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Thread: Probotix?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Deep South
    Posts
    3,970

    Probotix?

    Does anyone have any experience with the tabletop CNC router models built by Probotix? TIA.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    4,444
    No experience, but they are made here in Peoria. I visited them at the old location, when they were only making the small machine. That thing was really light weight, including some PVC pipe.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Bloomington, IL
    Posts
    6,009
    LumberYard just sold one on woodnet. Ask him.
    Glad its my shop I am responsible for - I only have to make me happy.

  4. Older thread, but figured I'd chime in.

    Took delivery of a Probotix Fireball Comet (25"x25"x5") CNC yesterday afternoon. Had it up and moving in under 30 minutes. First impressions are that this thing is a beast! I had been working on designing my own machine, and many of the same parts are on this thing. Still waiting on my router spindle (Porter Cable 892). Got a set of low TIR collets and nut for it. Have built a large sturdy work table for it to sit on. The computer and electronics box sit in a separate cabinet underneath. So far so good. Most I could do last night was jog it around and run the included .nc file. I need to go find myself a dial gauge and test repeatability on it and so I can test runout on the spindle when it's assembled.

    Company has been quick and attentive to my order, and any questions I have had.

    Have to wait a while longer for my Super PID router speed control to arrive. I already had an email conversation with Probotix regarding integrating the speed control with the existing computer/electronics setup and they'll be walking me through that.

    Will post more soon as I begin the journey toward filling my tiny shop with chips, dust and swarf.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Richmond, TX
    Posts
    409
    Any updates on your Probotix experience?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Southwest Missouri
    Posts
    77
    I have a comet which is an all aluminum frame and have been using it in a school setting for 2+ years with very good results. Tech has been great when need, but I have not had to call very often. Most of the time it was operator error. The only problem that I had that was not operator error was a driver came loose during shipment. I few minutes with the tech and the problem was solved. Even with a lot of different users it has done very well.
    probitix cnc Corel x3, Vcarve pro6.0, Aspire4.0

  7. So far I have been having a good time with it. Still need to get around to installing the speed control. Working on figuring out the best way of fixturing my sheets of acrylic for cutting. It's a fairly rigid machine, but the head (carrying a 2.25HP Porter Cable 892) has a slight amount of flex to it. I noticed this while surfacing the table, and I leaned on it, causing it to flex closer to the table. Perfectly understandable for a machine of it's type though. So far I've been choking up my shop with MDF and bits of acrylic.

    A couple shots of my dust shroud solution. Mounts to the back plate with a piece of aluminum L channel I had around, some cap screws and a couple wing nuts. Mounting height can be varied somewhat by changing orientation of the L channel.



    Probotix Fireball Comet CNC 25"x25"x5" with Porter Cable 892
    Full Spectrum Engineering 5th Gen Hobby 45w Laser 20"x12"

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Bloomington, IL
    Posts
    6,009
    Check out Kentcnc dot net to see how he added rare earth magnets to make removing the brushes easy for simpler bit changes. Also allows for spacers for different size bits. Maybe you can incorporate some of those ideas in your shroud.

    What material/source did you use for your brushes?
    Glad its my shop I am responsible for - I only have to make me happy.

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