Need Help Need help with this shopbot

[jtinker]

I recently inherited a shopbot PR 48 x 96. It was my first boss's and he left it to me after a battle with cancer. Along with whatever else was in his shop. I am pretty sure I have most of the parts or all of them just not sure how it all goes together. Shopbot doesn't have any support on their site. I've been calling for a couple days I get put on to support staff that goes to voicemail and cant join the forums because they shut down registration. Anyone have any experience with these machines and can offer some assistance?

From what I can tell I have the full gantry assembly with router and all the motors. And the control box and wires. Though I think a sensor or two may be missing. I booted it up and it lights up after 10 years in storage.

 

[mpn]

Try cnczone

 

[Gene@mpls]

This is for a PRT, the next generation in the ShopBot models. The PR was the first model. I think this will provide a lot of info for you. I have a lot of experience with the PRS machines but have never seen a PR or PRT. I am on the SB forum so I may be able to get answers as there are a lot oft these old machines still working. Do not give up on SB, they are really good people and support a *lot* of old machines [for free]. They, like all of us, have limited resources. Gene

http://www.shopbottools.com/ShopBotDocs/files/AssemblyBinder060828.pdf

 

[Gene@mpls]

This is on the SB forum-

Forum Registration
Send your request by email to tsbforum@shopbottools.com. Include the following

User Name (This will appear on posts so some version of your real name or company name is suggested:
Email:
Your name:
Location:
Company:
What you make (or plan to make) with the ShopBot:

We've had to suspend the regular registration method due to a high number of spam registration attempts clogging up the system. You'll get a quick response acknowledging your email. Check your junk/spam box if it doesn't appear, Most requests are approved within 24hr. If you have questions, contact the forum admin.

 

[jtinker]

Thanks for the link! I was wondering how all these pieces come together. the diagram at the top solved a part of that puzzle. I am pretty sure im going to have to end up building my own table out of steel or extruded aluminum. My first question if I was able to get into the forum is what are the exact dimensions of it so I can have someone recreate it.
I sent that email from Wednesday last week nobody has answered me as yet. Maybe they're just super busy.

One question and im thinking they all still work this way
I have the machine, a control box and a computer.

The machine connects to the control box and I have to get a computer to plug into the control box correct. Im seeing some old parallel and serial ports on this control box but no video output. So its the only thing I can think of that makes sense.

 

[letterman7]

Yes, you need a computer to connect to the control box. Then you'll need to download the SB control software from SB to operate. You'll still want a program like VCarve to do the actual path creations if it already isn't loaded. Judging by what you have in the photos, you don't have the actual table base to bolt the rails to. Lots of people make a solid wooden base to fit the rails. Dimensions are what they are - the long rails are the main rails.. the carriage with the vertical motor (held by the silver cross pieces) sits on top of the main rails - the motors swing up from underneath to engage the drive teeth on the main rail. You can set everything up just by sitting it on the ground and measuring for your overall dimensions, that way you can decide how you want to build the table. Make it as sturdy as you can.. it does make a difference. I've got a PRT that's decades old, but still runs well (well.. at some point I have to upgrade the control box and motors )

 

[billsines]

You may not need to download the control software; it may already exist on the computer.

I don't have a shopbot but I do have several EZ Routers, kinda the same class of router. If this thing is anything like mine, yeah there's a high learning curve, but they are easy to work on once you figure out what you're doing. You can get a lot of the parts by searching on line. And they hold up really well. Just build your base really well, I would use welded steel.

 

[Gene@mpls]

I always buy a refurb Dell laptop for a couple hundred dollars [Win 7... not W10, especially for old software] and mount it on the machine. Keep trying on the SB forum- these people are very knowledgeable and helpful. I just shipping in a used SB Buddy Alpha which had the spindle driver crap out from the ride up to the northcountry- I had a SB software engineer helping me on the forum- and he was right.