Afternoon everyone--just wanted to let y'all know that I've added a new accessory to the store. It's called the "Quick-Bit" and it is a pressure sensitive Z Zero plate--meaning that there is no need to clip a wire onto your bit to measure the cutter. It is more versatile than the built in Z Zero plate and can be placed anywhere on the material. Because it sits directly onby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
The slightly mysterious term that a programmer used was "race condition"--which is the unfortunate situation that occurs when a system tries to perform two operations simultaneously but needs the output of those operations in a specific sequence in order to function properly. If one calculation finishes before the other and the outputs come out of order--it can lead to a bug like what yby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Josh, It looks like the problem that you're encountering is only going to be reliably fixed in the next version of FabMo (not what you wanna hear, I know...) but in the meantime, if you save you files out of VCarve in G-Code...the spindle startup should work just fine. I'll pop back in and let you know as soon as the new version is available. Brianby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Sorry I've been absent from this thread for a while--in the shop when this problem presents itself I will sometimes take the X axis apart and re-machine the mounting surfaces on the nut bracket...not something that I really want to suggest as a solution here! Sometimes a teeny bit of filing will be enough to correct the skew...and that can be done with the bracket still in the tool, just unbby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Still working on it! Last details always take a little longer than expected. One issue that I really wanted to solve before release was Z-Zeroing. Zeroing to a specific location on the tool works OK for the regular size handibot because you'll never be cutting too far from the z-zero location. However on the bigger version, you'll probably want to be able to zero your bit exactly at theby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Thank you! I've been combing the log with some other folks here today. I'll get back here as soon as I've got something useful for you.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
I know exactly what you're talking about. I've had to talk with the our machine shop a couple of times about that joint there--They try to round the edges on the aluminum parts to break sharp corners--but if they do it too aggressively they can introduce a slight slope there on the large X/Z carriage plate--which can cause what you're seeing. However--we test run the tools in aby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
bring the X/Z carriage as close to the X motor as possible. This will be the area where alignment is most critical and that stresses will push things into the best alignment. If you're having trouble moving the tool--go ahead and loosen a few screws to get things moving. Once you're given everything a chance to find its alignment close to the motor...move to the opposite end of travel.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Steve, If you're seeing a Z height discrepancy in the X direction--there's a bit of easy adjustment built into the X/Z carriage. The six large bolts that hold the carriage against the mid-wall of the handibot frame can be loosened to allow for the X to be set more parallel to the cutting surface. I'd recommend driving the bit down close to the material--then moving it from siby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
To get to the clipart--try this address It is the main directory for software--same user name and password listed in the manual will get you there. You can download the whole clipart package or just individual pieces as desired. User manual is being updated to make this more clear!by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Kevin, What kind of message are you getting from your tool when the disconnects happen? Are you getting a "waiting for fabmo" popup? If you encounter this again--try adding "/log" after the IP address of your tool to check if a log entry is available. If you can forward that to me at brian.owen@shop&by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Seachange, The software that the tool uses (vcarve) is nice, in that it presents a very basic, easy interface--but has advanced options available for users who want more control. When scoring a line, you can select the direction that you'd like the tool to run--and you can program the tool to make cuts in a specific order. I don't have a lot of experience with the vinyl cuby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Also--If you do find that error in a macro, could you copy the whole macro and post it here?by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Looks like there is an error somewhere in the macro. Variables are defined with an &--and the Z pullup variable is usually written &Z_pullup--it looks like one of your macros has become corrupted (switched to Z&_pullup)--you could either open the macros in the editor and ctrl+f to search for the faulty syntax--or just reinstall the macros. I'm gonna check on the current macros toby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
The Macro updater will only overwrite the basic macros. If you've edited the default macros on your tool then you would lose those settings. However, the app allows the installation of individual macros--the main one that needs to be updated is Macro 90 (the bug in that macro can cause Z zeroing issues).by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
That will be possible in our next software update. To create a path with multiple tools, just make sure that the "output all visible toolpaths to one file" option is checked when you save your toolpath out of VCarve. Vcarve will put a toolchange notation in the code to let the handibot know it needs to change bits. Currently FabMo ignores these tool change notifications--but they will bby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
So, I think I've finally gotten to the bottom of this one! Had everyone here scratching their heads for a while. I got ahold of this code that was being submitted to the tool: '---------------------------------------------------------------- 'SHOPBOT ROUTER FILE IN INCHES 'GENERATED BY PARTWorks 'Minimum extent in X = -2.500 Minimum extent in Y = -2.500 Minimum eby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Also! just got reminded that updates to the software do not update the macros that run spindle on/off routine. New macros are installed using a macro installer app available on our docs page (handibot website). Just install the app and then run the "install all macros" option inside.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
One other question--when you start your toolpath--does it prompt you with a warning about a toolchange that you then have to accept to resume the cut?by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Josh, I've been working on something similar to this with another customer and have been helped in his case by recovering the tool log--to diagnose what exactly is causing the shut down. I've put together a document to explain how to recover and send the tool log here: If you could turn your tool to "G2" level logging, and open the log after running one of theby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Rob, I'm studying the /log file that you sent--(for those who don't know, you can access the log of all commands processed by your tool by adding /log after the IP address in the browser e.g. 192.168.42.1/log). There is definitely something weird happening at the software level. Each line in the files that we ran is showing an error of "FEEDRATE NOT SPECIFIED"--which makeby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Rob, I've been messing around in the shop here today trying to recreate your problem to see what might be causing it. I'm using the same software version and macros as you and haven't been able to trigger the error on my tool. I also performed a reflash of the card; following the directions on our website--I realized that there is a step missing from those instructions--by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Brian, When really want to be precise--I'll grab a scrap piece of MDF or plywood and bolt it to the base of my handibot. Then I'll pocket out a space that exactly the size of the blank that I want to carve into. In this case, just a 4x4 pocket. Then I can press my blank into the pocket and rest assured that everything is relative to the coordinate system of the handibot.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Brian, After having this problem with a handibot i was testing here in the shop--I've got a new suspect for this issue--the ribbon cable that connects the fabmo board to the interface board (and also sends ON/OFF signals for the router). I'd like to get a new one sent out to you to swap in for the current one.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Ross, There are a couple of things to check--First I'd check that when you send the tool to Z=0 (by typing "0" into the Z position readout and hitting the "Go" button) that the bit is actually level with the top of the material. If not then you may need to adjust the offset value for your Z Zero plate. We set the offset for each tool individually in the shop hereby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Ross, I've got a windows 7 laptop with an i5, running windows and using chrome to connect to my tool. Though I've also had success with my windows 10 tablet and chrome (I wonder why yours won't let you install chrome??)--edge is a little wonky with fabmo, I agree. Neither vCarve nor FabMo are very graphics or processor intensive to run--so you should be good with almostby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Also--feel free to email me or post here if something like that happens! Every handibot 2 in existence is still under warranty at this point and I'd be happy send out replacement parts if something isn't working correctly.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Have you done the replacement yet? I'm wondering how much of a pain it is. I end up removing my router so much that it always gets swapped with someone else's router in the shop--so I have no idea how old mine is...by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Ack! Sorry about that--We flood those little sockets with superglue when we attach the magnets--but perhaps that nickel coating on the magnets is not porous enough to accept the bond... Good idea on the screws though...I'd added those holes to the pockets in the bracket to give the air somewhere to go when the magnets were pressed in--but they could also be used screws as well. www.mcby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Nobody knows..................... Actually it was an app idea that I'd wanted for use in cutting out handibot accessories using my handibot. The idea was to load a selection of cut files into a list--from there I could just hit the button of the cut I wanted to make and skip the job manager and history. It was good for repetitive tasks where I was going to be moving the handibot around aby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum