Shapeoko3

[ultiarjan 1,222]

Just assembled a Shapeoko3. Besides a few small things like some missing screws and a few imperial screws and only metric tools the build was not too difficult. Now onto learning software, first thing I noticed is it seems the scale is way off. The provided carbide software is maybe nice to try the machine, but extremely basic.

I'll do a build log on the Shapeoko forum later, will provide a link.

classic shapeoko hello world:

Edited January 10, 2016 by Guest

[peggyb 169]

and what are your first plans? besides a pen plotter...

[ultiarjan 1,222]

First plan is to learn...  the plotter is a good and safe way to get a feel for speeds and bahaviour of the machine...

I've always liked woodworking (but have limited space) and making things in general... no specific plans just like it that I can use more materials besides plastic now.. I'm more into functional stuff than trinkets.

Who knows, maybe someday I'll cut out a new printer

Edited January 10, 2016 by Guest

[jameshs 42]

@ultiarjan great news on the s3 - I built an s2 a few months ago and am still playing.

my favourite pathway is inventor or fusion, use the free HSM to generate gcode and then use gcode sender.

the great thing is that the same model in inventor or f360 can be used to generate an stl or cutting gcode which still amazes me - same model, and additive or subtractive manufacturing - wow!

look forward to seeing what you are producing - I am still resolving dust and noise, which make my UMOs sound quiet

[ultiarjan 1,222]

@jameshs thanks for the tip, though I normally don't really like cloud software I will for sure try f360 then, was looking for a good 3d "slicer".

what is HSM ? I think I need to do some Google'ing..

I'm planning to make a wooden enclosure, and use a printed dustshoe + vavuumcleaner when I move the machine into the shed... for now playing in the printroom with the penmount.

[ultiarjan 1,222]

seems documentation is pretty good ....

http://fusion360.autodesk.com/learning/learning.html?guid=GUID333EA92D-5A96-4520-8FCE-A9A808EF87F6&_ga=1.14780081.600572820.1452599440

[jameshs 42]

@ultiarjan know what you mean about the web thing - but it is very stable as it does an install onto your pc. I actually use Inventor on a subscription, but wonder why F360 is free when inventor is £££ - something will change. HSM is an add in for machine operations and I think they have it for solidworks, inventor and fusion360.

As mine is not from Shapeoko but one of the last ones from inventables I don't have carbide - and when I read that people have spent $500+ on vcarve pro I wonder why they did not go for the free fusion/hsm/gcode sender route, but each to their own.

I skipped the marker pen (of course) and went straight for cutting and dust control is important - so is sound control but that is a bit harder to solve.

Dust control is in 2 parts - overall in the space, and on the mechanics - the second being the more important of the two!

Lots of people jump to aluminium, whereas I am looking to play more with hard plastics like delrin and nylon where I can use the original 'quiet cut' spindle, and eventually would love to upgrade to the router and stronger steppers, but need to prove its worth first

Look forward to your projects!

[meduza 191]

Nice buy @Ultiarjan, i love to hear more about this since i am very close to pulling the trigger on a Shapeoko 3 too :-)

[ultiarjan 1,222]

I finally started the build-log on the shapeoko forum, have a look here;

http://tinyurl.com/h62vasn

Edited January 25, 2016 by Guest

[ultiarjan 1,222]

Update, it seems about 2% of the SO3 electronics boards have the disconnect issue, it's being solved, they shipped me a revised version of the board yesterday. Pretty good service

[ultiarjan 1,222]

Installed the new v2.3 board and twisted all motor wires. Did about 6 jobs. No disconnects anymore. Did not do any really long jobs but it's looking good.

[ultiarjan 1,222]

pretty happy with this machine atm ...