Fun with a ShopBot

[merrill77]

Thursday night I attended the first Intro to the ShopBot class at the soon-to-open Durham Techshop. It was a lot of fun! First, the instructor gave us a demo of the machine and the basic safety rules. Then we got an introduction to the ShopBot CAD software. After teaching us some of the basics, we were given plans for a stool and were allowed to customize the plans to our own preferences. The instructor then merged each of our plans and arranged the parts so they would fit on a 4x8 sheet of plywood. Then she demonstrated how to define the cut paths for the machine for each of our parts (this is the CAM part of CAD/CAM). We then loaded up the plans in the ShopBot controller, screwed down a sheet of plywood and turned the ShopBot loose.

Below is the stool that I designed/built. The fit of the parts was outstanding. It was quite an experience!

 

[TracyP]

Looks and sounds like you had a great time. Good looking design on the stool:thumbs_up

 

[DaveO]

Wow, what a great concept. It's great to see something like that opening up in our neck of the woods. I wish them the best of success.
Nice stool BTW :icon_thum


Dave

 

[McRabbet]

Our Toy project for needy kiids would not have been possible this year without the efforts of member Tim Merrill (tmerrill here -- how's that for coincidence of names!) and his ShopBot. Here is one of the prototype Doll Cradle backs being cut on his machine earlier this year...

And the finished product:

 

[CarvedTones]

Wow, what a great concept. It's great to see something like that opening up in our neck of the woods. I wish them the best of success.
Nice stool BTW :icon_thum


Dave

It is very nice!

Dave - Check the location. It is Durham, but the "near corner". I wonder what the daily rate will be. They won't put that up until they open.

 

[Travis Porter]

I NEED ONE OF THOSE!!!!!!! Hmmm.... Must have bigger shop.....

The Techshop looks to be a very interesting opportunity with a bit of everything. It is nice to see something like that coming around as it makes a lot of sense to me. I expect I will be going by to check it out!

Thanks for posting, and a nice stool!

 

[Travis Porter]

Where do you find the class schedule on the site? I am interested in taking the shopbot classes myself!

 

[Mike Davis]

Hmmm, it seems everyone thought that was a terrible idea when I brought it up a couple years ago. :dontknow:

 

[merrill77]

Where do you find the class schedule on the site? I am interested in taking the shopbot classes myself!

I got an e-mail from them -- I'm on their mailing list. Check the contact page for Scott's e-mail address - he can put you on their mailing list.