Primo to LR4 convert, should I do it

[realreject (Realest20)]

Hey,

I currently have a primo and have been considering breaking down the primo to repurpose parts for a low rider build.

Is this worth the effort or should I stick with the primo?

[Tokoloshe (Philipp)]

Yes, absolutely. Switched from Primo to LR3, that was good, to LR4 which was brilliant.

[realreject (Realest20)]

How big did you build?

[Tokoloshe (Philipp)]

Here’s all the information:

LR4 - Ghostrider B2/RC2

When the LR4 Beta was announced, I was pretty stoked since I had been harrassing Ryan for a while then about any news on the update. The only thing I got out of him was the rail size. While pondering what theme the new one should have I stumbled upon Glow-in-the-dark filament and printed the ghost from Mario, Boo, at the end of May when it hit me: The new one is the Ghostrider. [IMG_20240611_205023] [IMG_20240612_002942] The beta started while I was drinking beer at a Festival, and because @…

[Britt (Britt Percival)]

I have a primo and now an LR4. I use the Primo for laser work and the LR4 for wood work. My LR4 is 36" X 48" (914.4mm X 1219.2mm). The LR4 is a way better machine for wood than the Primo.

[SupraGuy (Dan)]

I have a Primo, LR3, and LR4.

Each has different strengths, though I could get better utility by upgrading the LR3. (Reason I keep it is a bunch of unique parts, clear acrylic YZ plates, steel XZ plates, extended Z axis, and some other bits and pieces, but the reality is I haven’t used it in a few.months.

The Primo gets long periods of neglect, more since the LR4 build, but.there are still.some.thjngs where it is superior. To me the primary advantage is hold downs, allowing some materials that are more difficult on the LowRider.

Because the gantries ride higher on the Primo, I can use threaded inserts in the spoilboard, and clamp materials down, provided that I can avoid the clamps with the router carriage. This doesn’t work on the LowRider, since the whole gantry lowers. On the LR3 (table originally built for LR2) I tried putting in T track, but ended up never actually using it, since clearance from the top of the material to the gantry gets vanishingly small for through cuts, and maximum machine rigidity is where this is least.

For the LR, screws or woodworking tape is the only workable hold-down, which is a problem on material you don’t want to put holes in and can’t clean the tape off of easily.

So in my shop, there is still a need for both, though if I had to, I could 3D print or machine clamps with low or zero protrusion above. It would be nice to reduce the machine count, but somehow that’s not how it ever seems to work.

3 CNC machines, 2 lasers, a panel saw, table saw, compound mitre saw, lathe and jointer so far.

Edit: If you have room for only one, the LR4 would be my choice.