Never place your hands on the rails of the ShopBot. Be aware that the machine may move unexpectedly in any direction, which can cause serious injury if your hands are in the path of movement.
#2 phillips screwdriver and cordless drill. Lift Desktop onto a sturdy table or bench. CAUTION!! The ShopBot Desktop is a substantial tool and depending on accessories, it can weigh from 150 to 190 lbs. Have AT LEAST one additional person help lift the tool.
SBG00232 Tool Orientation and Direction of Axes The pictures below show the axis orientation for the ShopBot Desktop 24” x 18” and the ShopBot Desktop MAX 36” x 24.” Normally, the 0, 0, 0 point is located at the intersection of the three axes as shown, and the “front” side is noted.
Accompanying documentation and videos can be found throughout ShopBot media. Below are links to the Desktop Quick Start Series videos. These videos and links to the ShopBot YouTube channel can be found on the Documentation page of the ShopBot Website, under the Desktop/Desktop MAX heading.
Before Continuing! - Refer to the Control Computer Setup Videos - or - the Uninstalling and Reinstalling ShopBot and VCarve Software document for software installation and software and computer configuration. Plug in Pendant and Connect Power Plug the pendant into the connector on the tool located in the rear (on Desktop tools) or right side (Desktop MAX tools).
“New Device.” Note: Ensure the port is a USB 2.0 port. It is best to use the same USB port every time the ShopBot is attached to the computer. Launch Software Right-click the ShopBot 3 icon and select Run as Administrator to open the machine’s control program for the first time.
Setup Home Position and Square the Machine The Desktop tools are somewhat unique among the ShopBot tool lineup in that they do not use the default home position indicated by the SB3 software. Upon loading the Desktop tool profile the home location should be correct.
If the location is not correct, refer first to the video tutorial for steps on setting up the home location before cutting the rabbet file: “Desktop Series – Beginning Cuts and Operations” - https://youtu.be/vscFI13_tOE. Click OK on the “Tool is now Zeroed” message.
Refer to the Zeroing the Z-Axis section of the “Desktop Series – Beginning Cuts and Operations” video for more information and a demonstration of the process.
PC before running. If it is not present it can still be downloaded. If the file needs to be downloaded, go to www.shopbottools.com, then click on the ShopBot Docs link at the center of the top of the main page. Then click on you tool (either Desktop or Desktop MAX).
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The lower left (front) corner of this center section represents the home position for the X- and Y-axes. In many design programs, the ShopBot cut file created will have the tool automatically return to this position after it completes the cut.
Surfacing the Deck Before continuing, for a visual demonstration and more information on creating and running the surfacing file in SB3 or VCarve Pro, refer to the Cutting the Rabbet section of the “Desktop Series – Creating Surfacing File” video - https://youtu.be/vscFI13_tOE.
The graphic above is a basic overview of the program interface. There are many resources available about how to use this program. Some examples are tutorials, training at ShopBot, online training through ShopBot, help files provided in the program, and online support. Be sure to take advantage of these resources, many of them are listed in the resources section.
Desktop Series Quick Start Guide SBG00232 Maintenance The ShopBot Desktop tools are very robust machines and do not often require maintenance. The table below covers general maintenance guidelines. Item/Duration Maintenance Motor Screws Wipe screws with a clean dry cloth. DO NOT USE any kind of lube or solvent-based cleaner on the Teflon coated screws.
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