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Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
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Author:  Mitch Cain [ Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:26 am ]
Post subject:  Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
Anyone using one of these for lutherie? It seems small enough that it can fit inside a home shop and seems to have a large enough table...

Any thoughts?
Author:  npalen [ Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
Mitch--Looks like a nice compact machine.
I would recommend the variable frequency spindle rather than the router spindle.
Also would recommend the closed loop axes drive system.
Nelson
Author:  Billy T [ Wed Feb 06, 2008 2:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
Be nice to have! Do you know the price for the "Buddy"!
Author:  Mitch Cain [ Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
they have two models with lots of options - you can get in for as low as $4500 and as high as $10K, depending on options...
Author:  Bob Garrish [ Wed Feb 06, 2008 5:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
Looks like it has a fixed bridge and moving table for the Y axis. Hard to say on a low-end machine, but bridge style machines are usually more accurate than gantry style so it might be able to hold slightly tighter tolerances. Unless you need Taylor-level accuracy, then most CNC routers will do decent work if you run them slow enough.

As a side note, nearly every CNC router manufacturer under the 100K mark lies through their teeth about the accuracy their system will hold, generally you should multiply it by 5-10+. So, if they say 0.001", then expect 0.005"-0.01". If they say 0.01", then really watch out unless they're the kind of company that's reputable higher in the industry (eg:you can trust Haas on what their CNC router can do). Most stuff in lutherie doesn't need to be super-accurate, but I wouldn't want my frets all wandering 10-20 thou here and there.
Author:  Parser [ Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
I would really recommend the K2 machines. I have a KG3925G machine at home and I use Fadal's at work...and I've done testing on some sub 100K machines. I got my CNC and all the software (Rhino and RhinoCAM) for less than $10k. The K2 machine is pretty simple..and it uses a router as a spindle. This isn't the most powerful thing in the world...but it sure is easy to replace if need be. These machines are more of a workhorse than a racehorse. They do have adequate accuracy for inlay & such and they are servo controlled. The standard setup is to run G-Code from Mach III.

The things that turned me off from shopbot when I was shipping were a) the stepper controls and b) the lack of G-Code support.

I hope that helps..
Author:  npalen [ Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
I respect your logic on the router vs the frequency drive spindle. After all, a person could buy 10 routers for the price of the frequency drive spindle.
I've always used the router and my main objection is noise. I know the FDS motor runs much quieter but seems like a lot of the noise comes from the cutting itself as much as the brushes on the router. I do suspect, however, that the router being much lighter causes a lot of the cutting vibration and resulting noise level.
Nelson
Author:  Mitch Cain [ Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
While shopbots have their own language, I believe they do support g-code.

The thing I find attractive about the shopbot beyond the machine itself, is the forum they have. Very good group of folks, much like here, that will go out of their way to help you out...

Here's a link on their site about using the machine for luthierie...
http://www.shopbottools.com/instruments.htm
Author:  Rick Turner [ Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
Spindles can be incredibly quiet. The one on my Techno is about as loud as a Dremel...and that's with a 3/4" bit spinning at 20K. Cutting brings the noise up a bit, but it's absolutel nothing like cutting with a router. Those universal motors are just screamers no matter what you do.
Author:  Parser [ Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Shopbot BT32 "Buddy"
Mitch Cain wrote:
While shopbots have their own language, I believe they do support g-code.

The thing I find attractive about the shopbot beyond the machine itself, is the forum they have. Very good group of folks, much like here, that will go out of their way to help you out...

Here's a link on their site about using the machine for luthierie...
http://www.shopbottools.com/instruments.htm


The thing I like about my K2 is that I really haven't need much help... 8-)
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