New to forum and need help with older Shopbot - Raleigh, NC
 

Hello all,

I am Dave and I live in Raleigh NC right down the road from the Shopbot headquarters. I purchased an older model SB off ebay 1 year ago and am in the process of revamping it. The only things SB about it are the table and gantry. All other components were altered by the previous owner. The machine runs and cuts but is not in any way reliable. I get skipping/jerking on the X & Y axis and have to cut everything at a snails pace with my fingers crossed.

I took pictures of the components and went to see SB about getting it up to par. They told me the first thing I should replace is the control box. They recommended the new Standard control box for $2500 :eek:. They also said that I may want to replace the motors. I personally did not want to spend $2500 if it would not be guaranteed to work with everything else I already had. I did however pruchase 3 Vexta A6497-9412KTG motors for the X & Y axis from a guy on the SB forum for $150 each. When searching for driver/power supply information on the Vexta motors I stumbled on this site. I really wish I found you people from the start.

Below is a breakdown of my existing motor/electronics. I would like to get some feedback as to the best way to improve my setup. Is it possible to use the newer Vexta motors I just bought or should I list them back on the SB forum?

Any help is greatly appreciated. My goal is to create a dependable machine that I know inside and out.

Thanks,

Dave

Current Motor/Electronics Components

X & Y Axis
Motors:
Keling, Inc. Hybrid Stepper Motor (KL23H2100-00-4B)
http://www.kelinginc.net/KL23H2100-30-4BM.pdf

Phase: 2
Deg/Step: 1.8
V: 3.6
A: 3.0
Ohms: 1.25
MH: 5.6
oz-in: 385.7

Drivers:
Keling, Inc. (KL-4030)
http://www.kelinginc.net/KL-4030.doc

Z Axis
Motor:
Powerpac NEMA34 (K313SSFS-LEK-SS-02)
http://www.pacsci.com/support/docume...llbulletin.pdf
Is: 5.5A
Vs: 35V
Po: 119w

Driver:
Gecko (G201A)

Power Supply
(3) Inteli Power (PD9155A) by Progressive Dynamics, Inc.
Note: These are RV Power Converters. The previous owner was the Engineering Project Manager for Progressive Dynamics.

This link is for model # PD9160A:
http://www.progressivedyn.com/prod_d...pd9160a_2.html

http://www.progressivedyn.com/CONVERTER_MANUAL.pdf

Input (each): 105-130 VAC, 60Hz, 900 watts
Output (each): 13.6VDC, 55 Amps

Total output is 40 volts

Hi Dave,
Welcome to the forum, IMHO you should just sell the SB & build a Mechmate from scratch.
If you read through this forum, you will learn enough to make your own decision with your upgrade at minimal outlay.

Hey Ken,
After spending some time reading the forum I plan on building a MechMate from scratch. In the meantime I want to get what I have running better. The SB table will make a good foundation to build and learn from.

This forum, and the amount of information on it is just incredible. I have learned a lot in just a couple of days. I spent last night and this morning completly rewiring the "rats nest" of a control box. Now I have a greater understanding of the control box and am better able to diagnose the problems.

Well done!

Why not build a MM gantry to put on the shopbot base table

Heath,
Fabulous idea.

That is how this all started. :)

Heath, when you have been following the forums as long as us - others might not realize that ;)