Any Shapeoko owners in Portland, Oregon?

I am interested in seeing one in person and talking to someone that is using one.

Is there anyone in the greater Portland, Oregon area interested in sharing their experience?

I’m a bit South (97306), but my XL is a doorstop right now. I got fed up with the multitude versions of assembly “instructions” and gave up. The forums were my final straw. If you want to help deciphering the frustrating "instructions and try out a brand new, never used XL, then shoot me a PM.

I really don’t understand your complaint, but would be glad to try to help you if you will allow it. If you would describe some task which you are having difficulty with, I will gladly try to work up a tutorial for it. There are a couple listed here: Shapeoko CNC Router, Rigid, Accurate, Reliable, and Affordable

In particular, I would hope that the Make a Coaster project is straight-forward enough for any novice to complete:

If you’re having difficulties with drawing, this covers a basic aspect:

Unfortunately, Carbide Create’s curve tool is quite limited (off-path nodes must be in-line with the on-path node and equidistant) — anything complex would likely need to be drawn up in some other tool and then imported. If you could share a file which you are having difficulty with, we’d be glad to work with you, and I often fix files, and return them with explanations of what was done from support@carbide3d.com (and checking there I don’t see any unaddressed tickets).

@WillAdams I have had to disassemble my XL 5 times (NOT hyperbole) because I was using an “outdated” assembly manual. I have been frustrated by vague instructions…or instructions that (I found out through the forums AFTER SEARCHING FOR HOURS to avoid the wrath of the “forum police”) turn out to just be incorrect. I have been frustrated by the lack of dedicated instructions for the XL. So, do I use the Carbide 3 instructions, or do I use the XXL assembly instructions? So far both have been horrible. If photos are being used, a big, fat finger pointing in the GENERAL DIRECTION of where a part is, or goes, is really not helpful.

A person can endure just so much, and then they say “%#@! it all”. The “forum police” were the last straw for me. To your credit @WillAdams, I have found that you “gently” suggest searching for [insert search item here] and then include a link. Much more helpful than “use the search function, stupid”.

I have about 60 projects I would love to do. I have practiced on CC and Fusion 360 for many hours…hoping that someday I would be able to actually “create” something. I am hoping that by collaborating with @pdx_curious, my “doorstop” can become the creative tool I was hoping for.

I sympathise with your difficulties with the instructions — unfortunately, while I did the instructions for the SO2, I didn’t do more than proofread and do some minor editing of the (now abandoned) PDF for the SO3. FWIW, I dis-assembled and re-assembled my SO1 at least that many times, and it was the difficulties which I had with it which led me to work on the PDF of the SO1 instructions, and then resulted in my receiving an SO2 in exchange for doing the instructions for it.

The people who complained of people not using the search function seem to be gone, and I’ve always felt that civil discourse requires that one accept people not being able to find things when they involve unfamiliar concepts. No one should be afraid or concerned about harassment resulting from asking an honest question. “The only stupid question is the one which goes unasked.”

Please use the XL assembly instructions: http://carbide3d.com/shapeoko/assembly/xl-assembly/ and let us know of any difficulties with them at support@cabide3d.com

Agree, a second set of eyes will often help on projects such as this. Good luck!

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@pdx im in florida come on down the weather is great :slight_smile:
@Bob ive offered to help months ago when you first posted of this doorstop situation,Im still willing to help if you want.We could start off with what step you need help on and we could walk you through it,either on here or if good close up pics of a certain part/area would help, or even a skype call if you wish.let me know what you would like to do.The shapeoko3 is so much more than a doorstop.

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@WillAdams that is my hope. Additionally, another set of hands and eyes may be able to get me to a point where I can get excited about a machine that allows such creativity. And, I came back to the forum because the “forum police” seem to have retired.

@orlrobinson Yes, you did. Too bad that by that time I was totally fed up with the machine and this forum. The best help that anyone could offer is:

  1. Update the assembly instructions and list them by model and serial number to preclude the need to continuously assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble
    because I am using the “old” instructions…or instruction that are not applicable to my machine model or serial number.

  2. In the instructions, if you have a photo, please highlight the part (an arrow or circled). A fat finger pointing at [Sagan knows what] in a photo is less than helpful, and becomes a distraction and a frustration.

[Steps off soapbox]

Im not rewriting the instructions but any of the stuff ive listed above intrests you let me know.

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It’s my understanding that a new set of instructions is being worked on.

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[Does happy dance]

ANY chance they’ll be done by early March? @pdx_curious and I are going to try to convert a doorstop into a tool and make some stuff. :smile:

Univ Washington, Oceanography, has one in our maker space in Seattle. We are still new to it, but the build went fine and it works fine. You are welcome to visit in March or later (sorry - I am leaving town for a couple weeks here and the machine won’t be available).

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I don’t know.

I took Apollo’s nascent instructions and photographs and started to put them up on the wiki at: http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Photographic_Shapeoko_3/XL/XXL_Assembly_Instructions but stopped when I was informed of the new set being worked on.

@BoscoBob https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6E5NAZ-Wiw

I’m in Salem. Running an XL without problems.

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Hey neighbor! I may hit you up for help sometime (if you wouldn’t mind). @pdx_curious and I are going to try to finish the electronics on my XL and do some actual cutting in March. Nice to know that Salem is well-represented (if only in numbers of forum members for now) when we have 2 machines up and running.

Much belated reply. Up and running an XXL across the great divide (Vancouver).

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