my machine is out by about a mm from one end to the other. I have the original t-track spoilboard on my shapoko pro. I’m trying to figure out how to surface it to fix this problem but i’m going to end up with a pocket. I want to keep my t-tracks and I like the spoil board inserts. The difference from one side of the machine to the other increases consistently so it isn’t that the MFDs have difference thicknesses.
is there slop in the gantry i can tighten up? and how do i surface the whole spoilboard?
The SO4 Pro has v-wheels. Have you checked and/or adjusted them. To adjust them loosen the bolt with an allen wrench. Then use a wrench to tighten the v-wheel and then hold the eccentric for the v-wheel with a wrench and tighten up the bolt. If you do not hold the eccentric while tightening the v-wheel it will due to torque over tighten your v-wheel.
Try putting a level on your spoilboard and level the base. Then check the gantry for level as well. The v-wheels will not level your gantry by themselves but if the base is level the gantry should be level as well. So get things leveled before trying to tram your spoilboard. The t-tracks are below the mdf slats so you should be able to level a few times before the mdf slats have to be replaced.
To save your spoilboard from being scared up I use bottom of material in the CC setup. I replaced my spoilboard about 2 years ago and there are very few scars on my spoilboard. The few that are there are because of my mistakes. It is a change but a good one. There is one thing you should be careful of if using bottom of material. In the jog rapid positions you can check your X and Y positions but if you are used to doing the Z+6mm then make sure you have jogged off the material before issuing that rapid position or your bit will jam into your material because it will drive the router/bit down to 6MM above the spoilboard. After you get straightened out try the bottom of material in CC.