we got CNC'd

So over the weekend myself along with a few of the SUNY Fine Arts Faculty were trained to use our new ShopBot alpha. A couple of years ago I taught a class that used one of these things for VCU's sculpture department. During the training, I could tell that ALL of the professors/technician brains were working overtime thinking about what they could make with this thing.

Officailly this was the first time I had helped setup a ShopBot from the ground up. VCU's machine was setup by a shop technician prior to my class. I have to say, besides a few hurdles with the electrician and building/safety code this thing is a dream to assemble. Of course I can't say enough about our assembly guy/trainer, Brady Watson. He was great! and an all around ShopBot/CNC genius. We still have a lot of work to do before this thing is operational. We have to put together our hold down system (which is %90 of using this thing) and our dust collections but..... We cut blue foam all day and let me tell you, it goes.

This model is a newer version of the one I am used to. The control box and spindle speed selection box are mounted on the machine. Both of these in the previous model were mounted on the wall. There is also a safety addition, the collet wrench is attached to a key that is needed to start the spindle. Its almost like taking the cinderblock to the gas station bathroom. Here are a couple of shots of our setup and training. I think that our orientation of our machine is kind of weird it is very disorienting. Left on the keyboard is right on the machine etc etc. This machine orientation was what they wanted. Being the low man on the totem I just went with it.