Handibot - revolutionary CNC machine from ShopBot?

[rmwarren]

This went live on Kickstarter recently, they already raised nearly $150K to fund the launch of the first batch. I have to admit to contributing my $2,400 to the effort... Too bad I missed the early-bird offer, and I won't receive it until December at best.

The things I like the most about it are:

1.  Size -- as I have very limited storage this is always a consideration
2.  Portability - I don't go to job sites but I do like to work outside weather permitting
3.  App based approach - ability to upload g-code from a tablet/phone/laptop then push one button to run the program

The last point is what pushed me over the edge, I think this is something of a paradigm shift and a game changer for a small shop. Just save all your re-usable files onto your phone and all you need is t machine itself to run common tasks. This should unleash a flood of new apps once the machines become readily available.

I hate having to wait 6 months to start playing with this new toy. [drooling]

RMW

 

[jond]

I am really tempted to throw down on a machine.  Please update us as you hear things...

 

[square]

This thing is going to be huge. Different solutions to index the bot position will be developed--some from plywood, others from lasers and software and machined materials. What sets it apart is that it is open-source, and anyone can make hardware or software to help with highly repetitive tasks on the one hand (like carpentry) and highly complex ones on the other (like boatbuilding). I also think it will empower people who are not woodworkers to make things. Certainly it is way more useful than a little gizmo that squirts molten goo into Star Wars figurines. For about the same dollars.

Price? The value proposition is exceptional. And Festool owners should be the first people to recognize that. If you don't, please compare the potential usefulness of this to a Domino and get back to me.

 

[fritter63]

I decided to pass and go with a regular machine. When carving guitar necks , accuracy is critical and have to wait and see how we'll the "re-postioning" works.

Until then , the 2x3 I'm getting will suffice

 

[lambeater]

I decided to pass and go with a regular machine. When carving guitar necks , accuracy is critical and have to wait and see how we'll the "re-postioning" works.

Until then , the 2x3 I'm getting will suffice

Fritter maybe we should start a new post. I too have started building my own with a 30 x 48 cutting area. Have almost all the parts now including an air cooled spindle and Fuji 3ph frequency drive.
check out the link.

Platform cnc

thx
Lambeater

 

[rmwarren]

I decided to pass and go with a regular machine. When carving guitar necks , accuracy is critical and have to wait and see how we'll the "re-postioning" works.

Until then , the 2x3 I'm getting will suffice

Fritter maybe we should start a new post. I too have started building my own with a 30 x 48 cutting area. Have almost all the parts now including an air cooled spindle and Fuji 3ph frequency drive.
check out the link.

Platform cnc

thx
Lambeater

I recall your previous post on this. Sounds like you received the kit, how does it look? The photos from that website look really nice.

RMW

 

[lambeater]

Hi Richard finally received the kit, it is as good as it looks in the pictures. Will take some photo's of the parts so you get a real idea. Just waiting for the acme screws to complete the parts. Hope to start putting it together soon but have to build our bathroom vanity first or it will be divorce.

thx
Lambeater

 

[rmwarren]

Hi Richard finally received the kit, it is as good as it looks in the pictures. Will take some photo's of the parts so you get a real idea. Just waiting for the acme screws to complete the parts. Hope to start putting it together soon but have to build our bathroom vanity first or it will be divorce.

thx
Lambeater

That's awesome!

I have collected all the mechanical components to build a small mill around 16" by 20" capacity, which is large enough for most of the small gadgets I want to make, it is not meant for woodworking. The hurdle is that by taking the DIY route I need to fabricate a lot of components. With your kit it should be mostly bolt-together, much more likely to be finished in a reasonable timeframe.

Good luck, looking forward to seeing updates. I do think you should start a dedicated "build" thread so we can all follow along.

RMW

 

[rmwarren]

It just occurred to me that with the proper indexing jig this gadget can make (for example) precision MFT tops of unlimited size. The demo in update #4 on Kickstarter shows one method:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1320575205/handibottm-a-smart-digital-power-tool/posts/536098

I can't wait to get my hands on this toy.

RMW

 

[ajones]

Indexing off the holes machined first would be the way to go..

 

[Michael Kellough]

A neat idea, but using this for a large scale project wold be an exercise in relativity.
Which might work out just fine.

My point is, there is a reason Incra makes the positioning racks only a few inches long.
An 8" aluminum rule will change in length +/- 1/32" from summer to winter (in a 4 season local).

 

[rmwarren]

Indexing off the holes machined first would be the way to go..

That is what I was thinking for the MFT example. For making plywood parts accuracy measured in .001" is not necessary. The MFT is one of the few things I think I might make that is larger than the base work envelope of the machine and requires that level of precision. Most of my close tolerance stuff is only a couples inches in any dimension.

RMW

 

[rmwarren]

So my new(est?) toy finally arrived, just in time to play with whilst digesting turkey. [drooling]

Overall the machine is really well made, as expected from ShopBot. The software it comes with is excellent as well, V-Carve (CAD/CAM) will probably handle 99% of everything I will ever need and it is much simpler to use than many CAD packages I have used. I guess it was originally designed for sign making but it translates over to general wood/metal working and you can design and create tool paths on one package.

The ShopBot control software is also easy to use and has a lot of dummy-protection built in, i.e. dialogs that pop up to say "If you continue blank is going to happen, are you really sure you want to do this?". Perfect for my distracted ways. Only complaint is the user interface is really dated and a bit clunky, but that I can get used to.

Lacking any skill with the tool the best initial test seemed to be the ubiquitous MFT hole pattern - 20.2mm holes on a 96mm grid. Really boring video:



The holes are perfectly sized. Dust collection isn't bad, it does not vacuum up everything but it does prevent it from flying around the entire shop, no complaints there. Changing the bit is a PITA, you need to tip the tool onto it's front and squeeze your hands into the top and bottom of the frame, somehow this will need to be improved upon.

I think the tool is flexible enough to become really useful over time. I am already puzzling out a wall mounted frame that I can sit it in & clamp in dimensional stock from below to machine the end of boards - think tenons and box finger-joints.  The "community" organized around the Kickstarter project has only started to take off (only 125 units were sold, mine was probably #75 to get shipped), so there is very little in the way of ideas being shared yet.

The major limitation is work area @ 6" by 8", but there are ways to tile the designs (built into V-Carve) and the machine can be jigged up to be moved around on a larger sheet of material to cut bigger parts. Not something I will ever use to make a cabinet but most of the stuff I am interested in making precisely small parts like the Rip Dogs, etc.  

Anyway, more to follow as I get to know the machine.

RMW

 

[rmwarren]

Been playing with my 'bot, fully 25% of the attempts so far became kindling. The learning curve is steeper than expected, sometimes things go amiss for no reason that I can see. Have yet to break a bit so I guess it is okay.

Today I got around to a new design for cutting guides that attach to the MFT itself, they worked out pretty slick w/ the Rip Dogs:

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This configuration will cut up to 7-1/2" or so, but they can be repositioned further away from the guide rail and used with longer Incra track for wider material.

The 'bot is turning out to be a fun toy.  [big grin]

RMW

 

[leer]

Looks interesting, but I think they're completely under utilizing the tool in the video.  Seriously, who in their right mind would use a CNC to cut an outlet box in Sheetrock?!

Very simplistic.  A better demo would be to use it to carve really cool textures into a wall of sheetrock that has a nice thick layer of mud already applied ... and have a Festool dust extractor suck up every bit of dust.  [smile]