Shaper Origin in practice

[Chip shop]

I'm not in the market as I can't think of a job I've ever done that would have benefitted from it, but I'd love to see what people are using them for.

3 grand seems a bit expensive for a toy, but I'd love to hear peoples thoughts on them.

Ta,

Ed.

 

[Prizen]

Sorry I don’t have one either but interested to find out too!

 

[Jeremy Nako]

Ive only had mine since Christmas, and work has gone mental since then so I've not had much workshop time.

However.. I've used it for detailed engravings and to produce templates for other projects. One of my personal projects is to produce cutting boards that are exactly the same shape as classic guitars. So I download the free drawings, load then into the Origin and I can cut the shape exactly. There is a large library of user donated project files that can be loaded free of charge.

If your question is about justifying the cost then I'm not the right person to ask.

I dont have the space for a CNC machine and I have unashamedly indulged myself. It gives me a lot of pleasure, so for me it's worth it.

 

[Spectric]

and I have unashamedly indulged myself. It gives me a lot of pleasure, so for me it's worth it.

When you put our tool expenses into focus then they are really nothing if you simply put them down to an indulgence and a form of pleasure. Now think of diamonds, Jewelery, handbags and shoes which some women are obsessed with and the same justification could be used but there is a huge glaring difference. Our tools are not just objects and have a purpose, they can be productive unlike the above which are stones. bits of shiny metal, fancy containers and often very unpractical footwear.

So the new line of thought is that you do not have to justify anything, if you like it then buy it and the money is irrelevant so long as the item gives pleasure and is not a pile of stressful junk which justifies spending more so you avoid that synario.

 

[Lorenzl]

I am interested to know if it snatches.

 

[Jeremy Nako]

I dont understand the question?

 

[Yojevol]

I dont understand the question?

I think this is what they're talking about. @Chip shop correct me if I'm wrong
Brian

 

[hlvd]

Ive only had mine since Christmas, and work has gone mental since then so I've not had much workshop time.

However.. I've used it for detailed engravings and to produce templates for other projects. One of my personal projects is to produce cutting boards that are exactly the same shape as classic guitars. So I download the free drawings, load then into the Origin and I can cut the shape exactly. There is a large library of user donated project files that can be loaded free of charge.

If your question is about justifying the cost then I'm not the right person to ask.

I dont have the space for a CNC machine and I have unashamedly indulged myself. It gives me a lot of pleasure, so for me it's worth it.

I’ve seen videos on YouTube and it’s an incredible machine, but you need a Shaper Origin for a simple job like that? You could do that with a bandsaw and bobbin sander/MDF template and 1/2” router.

 

[Lorenzl]

I am interested to know if it snatches.

When I am free handing a slot with a router it can quickly pull off to one side. My be wood grain, or too deep a cut?

 

[Jeremy Nako]

I was really hoping not to get into the justification argument.

Do you really need a bandsaw to do this.. or a bobbin sander or a router..? The answer is no to all. You could do it all with a hand saw and some sand paper.

But they all help with the precision and they all help with the speed of the project which are both important to me as I have both very limited time and equally limited skills having come to this hobby late in life.

The Shaper moves the precision and the speed up several notches from that.

I've given one small example of what I enjoy doing, but that's not the only use that I'll be putting the Origin to.

I have some projects that I'll hopefully get to later in the year that I'd stand absolutely no chance of doing a decent job on without a CNC or Origin.

 

[Jeremy Nako]

I am interested to know if it snatches.

Oh I see - apologies.

The Origin is accurate to 100th of a millimeter (I believe !).

I've not had it snatch in any of my (small number) of projects but they do recommend that you don't go lower than the bit diameter for each pass.

My projects are usually in hardwood (Maple, Walnut and Oak mostly) so its a decent test.

 

[Jeremy Nako]

Here's something that I made for my grand daughter.

It was my first project with the Shaper and used a free (community uploaded) Shaper template.

I should say that the photos were pre final sanding and finish.

The photos are tiny, so apologies, but hopefully you'll get the gist. The lettering was created with the built-in fonts on the Shaper then filled with Epoxy.
The main piece was cut from solid Sapele (if memory serves..) and pocket cut (about 8 passes !). The lid was also cut from a separate piece using the same template and the inset for the lid was micro adjusted using the Shapers off-set facility in 1/10th millimeter increments until the lid was snug but tight.

The project took about 3 hours including testing on spare pieces.

I'm not showing the images as an example of quality workmanship (there are several flaws of my own ineptitude), but rather that this is something that I just wouldn't have the skill to have attempted without the Shaper.

 

[Jeremy Nako]

I think this is what they're talking about. @Chip shop correct me if I'm wrong
Brian

I meant the snatching question Brian.

 

[Spectric]

You could do that with a bandsaw and bobbin sander/MDF template and 1/2” router.

But why justify anything, if you like it then buy it and the money is irrelevant so long as the item gives pleasure. We could all save a fortune if we went traditional and put on the sandals and used nothing but handtools but we live in a material world where using tools can overcome or at least help overcome our skills shortages or to get a job done much faster and make it profitable. The bigger problem is finding quality or not getting sucked in by marketing and branding, but someone has to in order to provide feedback and save others!

 

[hlvd]

But why justify anything, if you like it then buy it and the money is irrelevant so long as the item gives pleasure. We could all save a fortune if we went traditional and put on the sandals and used nothing but handtools but we live in a material world where using tools can overcome or at least help overcome our skills shortages or to get a job done much faster and make it profitable. The bigger problem is finding quality or not getting sucked in by marketing and branding, but someone has to in order to provide feedback and save others!

It’s a lot of work using that Shaper Origin to do something like, there are quicker simpler ways.

For other projects, especially inlays it’s incredible, I was astounded at how it worked when I saw it for the first time.

 

[Spectric]

With a CNC you spend time in the setup and then off it goes knocking out whatever so long as you keep giving it material and ensuring the tooling is sharp, I suppose this shaper must be the same and great for repetition where you are doing the same task over and over but not so good for one off's. But this is where over time you will gather a library of task that you just reuse but I do not know how easy this is with the shaper as it looks like it needs a bit more than a program input

 

[Ollie78]

I think they sound good to use as a sort of guided router. Set macros for regularly done tasks, hinges of different sizes and types.
More complex things as well
Once set up then easy to repeat, extrapolate this process for a bunch of different work and the time saved would add up quickly.

I will get one one day, and I do have a normal cnc machine, this is not the same as that but is a separate category of tool.

 

[Chip shop]

Please don't get me wrong. The original question wasn't a backhanded way of leading to a 'why do you want to waste you money on that'

I am genuinely interested in what people are using (and it sounds like they are getting used) them for.

I have a flatbed CNC but the vac-bed is a waste of time so there's too much time spent on devising work holding devices to make it viable for little jobs.

How much cross over is there between an Origin and a 'traditional' gantry style machine?

 

[Ollie78]

Please don't get me wrong. The original question wasn't a backhanded way of leading to a 'why do you want to waste you money on that'

I am genuinely interested in what people are using (and it sounds like they are getting used) them for.

I have a flatbed CNC but the vac-bed is a waste of time so there's too much time spent on devising work holding devices to make it viable for little jobs.

How much cross over is there between an Origin and a 'traditional' gantry style machine?

Masking tape and super glue is the answer to many workholding issues on the CNC. Known as the "blue tape" method.
Will make it much easier for "little jobs" takes about a minute to do.

I think there is some functional crossover and you can do many of the same things but it should be called a CNC guided handheld router rather than a CNC machine, because it must always moved by the operator.
The more people that use them the more applications will be found.

Ollie

 

[petertheeater]

I bought one just after Christmas. I used it on a couple of projects. One of them being planting a radiused solid moulding to the edge of 30mm MDF on a bookcase. The outer radius of the MDF had to meet perfectly with the inside radius of the solid edging. Once you figure out the best way to hold the work (clamps or D/sided tape). It did the job very accurately. I also used it to make arch door templates and radius cornered access panels and their apertures. I've been involved in a refurbishment project for the last few months but when I'm back in the workshop cabinet making I can see quite a few uses for it.
There is a bit of a learning curve but those reasonably au fait with sketchup or other Cad programmes will adapt easily. There is also on board Design with rectangles, squares and circles as well as lettering, which can be sized easily on the touch screen. I haven't yet but intend to make a clamping board with the reference tape on it for repeated work. It's got its limits but l think I will get a return on the cost. Like so many tools equipment I always wish i'd bought them years ago.