Thanks ShopBot Tools!

This year has been incredibly life changing on so many levels, the moving, starting a new company CNCROi.com and a bunch of other stuff both personal and business wise.

During this time, I haven’t gotten back into CNC routing very much but I plan on getting back into it in a big way next year.

Having a custom CNC shop with the best laser on the market is great but it still leaves a massive hole capability wise that the CNC router fills nicely. It isn’t a 1 laser + 1 router = 2 cncs but a 1 + 1 = 3+ when you have both of these tools in the same space, there is incredible synergy!

I have a ShopBot Desktop which is just awesome but it does have its limitations, most notably, the platform size.

I’ve managed to make some pretty big things with it of course… but that just outlines the need for a larger format machine.

ShopBot Tools made an incredible industrial strength machine in a small form factor with the ShopBot Desktop and the industrial spindle has cut through endless projects very well and without any issues.

I didn’t post any updates on the machine because there is nothing to report, it just works!

All that being said, I do very much look forward to moving to a larger shop and when I do, I’ll be getting a full-sheet ShopBot Standard.

I’m not in that much of a rush for things but the incredible leap in speed mixed with the capability to just put a sheet on the table and cut without having to cut a sheet down to size will be a massive upgrade for the shop.

What I learned making the last few public projects I did with my ShopBot Desktop while in Australia is that tiling is a good stop-gap but wow does it ever increase production time and it also introduces room for (human) error.

I can also save an incredible amount of time using a vacuum table as well – unlike a CNC laser where it’s used for extraction and some “limited” hold down ability, with a CNC router, its only role is HOLD DOWN. Screwing things in is fun for about one project, then you realize how much funner things would be if you could just put a sheet on a table and cut with little fuss.

I can’t imagine screwing in 50 screws all over the place on a full-sheet like I do now with my ShopBot Desktop 1/6th sheet with some of the projects I do.

When people ask me whether they should buy a CNC laser or a CNC router, it tells me right away that they didn’t do any research – they are completely different tools for different applications. I wouldn’t cut full-sized 3/4 inch thick furniture using my CNC laser anymore than I’d use a CNC router to engrave marks onto a sheets of steel like small business cards.

So, what options am I looking at getting when I go ahead and buy a ShopBot PRStandard? Well, I’d go for the biggest machine right off the bat, a PRSstandard
96-60 as there is such a small price difference between the entry and top of the line. I always tell people to buy more than you need so that when things grow you are still capable of handling the projects that come through the door.

An industrial spindle is a no-brainer as it a vacuum table. I know somebody will ask me why I’d not go for a PRSalpha, the simple answer is I’d absolutely not rule it out… it will be a decision I make when I’m in my CNC router purchasing mode based on my needs and that of my clients at the time. I can now completely appreciate the benefits of this machine!

Anyways, my focus in 2015 is to grow across all my businesses so that I can fund my dreams on both the creative and equipment fronts – when I was younger I throw myself into the 3D animation business (not cheap!) and then I discovered CNC equipment which are another order of magnitude higher up the expense chain.

CNCKing.com has grown dramatically over the past 7 years and I see it growing even more as the years go by with the release of more books, more tested and verified projects and other verticals like full sized furniture!

The day I call ShopBot Tools and give them a cheque for one of their machines will be a fantastic one that I’ll forever remember.

A special thank you to the team at ShopBot Tools for making such awesome machinery that allows people all around the world turn their virtual ideas into physical pieces!