New Piranha FX owner

How-to videos on the CNC Shark

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rgill
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2015 12:01 am

New Piranha FX owner

Post by rgill »

Greetings fellow sawdust makers! I am an old novice at this.
Long time computer guy new woodworker. So far have been greatly underwhelmed at the documentation,
videos and miscellaneous warnings and notes sent in a random pattern in the packing material. The unidentified parts
and misc warning messages and manual versions have been a bit daunting. Trying to decypher the things that are shark, piranha
or piranha fx is not very well documented. Would like to find a first user check list or a good setup video specific to this device
or a good general setup video if available. Look forward to working in this community.
Thanks in advance.
-Rick

Mimbler
Posts: 76
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 5:37 pm

Re: New Piranha FX owner

Post by Mimbler »

Rick, I got the basic Piranha the first of this year, and share your impression of the documentation. But...the machine is great and has exceeded expectations.

For the router/spindle portion, this forum and the vectric forum as well as the vectric tutorials will let you figure it out pretty quickly.

For the laser and 3d printing, I don't know; but I'll bet there are forums dedicated to those topics that will help. I know that for me reading a lot of the archives was a form of learning that I absorbed pretty painlessly, as I wasn't the first person to have the questions I did. I'm guessing that if you start with the router/spindle, and learn the software and do some projects, that the laser and 3d printing will only be an increment to add, but if you start with those you would just be complicating things. The router is pretty simple in the equation, you turn it on. Laser and 3d printing have their own learning curve to add to the mix.

It still took me a little courage to actually run the machine for the first time, but now I wonder why it seemed so mysterious!
Mike

rgill
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2015 12:01 am

Re: New Piranha FX owner

Post by rgill »

Thanks Bill and Mike. Got my first piece cut finally. USB thumb drives appear to not all being created equal
as the Piranha controller will recognize some but not all that I have tried. Once I got it loaded everything
fell into place, now for a sacrificial board w/ clamps and holes and I can really get started. Question of the day is
After adding the sacrificial board will that subtract from the 3" on the Z? Thanks to all and thanks for the help
hope to be able to help others soon.
W/R
-Rick

Mimbler
Posts: 76
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 5:37 pm

Re: New Piranha FX owner

Post by Mimbler »

Rick, that is a good question and the answer is yes/no/kinda! The Z axis will still move up and down 3 inches of course. But... if you have a really long bit in the router your spoiler board might keep you from using some of the uppermost z movement.l But...you can slide the router up in the clamp some to compensate.

Anyway, I haven't had a z axis movement limitation with a 3/4 spoiler board and the work and bits that I am using, but theoretically I can see where someone might.
Mike

rgill
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2015 12:01 am

Re: New Piranha FX owner

Post by rgill »

Finally took some time to measure the play and think you are spot on.
Have made great leaps in a week after getting past the terrible documentation and various
warning messages, *sigh*.

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