.
I'd definitely love to have a CNC router.. and a plasma cutter.. and a laser cutter.. and water jet.. a 5 axis CNC mill would be fun too..
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Jack, $1500 or $15,000 for the plasma? A friend of mine just bought a handheld plasma for $1000. We have been playing around with it on the weekends. Making some pretty cool projects with it.
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Brad, Here is a link for a cnc plasma. It is not the 1500.00 one. I an still looking for it. I found it about 3 years ago. Some of the guys on the ArtMetal BB were saying it worked pretty well. You had to use your torch and computer. I will send the link if I can find it. http://www.torchmate.com/ ... Does anyone out there use a ShopBot router?
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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Shopbot - I've been watching them for a few years because of their low entry price. It was nice to see them finally at last December's SignWorld show in Atlantic City. They were like the "Little Engine That Could" next to the big boys who were flexing and puffing their big price tags. They held their own quite nicely in all the cutting departments. But - by making a pest of myself to the booth people, I was able to determine that Shopbot does NOT include a critical piece of very expensive software in its package - the ability to generate "G" code - a MUST for doing tapered serifs when V-routing. Without it, you would need to hand chisel any serifs and hand square any sharp edges in V-carved letters. The G-code software is supposed to cost a couple grand on its own, so it's a pretty big factor to keep in mind when considering Shopbot. And I would expect the big players like Gerber to do everything in their power to keep Shopbot from making any kind of deal with the owners of the code to include it in their package. If Shopbot ever works around that issue they should rule the market.
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Joe, according to their website the included VECTOR CAD/CAM software generates the G-Code required to drive the shopbot, plus they even recommend ProfileLab, CadLink's Router software which specifically supports the ShopBot..
Or you can write the G-code manually using notepad.exe.. albeit a crapshoot if you dont have the time to sit and do all the math to generate the toolpaths.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Mike, If G-code is included, then either something significant has changed in their package since December, or, I'm confused (again). Maybe it wasn't G-code I'm remembering...
Following X-Y-and-Z toolpaths is pretty basic stuff, it's the ability to "Ramp" up the sides at the end of a path that they didn't include at the time. To have that V-bit taper up the sides to a fine point when doing incised V-routing. Perhaps I have the name wrong. Anybody know if that ability is what's called "G-code" or is there another type of 3-D path software that does that??
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The very best 3D software for this industry is Artcam's new 3D and 2D packages its expensive, but very impressive, and outputs to most routers, converting code to suit.
The thing I liked was the ability to manipulate a job on screen and then see exactly how its going to rout, and by picking a corner of the job you can rotate in any plane you like adding height or depth as required, you can then convert the image to toolpaths and see exactly where its cutting/routing, and it gives you a time frame too like 10 hours so a piece can be left overnight.
You can import any bitmap and convert it assigning colors to areas depending on what you want to do, in Sweden it costs about $6700 dollars but is extremely user friendly, check out www.delcam.com i think that this program with a Gerber Sabre or Multi camm machine would be the thing to beat.
There's another code called m-code that's used for CNC's but G-code is the more popular route.
If the machine has a Z axis and is driven by G-code (such as the shopbot) the only reason it could not perform a ramp is the lack of ability in the software to write the code.
I'm sure the VECTOR CAD/CAM software included with the shopbot can handle it. I checked out the vector website and the complex parts shown in their gallery are pretty impressive for a lower cost program.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I just called Donna at 1-888-680-4466 with ShopBot. She said their software will cut DXF,Tiff, and HPGL files... This software will ramp a 3D cut and comes with the machines regular price. Their is a fourth path you can purchase the equiptment for, which will tilt or turn the substrate to cut all sides(such as a bowling pin). Some of the other software packages might be just great, but the capabilities all come with the ShopBot. Give her a call if you need more info. She is very knowledgeable on the machine. Thanks Joe for bringing it up though, because these other software packs are very expensive. Jack
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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Well, I'll take this as good news. I'll be checking out routers at Sign World in Atlantic City coming up in December. I hope Shopbot will be there to shake up the big boys again. Gotta love the little guys.
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I have an 8x4 shopbot imported from the states about 14 months ago i run it along side signlab/engrave lab, cadlink have a driver in these packages (spt) shopbot tools. Mine paid for itself within 12 months runs every day no fancy packaging but does the finished job as good as the big boys, my gerber rep was in the other day and couldn't believe it, some where on shopbots site is an attachment for a plasma cutter 2 machines in 1!
Regards from over the big pond
Adrian Signrite Signs & Graphics 17C Wincombe Business Park Shaftesbury Dorset SP7 9QJ uk
-------------------- Adrian Howard Signrite Signs & Graphics Shaftesbury, Dorset United Kingdom ady@signrite.co.uk "Our only Business is Promoting Yours"
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Adrian, thanks for responding. Do you know if there is any file format I could create in Corel Draw that would drive a ShopBot? And is there a really special software needed for ramping up the serifs of V-carved letters, or is that a myth? Thanks.
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Joe, Go to the shopbots site http://www.talkshopbot.com/ There you will find a bulletin board like ours, with nothing but shopbot users and techs. Softwares of all kinds are discussed. Most seem to like the free on that SB provides with the mechanism. They discuss customizations, materials, etc. I am trying to learn a lot before making a plunge, but their are hours of great posts. Jack
[ October 13, 2001: Message edited by: bronzeo ]
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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