News Room
Stay up to date on the latest news from ShopBot, and take a look at
what the media are saying about us.
News Releases
ShopBot in the News
ShopBotters in the
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News Archives
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News Releases
ShopBot Tools Introduces the Handibot™ Smart Power Tool: The Company's First-in-Class Universal Digital Power Tool
San Mateo, CA (May 15, 2013)- ShopBot Tools, Inc.,
today introduced its latest hardware innovation, the
Handibot™ smart power tool, to much buzz at MAKE Magazine's Hardware
Innovation Workshop. This event precedes the annual Maker Faire in San Mateo. ShopBot Founder and CEO
Ted Hall, and ShopBot developers David Bryan and Bill Young were all on hand to demonstrate ShopBot's
first entry in a tool category they have dubbed Universal Digital Power Tools (or "U-deeps").
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
Woodworking CNC technology champion Randy Johnson joins ShopBot Tools
Durham, NC (November 28, 2012)- Durham, NC-based ShopBot Tools is proud to announce that Randy Johnson,
the long-time Editor-in-Chief of American Woodworker magazine, has joined the team at ShopBot as Director
of Education. ShopBot Tools designs and builds digital fabrication tools (also known as CNC or computernumerically-
controlled tools) used in the manufacturing of everything from furniture, to parts used in housing,
aerospace, transportation and countless other applications.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Tools brings first-ever ShopBot Camp to South America:"Campo de ShopBot" celebrates the digital fabrication community
Guatemala (August 9 - 11, 2012)- Durham, NC-based ShopBot Tools is bringing the first "Campo de
ShopBot" to Guatemala. ShopBot Tools designs and builds digital fabrication tools (also known as CNC or
computer-numerically-controlled tools) used in the manufacturing of everything from furniture, to parts used in
housing, aerospace, transportation and countless other applications.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot showcases digital tools and projects at SkillsUSA 2012
Kansas City (June 23-27, 2012) - SkillsUSA returned to Kansas City recently for the 48th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC), a showcase of career and technical education students.
[Download Full
News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Tools helps celebrate the Grand Opening of the Detroit TechShop
Detroit, MI (May 5 & 6, 2012) - TechShop just opened the country's newest TechShop location, and ShopBot Tools — a technology supplier and sponsor of TechShop and the maker movement — was on hand to celebrate TechShop's establishment in the Motor City.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Positions its Desktop CNC Tool for the Emerging Needs of Digital Fabricators
Durham, NC (September 19, 2011) – Earlier this year
ShopBot Tools introduced their entry into the small-footprint CNC market
with the ShopBot Desktop. Ted Hall, Founder and CEO of ShopBot, said,
"The response to the Desktop has been great, from hobbyists, to small
and mid-size business owners, to educators. With input from our users,
we're positioning the ShopBot Desktop as a platform for all kinds of
digital fabrication capabilities."
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot participates in Fab7, the annual worldwide meeting of FabLabs
Lima, Peru (August 15 -19, 2011) - ShopBot Tools is a featured participant in Fab7 (www.Fab7.pe), the annual meeting of FabLabs from around the world. This year the conference is being held in Lima.
FabLabs bring technology and
digital fabrication machinery to those who want to make what they need.
There is a ShopBot in most of the 50 FabLabs open throughout the world,
with more opening every week. Sallye Coyle will be making several
presentations for ShopBot.
[Read Sallye's posts]
ShopBot Tools Joins North Carolina’s Manufacturing Makes it Real Tour
NC CNC company sponsors bus tour to recognize manufacturers,
products and employees
Durham, NC (July 14, 2010) – ShopBot Tools has signed on
as a sponsor of the Manufacturing Makes it Real Tour. Presented by North
Carolina State University’s Industrial Extension Service, which recently
completed a campaign to produce a billion dollars in economic value for
the state of North Carolina, the statewide bus tour will recognize North
Carolina manufacturers, their products and their employees.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
Jason Sacks Scores Podium Finish in Xtreme Outlaws 250
ShopBot-Sponsored Off-Road Racer Claims Second Place in Inaugural
XO250 Race
Durham, NC (June 23, 2010) - Desert racer Jason Sacks took
the runner-up spot in the Sportsman class at the inaugural Xtreme Outlaw
Off-Road Race (XO250) sanctioned by VORRA Racing held this past weekend
in and around Reno, NV. Jason took his ShopBot Tools-sponsored desert racer
to second place behind teammate Terry Shelton in a race marked by last-minute
route changes, obsolete maps and course vandalism.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot: The fastest tool in the shop is now the fastest tool in the desert
ShopBot Tools sponsors Jason Sacks in the Xtreme Outlaws
250 to be televised on ESPN
Durham, NC (June 7, 2010) - Widely known in the woodworking
and sign making industries for the speed and performance of its powerful,
affordable CNC systems, ShopBot Tools has signed on as title sponsor of
off-road racer Jason Sacks in the Xtreme Outlaws 250, taking place June
17-20 in and around Reno, Nevada.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Wraps Up Another Successful Jamboree
Durham, NC (April 28, 2010) - The eighth-annual ShopBot
Jamboree returned to Durham, North Carolina on April 22-24 with a focus
on starting, running and growing a successful business using CNC – or digital
– fabrication.
Approximately 200 fabricators, manufacturers, do it yourselfers, sign makers,
cabinet makers, artists, craftspeople and entrepreneurs from a variety of
disciplines and backgrounds joined speakers, vendors and ShopBot staff for
three days of training, application demonstrations, show & tell, presentations
and networking with fellow ShopBot enthusiasts.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Jamboree and Industrial Revolution 2.0 come to Durham, NC
Durham, NC (March 22, 2010) – After one year on the
West Coast, one year in Texas and a one-year break, the ShopBot Jamboree
will return to Durham, North Carolina this spring. Current and soon-to-be
ShopBotters, entrepreneurs and anyone interested in digital fabrication,
distributed manufacturing, serious DIY, sign making or cabinet making is
invited to join the ShopBot community for two days of application demonstrations,
show & tell, vendor presentations and networking with fellow ShopBot enthusiasts.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Increases Performance of PRSstandard CNC Systems
Durham, NC (February 8, 2010) – ShopBot Tools, Inc.
has introduced a new control box and control board for its PRSstandard CNC
systems. The new PRSstandard Control System includes RBK Series motor drivers
contained in a sealed, aluminum, industrial unit. The RBK drivers provide
higher speeds and smoother cutting than ShopBot’s previous generations of
PRSstandard models.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Signs on as an ISA International Sign Expo 2010 Exhibitor
Durham, NC (January 27, 2010) – ShopBot Tools
will be an exhibitor at the International Sign Association’s Sign Expo 2010,
this spring at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
A long-time manufacturer of powerful, affordable CNC fabrication systems
for sign makers and professionals in a range of other industries, ShopBot
will be demonstrating its PRSalpha CNC system and the features that make
the machine an attractive addition to any sign shop, regardless of size
or budget.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Introduces Eyes-On Tech Support
Durham, NC (January 20, 2010) – ShopBot Tools
is now shipping a Logitech webcam with every ShopBot CNC system. The webcams
will serve as a component of ShopBot’s new Eyes-On Technical Support System,
allowing technicians to troubleshoot electronic and mechanical components
and to assist with machine and accessory setup.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Basic Training now available on the West Coast
Durham, NC (January 7, 2010) – ShopBot Basic Training,
a two-day course in part design and operation of a ShopBot CNC system, is
now being offered on the West Coast by Ilan Dei of Ilan Dei Studio in Venice
Beach, CA. The program includes one day of introduction to ShopBot Control
Software and mechanical systems and one day of using PartWorks design software
to create ShopBot part files.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
With Project: Tyro, ShopBot crowdsources the direction of Digital Fabrication
ShopBot opens the development of their next CNC system
Durham, NC (September 21, 2009) – “What would you
want in a small ShopBot?” That’s the question ShopBot is asking makers,
do-it-yourselfers and current ShopBotters in the company’s pursuit to develop
the next powerful, affordable, small-format digital fabrication tool.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
100k Garages offers a new way to get things made
ShopBot and Ponoko make it easier than ever to have custom
products made locally
Durham, NC (September 9, 2009) – The launch of
www.100kGarages.com begins a new
chapter in how things are made and produced, enabling parts for products
of all kinds to be custom fabricated locally, near where they are needed,
using state-of-the-art digital fabrication tools.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot to host Users Group in San Mateo, CA
Camp ShopBot Will Take Place One Day Prior to the Fourth-Annual
Bay Area Maker Faire
Durham, NC (April 23, 2009) – For the third consecutive
year, ShopBot Tools, designer/manufacturer of affordable, high-performance
digital fabrication – or CNC – systems, will be a sponsor and featured exhibitor
at the Bay Area Maker Faire presented by MAKE: magazine, May 30-31
at the San Mateo County Event Center in San Mateo, California. As in the
past, ShopBot will hold an event on the day prior to Maker Faire. This year's
event will be a Camp ShopBot on May 29 that, like Maker Faire, will celebrate
American talent, creativity and ingenuity. ShopBot owners and operators
are encouraged to show and demonstrate the projects made possible by their
ShopBots, and those who are not yet ShopBotters are welcome to participate,
ask questions and learn from experienced users.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot offers Economic Stimulus Packages for cabinet makers
Cabinet System Includes Automatic Tool Changer & eCabinet
Systems Software
Durham, NC (April 20, 2009) – ShopBot Tools is offering
five CNC system packages configured for the different needs and budgets
of cabinet and furniture shops. Each of the packages is based on the highly
capable yet affordable ShopBot PRSalpha CNC system combined with the eCabinet/ShopBot
Link that allows ShopBots to fully utilize eCabinet Systems software for
cabinet building and furniture making.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot announces open-syntax format for machine control code
Durham, NC (April 15, 2009) – ShopBot Tools has announced
an open-syntax format for machine control code – OpenSBP®. OpenSBP®
is a syntax standard for the toolpath and instruction code used to control
CNC machines and digital fabrication tools. It is in the public domain and
freely available for use on any equipment. It may be generated and exported
by any software for use on digital fabrication tools.
[Download
Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot introduces Automatic Tool Changer
Durham, NC (April 9, 2009) – ShopBot Tools has introduced
an automatic tool changer as an option for their professional/industrial
line of CNC systems.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot/Thermwood partnership allows eCabinet Systems to run on ShopBot CNCs
Durham, NC (April 7, 2009) – ShopBot Tools and Thermwood
Corporation have entered into a partnership that will allow CNC output from
Thermwood’s eCabinet Systems software to operate ShopBot CNCs. The ShopBot
Link software program, available from Thermwood, accepts a .twd output file
from eCabinet Systems, nests the parts and creates properly formatted files
for the ShopBot control.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot's new Retro Z increases performance of older ShopBot CNCs
Durham, NC (March 11, 2009) – ShopBot Tools introduces
the PRS Retro Z Axis. Comprised of an extruded aluminum Z beam and a captured
bearing system, the Retro Z allows owners of older ShopBot PR and PRT machines
to upgrade to a newer PRS-style Z axis. The PRS Retro Z Axis increases rigidity
and tool accuracy in the older-model ShopBots and is a great way to rejuvenate
a ShopBot’s performance after years of dependable use.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot sells WidgetWorks specialty cutting bits for CNC routers
Durham, NC (December 1, 2008) – ShopBot Tools now offers
specialty cutting bits by WidgetWorks Unlimited. The bits are designed to
draw, cut or engrave, and allow ShopBotters to expand the types of projects
they can create with their CNC machines.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Offers turnkey CNC packages
Durham, NC (November 18, 2008) – In its continuing effort
to get customers up and running on their ShopBot CNCs as quickly and easily
as possible, ShopBot Tools offers turnkey CNC packages for a variety of
applications, from cabinets to signs.
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot earns two Editor's Choice Awards at Maker Faire Austin
Austin, TX (Oct 23, 2008) - ShopBot Tools earned two
Make: magazine Editor’s Choice awards at Maker Faire, held Oct
18 and 19 in Austin, Texas. The first award was given for the ShopBot Buddy
48 CNC system with PowerStick, and the second award was given for the ShopBot
Shed...
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot holds its seventh-annual Jamboree in Austin, Texas
Austin, TX (October 23, 2008) - From October 15-19,
Austin, Texas became the temporary home of more than 100 woodworkers, designers,
do-it-yourselfers, luthiers, boatbuilders, sign makers, plastic manufacturers
and other CNC craftsmen and enthusiasts from around the world when ShopBot
Tools held its seventh-annual Jamboree at the Travis County Expo center
in the three days leading up to Make magazine’s Maker Faire...
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot partners with Bishop-Wisecarver on linear motion systems for new Buddy with PowerStick
Durham, NC (August 2008) – ShopBot Tools, Inc. has selected
a Bishop-Wisecarver linear motion solution for the PowerStick feature of
its second generation “Buddy.” For years, ShopBot has used Bishop-Wisecarver’s
signature DualVee® - based products in its award-winning machines, due to
DualVee’s ability to operate in environments that are routinely covered
in wood chips and sawdust...
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot Buddy with PowerStick selected as Challengers Award finalist at IWF
Durham, NC (July 2008) – ShopBot Tools Inc. has been
chosen as a finalist for the International Woodworking Machinery & Furniture
Supply Fair’s Challengers Distinguished Achievement Award. The company’s
newest line of compact CNC routers, the PRSalpha BT32 and BT48 “Buddy,”
and its innovative PowerStick are among the 20 finalists - from a record
126 entries - for the prestigious IWF award...
[Download Full News Release, PDF]
ShopBot in the News
To see what the media are saying about our customers, check out ShopBotters in the News.
In the Next Industrial Revolution, Atoms Are the New Bits
Wired (January 25, 2010) – A
garage renaissance is spilling over into such phenomena as the booming Maker
Faires and local “hackerspaces.” Peer production, open source, crowdsourcing,
user-generated content — all these digital trends have begun to play out
in the world of atoms, too. The Web was just the proof of concept. Now the
revolution hits the real world.
[View Full Article Online]
Rapid Prototyping "On the Cheap"
Machine Design (January 13, 2010) – Mixing social
networking with digital fabrication provides a recipe for rapid mass customization.
New approaches to rapid manufacturing let almost anyone inexpensively produce
parts, products, and prototypes. So says Ted Hall, founder of ShopBot Tools
in Durham, NC...
[View Full Article Online]
Top 10 business ideas for 2010
Springwise (January 5, 2010) – A partnership between
New Zealand-based Ponoko and North
Carolina-based ShopBot Tools, 100kGarages
is a community of workshops distributed around the world that are equipped
with the digital fabrication tools needed to precisely cut, machine, drill
or sculpt the components of virtually any creative project. The network
allows designers or consumers turn their ideas into physical products, and
creates new business for small workshops.
[View Full Article Online]
Site links digital with fabrication choices
Woodshop News (November 2009) – ShopBot and Ponoko
have combined on joint venture to bring together small shops with local
CNC machinery operators. The September launch of
100kGarages.com began a new concept
of custom fabrication...
[View Full Article, PDF]
News from the 2009 AWFS Fair in Las Vegas
There's an app for that!
AWFS Fair Show Daily published by Wood Digest
(July 17, 2009)
Booth #8845: ShopBot Tools is showcasing its new automatic tool
changer at its booth. ShopBot's automatic tool changer (ATC) is powered
by an HSD ES915 5-hp spindle and is being sold as an option or an after-market
addition to the company's PRSalpha CNC system...ShopBot has also formed
a partnership with Thermwood that will allow CNC output from Thermwood's
eCabinet Systemssoftware to operate ShopBot CNCs...ShopBot recently
created an iPhone/iPod touch application as well...
[View Full Article, PDF]
The ShopBot iPhone app
Cabinetmaker Online (July 15, 2009)
[View Video Online]
ShopBot Tools' ATC debuts at AWFS
ISW Online (July 15, 2009)– LAS VEGAS - ShopBot
Tools introduced its automatic tool changer (ATC) this morning at the AWFS
Vegas Fair. The company also announced a new partnership with Thermwood,
which will allow ShopBot users to take advantage of Thermwood's e-Cabinet
software to design and nest parts for cabinets and furniture.
[View Full Article and Watch Video Online]
ShopBot Offers Automatic Tool Changer Feature
Woodworker's Journal (July 15, 2009)
[View Video Online]
CNC Machinery Goes Mainstream
Wood & Wood Products (February 2009) – Increased
versatility and lower price points are pushing the spread of CNC machines
beyond just the large woodworking companies and into the smaller and mid-sized
manufacturing operations.
[View Full Article Online]
2008 Top Products
Today's Industrial Products & Solutions (December 2008)
– ShopBot Tools is the number-one producer of affordable CNCs. ShopBot's
Personal Robotic Systems (PRS) are CNC routers designed for robust, industrial
production in a host of manufacturing settings.
[View Full Article, PDF]
Custom linear motion design speeds assembly
Design World (October 2008) – ShopBot, a leading
manufacturer of CNC routing machines, selected a Bishop-Wisecarver linear
motion device for the PowerStick feature of its second-generation "Buddy."
[View Full Article, PDF]
Puzzle House: Built With One Tool and No Fasteners
Popular Woodworking Online (Tuesday, November 18, 2008)
– OK, you have a blank sheet of paper and a pencil. Your challenge is to
design a house or structure using 4x8 sheets of plywood without driving
a nail or screw. Oh, yeah, did I mention no glue either?
[View Full Article Online]
ShopBot adds “Buddy” to compact CNC line
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Woodshop News (November 2008) – ShopBot recently
launched its newly designed compact and mobile CNC, the Buddy, which can
handle larger pieces of sheet goods than its predecessor, the ShopBot BenchTop.
The Buddy models come in either 32 or 48 PRSalpha or PRSstandard versions,
depending on motor and drive system.
[View
Full Article, PDF]
ShopBot CNC router - Fast, accurate and creative
American Woodworker (September 2008) – Computer
Numerically Controlled (CNC) machines for drilling, sawing and routing have
been around for decades. Their precision, speed, versatility and ability
to perform repetitive tasks have revolutionized the cabinet and furniture
industry...
[View Full Article, PDF]
Wood magazine names ShopBot Buddy one of the 15 Smokin' tools for 2008
Wood (Dec 2007) – "Wood magazine editors traveled
the globe this past year looking for new tools, accessories and supplies
designed to make the most of your time in the shop. Here's the best
of what we found."
[View Full Article, PDF]
ShopBot: CNC for the rest of us
Woodworker's Journal (Sep 2007) – "Remember those
clever all-in-one tools like the Shopsmith? The idea was to have one
machine that took up limited space but could do almost every woodworking
task. Well, say hello to ShopBot, the modern answer to that age-old
problem..."
[View
Full Article, PDF]
In with the new at the 2007 AWFS Fair
.jpg)
Woodshop News (Sep 2007) – "ShopBot Tools introduced
a benchtop CNC machine, suitable for a small shop or job site. It's
a scaled-down version of the company's Personal Robotic System line..."
[View Full Article, PDF]
Coverage from the AWFS Fair
Woodshop News (July 2007) – Video blog and web
article from the 2007 Association of Woodworking and Furnishing Suppliers
Fair in Las Vegas, Nevada
[View Video]
[View
Article]
ShopBotters converge on California
.jpg)
CabinetMaker (July 2007) – CabinetMaker Digest
"The sixth annual ShopBot Jamboree took place May 16-18 in San Mateo and
Foster City, California..."
[View
Full Article, PDF]
ShopBot develops new CNC router for D-I-Y boatbuilding
Boatbuilder (May/June 2007) – "ShopBot Tools has
launched a new line of CNC routers for serious do-it-yourselfers. The new
Personal Robotic Systems (PRSstandard) are automated cutting, routing, carving
and drilling tools offering many of the features and capabilities of larger,
more expensive CNC machines."
[View Full Article,
PDF]
CNC machinery for small shops
Woodshop News (April 2007) – "In about
three months CNC manufacturers will descend on Las Vegas for the AWFS Fair,
choosing the year's biggest woodworking show to unveil their new products.
Call us impatient but we wanted to know now, so we proudly present a sampling
of the latest CNC machinery available for the small shop..."
[View Full Article, PDF]
News Archives
How CNC routers are being used by sign shops
SignBuilder Illustrated (December, 2005) - “The
key to machining any material with CNC is matching the appropriate cutter
with the right feed rates and spindle speeds,” says Ted Hall, president
of CNC router manufacturer and tool provider ShopBot Tools, Inc., of Durham,
North Carolina. The company states that there are almost 4,000 three-dimensional
capable ShopBot CNC tools in the field, many of them being used by sign
makers. “Our ShopBot CNC routers are being used around the world to produce
commercial, residential, two-dimensional, three-dimensional, plastic, wood,
and aluminum signs,” says Hall. “Signs with carved features made from foam
and wood are becoming increasingly popular ..."
[View Full Article, PDF]
Woodworking CNCs: Routers and beyond
WoodShop News (November, 2005) - "The affordability
of CNC machinery for the small and medium shop becomes more attractive with
each passing year. CNC, which stands for computer-numerically-controlled,
allows a shop to perform repetitive jobs with precision while cutting production
time and employee workload -- resulting in a higher profit margin. "
[View Full Article, PDF]
Tomorrow's woodworking today with CNC routers
WOOD Magazine (October, 2005) - How many times
have we seen a high-tech product start out high- priced, and then watch
it inch down in cost, becoming affordable for a broader audience? Computers,
DVD players, and digital cameras have all traveled that highway. And now,
in woodworking, CNC (computer numerically controlled) cutting machines have
joined the parade. ShopBot Tools, Inc, located in Durham, North Carolina,
has figured a way to produce quality, production-oriented CNCs from $6,995
to $10,995. That’s about one-fifth the cost of industrial models found in
factories that mass-produce plastic and wood parts.
[View Full Article, PDF]
HIGH-SPEED, AFFORDABLE CNC
AWFS® New Products Volume 26, Number 5 (September 29, 2005)
- ShopBot Tools Inc., a manufacturer of CNC tools, offers the fastest CNC
routers in its class. The new line of CNCs feature the industry’s first
closed-loop stepper motors that give ShopBot’s tools performance speeds
of up to 1,800 inches per minute for transit and 600 inches per minute for
cutting. Now, almost a year after their introduction, these PRTalpha tools
are believed to be the fastest selling CNC ever with more than 400 sold
in the inaugural year.
“We have always aimed at being the industry leader in affordable, performance CNC,” said Ted Hall, president of ShopBot Tools Inc. “We credit the success of the PRTalpha to its ability to give our customers the maximum production possible at the most affordable price-point on the market.”
The ShopBot PRTalpha is the only CNC available with the closed-loop, “alphaStep” motors and drivers. These motors combine the best features of servo and stepper motors – offering exceptionally fast and smooth cutting motion with no “tuning” or “hunting” problems. The PRTalpha technology remains very affordable. A complete 4’ x 8’ ShopBot CNC tool with a 5HP Columbo spindle and CAD CAM software starts for less than $14,500.
SHOPBOT ANNOUNCES NEW AIR-DRILL ATTACHMENT
DURHAM, NC (July 26, 2005) - ShopBot Tools Inc., the leading manufacturer of affordable CNC routers, announced the release of the new ShopBot Air Drill Attachment at its annual Jamboree in April 2005. The attachment allows ShopBot CNCs to drill holes without changing bits. The Air Drill Attachment is great for cabinet and furniture makers who desire new capabilities for their ShopBot CNC. The attachment fits next to the cutter head on the Y carriage. “We are very excited about the new ShopBot Air Drill Attachment,” said Ted Hall, president of ShopBot Tools Inc. “It is just another step in our commitment to offer our customers the most affordable, competitive advantages possible for their ShopBot CNCs.”
SHOPBOT ANNOUNCES THE SHOPBOT CABINET SYSTEM – A COMPLETE NESTED BASED CABINET PRODUCTION SYSTEM
DURHAM, NC (July 10, 2005) - ShopBot Tools Inc., the leading
manufacturer of affordable CNC routers, is proud to announce the release
of the ShopBot Cabinet System. This all-inclusive system combines the ShopBot
Cabinet Machine with industry-leading KCDw and ArtCAM Cabinetmaker software
for easy design and fabrication of cabinet components.
“We are very excited to offer cabinet makers the most affordable nested-based cabinet package on the market,” said Ted Hall, president of ShopBot Tools Inc. “This all started two years ago when we developed a tool with increased speed and accuracy. When the ShopBot PRTalpha was introduced last year, we immediately began work on putting together a complete system for cabinet shops. The ShopBot Cabinet System is a great package that is complete, effective and priced for less than what most Cabinetmakers would pay for just a CNC tool.
”The system comes with a ShopBot PRTalpha96 featuring alphaStep closed-loop motors for transit speeds of 1,800 inches per minute and cutting speeds up to 600 inches per minute. The Machine is fitted with the new ShopBot Air Drill Head allowing cabinet makers to drill holes without expensive tool changers. The software includes industry leading KCDw and ArtCAM Cabinetmaker for streamlined design and fabrication of cabinet components. The ShopBot Cabinet System also includes a 5 horsepower Colombo Spindle and 15 horsepower vacuum pump.
SHOPBOT APPEARS ON NEW YANKEE WORKSHOP
DURHAM, NC (March 22, 2005) - A ShopBot PRT 96, a computer numerically controlled (CNC) cutting machine produced by ShopBot Tools of Durham, N.C., appeared on the hit show “New Yankee Workshop” on PBS on March 26, 2005. The show highlighted a variety of sign making techniques at the Lincoln Sign Company in Lincoln, NH, the place where the original “New Yankee Workshop” sign was crafted.
“The show has always wanted to pay [the Lincoln Sign Company] a visit and to find out how professionals create these masterpieces,” officials from the “New Yankee Workshop” stated on their website. “In this program, Norm [Abram] does just that and finds out how a router, a sand blaster, a hand chisel and a sophisticated computerized machine can be used to carve out modern signs. Then he learns how the professionals design, hand letter, paint and gild these beauties.”
The ShopBot was used in J.D. Iles’ workshop where, during the shoot, the tool is V-carving a sign. Also, the benefits of using a CNC machine are discussed.
“J.D., his family and crew were great,” said Gordon Bergfors, ShopBot
technical assistant on the set. “They were very friendly and excited
about the event. J.D. is very enthusiastic about his ShopBot and how
it is helping his company grow and produce some of the most amazing signs.
It was also exciting to meet Norm and to talk to him about woodworking.”
SHOPBOT APPEARS ON EXTREME MAKEOVER HOME EDITION – HOW’D THEY DO THAT?
DURHAM,
NC (February 23, 2005) - Ty Pennington went to the hospital with
appendicitis, and it was a ShopBot CNC that helped keep his “secret room”
project on “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” on schedule.
A ShopBot CNC router, manufactured by ShopBot Tools Inc. of Durham, N.C., made another television appearance on “Extreme Makeover Home Edition – How’d They Do That?” in February. The episode featured a segment on how CNC routers are used in furniture making. The ShopBot CNC was used to cut key parts of a piece of furniture for Pennington’s “secret room” – a ribbed bench called “the sternum.”
“We are very proud of our product,” said Ted Hall, president and owner of ShopBot Tools Inc. “We believe the high profile attention it receives is a direct result of the performance of our tools and the quality of support we provide.”
The ShopBot woodworking machine is not an official product of the ABC show, but is owned by Pennington who purchased it in the fall of 2003. Rob Williams, Pennington’s shop manager, operated the ShopBot on the episode when the filming took place in his workshop in Atlanta, Ga. earlier in February.
About ShopBot Tools, Inc:
ShopBot Tools, based in Durham, N.C., designs and manufactures low-cost,
high-value Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) cutting systems.
ShopBot was founded by CEO Ted Hall, Ph.D., a Duke University professor
of neuroscience, who developed the tool while building plywood boats as
a hobby. After several years of development, the company began shipping
tools in 1996. With 6,000 ShopBots in 54 countries, ShopBot is one
of the largest producers of CNC systems for woodworking and plastics in
North America. The company employs 25 people in the Durham, N.C. area.