My new Shapeoko 3 is it just me?

[ArtF]

  Yes, I have to say the probotix looks like a nice machine, it seems to be very well built
from the photos. Though for my money Id go for a 6040 machine at about $1000 on ebay, then
fix it up as you like from there. A 500 watt spindle they come with is 2/3HP, and while
not perfect for all things, it would do most people.
  Theres lots of forums on people with 6040 machines, how they find it and fixes they have done to
make it work the way they wish. At its price point it allows you to build over time and is
,from all reports, not a bad machine, hard to duplicate for that price. Of course you need to
add a computer and monitor as well as a copy of Mach3 , but for less than 1500 in total,
it seems a good price for having a machine on your workbench that has done very well
with thousands of users.

  As to time, depends highly on complexity of the work. My own router is only
300mm x 300mm but  is made of cast iron so its pretty heavy and stable, I use
a 1500 watt spindle and I only do 2mm per pass in most hardwoods, at about
3000mm/min. From all the routers Ive seen over the years, the best deal is,
if you have the capability , to start with something like a 6040 and run from there.

Art

[kelly100]

Art, I looked at the 6040's. I kind of like them and kind of don't.

Like the overall design and more compact footprint. Also like the controller concept (eStop, Jog Buttons and Pendant Capability). Looks like it belongs there as opposed to Carbide's afterthought configuration. And of course the $1k price tag is nice

From the you tube videos I watched, the machine seems like they have a good bit of slop in the gantry travel. In one video the guy could push it back and forth what appeared to be 1/4"+ front to back. Granted, I won't be building rocket ships but that seems like a lot. Appears there can be issues with controllers cutting out indiscriminately. A couple of guys replaced theirs easily enough but that detracts from the price point.

The single stepper on the Y axis is a head scratcher. But the biggest things, at least for me, is replacement parts availability, the pirated Mach3 software and......"Made In China". I could probably live with everything but the last two issues.

Be nice to find a supplier with a DIY menu where you could could customize a basic kit with optional steppers, controller and spindle variations without having to go to the nut and bolt ground up assemble scenario. IMO

[ArtF]

Hi:

I agree with pretty much every point, you can occasionally get a good deal on them as a place to start, really
its a matter of how much fooling around one wishes to do, Ive heard from them that loves 'em, to them that
hates them. My Y axis has only one motor but youd be hard pressed to stop it or detect backlash, depends on
the build really. I just find th ehigher the quality the higher seems the cost multiplier for that quality. Ive had
better luck just getting parts and building up from scratch using quality ebay parts from factories like linear slides
and such..

Art

[kelly100]

Looking round the net on what's available and what budget allows... dream sheet would be the Shapeoko fram, base and rails with a pokeys controller / stepper driver electronics, ball screw actuators and maybe a 1.5 hp spindle.

Looked at several videos on the PoKeys 57 controller. Pretty broad architecture, pendant, E stop, spindle speed, laser and homing limit capability. Don't know what more you would need in a 3 axis machine. Coffee maker? And can add tweaks with Mach3 to top it off.

But I"m sure Carbide wouldn't be all that anxious to sell me just their mechanicals so... May start with the XL as a base and upgrade to the above as I go along

For work other than gears, whats your design preference? Have Fusion 360 but that seems like swatting flies with a battleship. The open source programs are ok to a point but you get what you pay for, or don't in this case. VCarve looks good but $350 for the desktop and $700 for the Pro version? Lot of my beer money for software that will only run on Windows.

Have January 30th as a drop dead date for a choice of where to start

[ArtF]

Well for software I use a mixture, I use vexx for drawing as I like the way it draws ( which follows as I wrote it),
for toolpathing and the rest of my drawing I use vectric , it has good toolpathing. For 3d modeling I own
a copy of Alibre Atom3d. I think most of us use a variety of programs, I dont consider any one of them
perfect for me, so I keep lots of them around as tools for when applicable. :)

Art

[kelly100]

Art, is vexx available commercially?

Did a web search but didn?t find any drawing software.

Do appreciate all your asbice BTW

Mike

[ArtF]

Mike:

Vexx is free and installed with a gearotic install. You dont need a license for Vexx,
so its just a handy tool to have in the toolbox of app's you end up using.

Art