Wazza, It could be a bad relay on the interface board...but first we should check for a software problem. The router turning on is controled by Macro number 6--you can view your tool's macros from the dashboard by clicking the folder icon on the left. The contents on Macro 6 should simply be: "SO1,1" a command which just means "turn on output #1" this triggers the lby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
When you say the router does not switch on--is the file continuing to run with the router off? Or is the file exiting without running the cut? I recently put together a troubleshooting doc for hardware issues that could be preventing a router from starting--everything from worn out brushes to electrical issues--it is attached to this post, so if you give it a quick read it may help us narrow dby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
tagd, Thank you for that post! I think that is the most perfect and thorough explanation I have seen of why this connectivity stuff just needs to WORK. I will be bringing a printout of this with me to my next meeting with software dev! So--for your specific issue. Do you have an antenna on your card? It sounds like you've got the newest version of the Fabmo hardware--the two stacked,by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
rasbldrs—the latest app has correct code for the routine—but I believe that the cause of the hangup on your tool is related to the FabMo control software. I know enough to do a little trouble shooting but my area is the design of the tool...I am equally frustrated with the software and am trying to move work along on correcting these problems. The latest release has proven to be more trouble thanby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Correcting position like that hasn't been conveniently added to the dashboard yet--but it is actually possible through use of the SB4 app. SB4 is just a port of the old ShopBot software--so it allows you to use the original SB3 commands--one of those commands is VA. Format goes like this: VA, "new X position", "new Y position", "new Z position", "new A posby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Dan, Was this one of the problems you had with 1.6.1 that was fixed by reverting to 1.4.2?by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Ah! Give me a couple hours--I'm building an LST today and will show how these fit in. They were little goodies that I had made for personal projects that I found helpful enough that I thought I'd include them with tools for customers. The yellow pieces can be swapped out with the clamps on the side of the tool to be used to balance the tool when it is set on a long, thin piece of maby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
I would actually recommend running X Vertical. The original handibot in the video was a bit lighter (less metal parts and no hood) which made it easier to run at normal speeds with Y vertical. I'd also recommend turning the speed down in your cut file (edit the bit settings in vcarve and recalculate the cut). Also the "maximum jerk" settings in the Configuration/Axis menu--theby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Oh yea--I'm sorry about that. Here lemme post a screen-cap of where to look for input circuit closure. The status bar highlighted in the screen-cap gives you the status of all inputs on your tool. Input #5 is the input associated with your quick bit and it is set to "normally open" meaning that it only lights up white when the plate is pressed --which closes the circuit--and gby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Dan, I'm really sorry to hear that you had a rough go of it with 1.6.0--I can't say that I disagree with you. I keep my tools here in the shop on 1.6.0 in order to take advantage of the motion control upgrades...but I do feel that 1.4.2 has proven to be more reliable. I'll continue to share these reports with our software team and I hope that we can get a new version releasedby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Hmm--have you checked to see if input #5 is lit before the routine starts? The routine should be checking for that...but if for some reason the routine runs and input #5 is already closed...that could cause an error.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Would it be possible to align it so that the X-axis is vertical and the Y is left to right on the wall? The X axis only needs to lift the router and Z axis--as opposed to the Y axis needing to lift the whole tool.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
rasbldrs, There should be another update available to 1.6.1 if you check in your configuration menu--I know that there was some talk of fixing odd behavior with stopping in the update--I think that it would be good to make that update. ( I know updating has been a bit harrowing for people lately...but the 1.6.0 to 1.6.1 update is much less extreme and shouldn't cause any hiccups).by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
I've had to update that app a couple of times to get things working right--sorry about that. The latest version is stored on the wiki here: There were some nuances to the way the new version of fabmo handled shopbot code that I hadn't yet learned. The good thing about the new version is that you can execute code directly from an app without needing to install a macro. That's whby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Dan, That is 5500K31 from McMaster.comby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Working pretty well! These pens don't really take advantage of the extra length--but the LST is the tool that I've got at home at the moment... The extra wire for the rotary axis fits through the e-chain that carries the Y axis motor cable...which is nice.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Just got to the shop and was thinking about it on the drive over--I think that I'll use those little rectangular cutouts at the back and front of the tool. The extrusion that holds the rotary axis could be attached to a few plastic pins that would engage those cutouts. No need really to bolt it on--just set the tool on top and you'll have pretty consistent alignment. We'll see...by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
In case anyone is interested in the pressure foot (also dust collector)--it still needs some work and won't be released as a product for a little bit...but the latest version is up here--you can download the model and bill of materials:by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Thanks Russ! I've gotten couple of projects done as presents--but I think I'm most looking forward to having some time off where I can try more intricate stuff! I did pen carving on Friday for some last minute gifts.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Nice! I really like that. When I was working on the lanterns project last week I kept wishing I had something like this. The coroplast was so flimsy that it was really hard to push the tool over it without bending it and bunching it up. I made a spring loaded pressure foot to hold the material down so I didn't really need the weight of the handibot...would have been nice to have it lifted upby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Ahh yes--you'll notice that the board itself it pretty different--the tiny usb cables and VHB stick-on deal has been replaced by a purpose built board that plugs into the controller card. So the new ribbon cable doesn't have any of the old danglies. I usually stick the antenna just above the power entry on the inside of the yellow wall.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
John, What kind of error message do you get when the update fails? (If the update fails to install it is supposed to revert to the previous stable state and restart, which it sounds like it is doing). It's possible that the copy of the update that your tool downloaded has become corrupted. You could download the "consolidated" update from our website and try that--by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Like I'd mentioned in another thread--the aluminum extrusions are 1.5" base--and any brand of extrusion should work as long as it matches the size.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Oh man! I've been really into profit/loss spreadsheets lately My girlfriend has a food business and its been fun to build a system that tracks something other than literal nuts and bolts!by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Wazza--I'll get one on the way to you today. I'm sorry for the trouble. No worries about getting the other one back.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Oh yea-! whoops I forgot to respond to that. Yes you can use any of the M4x14 screws that were removed from the old base/bearings. Thanks Dan.by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Wazza, I'm following the doc again and I re-downloaded the zip file with the reflash files. There should have been an executable to install the USB drivers for the edison...but it wasn't in the file I retrieved from the web. The communication error that you're getting may be due to a driver mismatch. I've uploaded another zip file with just the drivers on my wiki here:by Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Wazza, I'm trying to get some more info on that error. I have seen it before though, when I try to reflash boards on my beat up old laptop with sawdust in the USB ports. I hear the "connect" sound multiple times as it tries to connect the board and then ultimately fails. Just to be sure...your board looks like the one in the photo shown in the document, right? with a setby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum
Hey Wazza, Brian again. It looks like your version of FabMo is struggling to update because it is such an early version. The fastest way to get up to a version that can take the update will be to reflash your card by connecting it directly to a computer using a USB cable. Instructions for completing the reflash are located here: This process will get you up to the 1.4.2 version of the softwby Brian Owen, ShopBot - Handibot Forum