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Thread: Very Interesting Looking Handheld CNC Router Product - Shaper Origin

  1. #1
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    Thumbs up Very Interesting Looking Handheld CNC Router Product - Shaper Origin

    Ran into this at the Maker Faire this year in the Bay Area and kept forgetting to post it here. Thought some of you might find it interesting. I think its always cool to see where technology might take us. Who knows if this type of product/device will ever take off, but it sure is an interesting concept.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxQ_NH4bj9o

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoSYjWN2CJ0
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  2. #2
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    That is innovative. It looks like they still don't have a release date for it.
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    Nope, and they have been showing it off for years now. No idea what the hold up is but they have been working at it for a very long time. Too long for how far along the products appears to have come.
    If at first you don't succeed, redefine success!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben Rivel View Post
    Nope, and they have been showing it off for years now. No idea what the hold up is but they have been working at it for a very long time. Too long for how far along the products appears to have come.
    From the few videos I watched plus yours, I never saw them cutting anything more than 1/4", which makes some sense since if you go 'off-line' it has to pull the bit out of the wood before it cuts were you don't want to. An interesting concept and might be very cool for making a few small parts.
    Mark McFarlane

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    One has to ask why? If you want cnc, there are plenty where you don't have to hold the power source in your hand and they don't wander off line in the first place and they aren't that expensive. It's a prime example of pointless gadgetry. Cheers

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wayne Lomman View Post
    One has to ask why? If you want cnc, there are plenty where you don't have to hold the power source in your hand and they don't wander off line in the first place and they aren't that expensive. It's a prime example of pointless gadgetry. Cheers
    People always ask the "why" question when new technology comes out. Remember when the iPad came out and no one could figure out why we needed a larger iPhone? Guess what, everyone has a tablet of some kind now and the entire industry was changed just because it was released. A lot of time people dont know what they "need" or want even until they have something or something is made available.

    One thing I can think about this particular product is I believe it was around $1000 give or take a couple hundred. Thats cheaper than even a basic, small bed, non-spindle based CNC router from say Rockler or something which start at twice that. Dust collection on this would be better. You can use your existing handheld router. You can work on any sized board. Stuff along those lines were what struck me off the top of my head, Im sure there will be more once people start getting them in their hands.
    If at first you don't succeed, redefine success!

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    As I understand it, you can build a Shapeoko CNC router for something like $600. Based on what I am seeing, it is far more useful than this thing. Not every new design turns out to be an innovation. Some just turn out to be funny.

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    I could see an application for this on large aluminum sheet metal pieces where an odd cutout was needed in the middle of a large sheet. This would be a lot easier than jigging up a template.
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    Simple fact is, I don't need it. May be some guys think they do. I think they would be wasting money. Jig making for me is a simple task. But then, I don't need an ipad, my Range Rover has a manual transmission, I light a fire with wood to keep warm and grow our own vegetables and livestock. Cheers

  10. #10
    As I understand it, you can build a Shapeoko CNC router for something like $600.
    The current model is $1100, but is far more useful than this thing.
    Gerry

    JointCAM

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Art Mann View Post
    As I understand it, you can build a Shapeoko CNC router for something like $600. Based on what I am seeing, it is far more useful than this thing. Not every new design turns out to be an innovation. Some just turn out to be funny.
    But if this works as it is supposed to.. your "table size" is basically unlimited. Small CNCs are often limited to cutting something like 2' x 2' or even smaller.

  12. #12
    Many CNC machines allow one to feed stock through incrementally for indexed cuts

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    The device is designed so that the operator must reach all the way over the material. The size of the material is significantly limited by that. Can you cut part way on an intricate design, lift and re position the router in some arbitrary way and then resume cutting? I rather doubt it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Biff Phillips View Post
    But if this works as it is supposed to.. your "table size" is basically unlimited. Small CNCs are often limited to cutting something like 2' x 2' or even smaller.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Biff Phillips View Post
    But if this works as it is supposed to.. your "table size" is basically unlimited. Small CNCs are often limited to cutting something like 2' x 2' or even smaller.
    The Shopbot Handibot is one that you could index bigger than a 4x8 sheet if needed and it will do 3D

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by William Adams View Post
    Many CNC machines allow one to feed stock through incrementally for indexed cuts
    But you are limited by the length of the gantry. That was the point I was trying to make.
    If your CNC Table size is 18" x 18", you aren't going to be able to put a 2' X 2' sheet on it.. Now, you are right, you could do an 18" x 4' piece.
    Obviously, there are things that a real CNC will do better than this, but this device has a lot of potential if it actually works, and there's a decent way to reference off an edge (not sure if that is possible or not). The fact that is portable and easy to store is a big plus too. Not saying it is better than a real CNC in every way, but the potential is there to do some neat stuff with it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jerome Stanek View Post
    The Shopbot Handibot is one that you could index bigger than a 4x8 sheet if needed and it will do 3D
    And it also takes up a ton of floor space that many hobbyist don't have.

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