I have been bouncing between buying a Shapeoko 3XXL or the 1000mm Xcarve. This bouncing around has been going on for over a year. A few times I almost pulled the trigger for the 3XXL. But when I’m ready, I always find that the Touch Probe is always “SOLD OUT”
Are touch probes being made and sold so fast, that inventory cant be stocked? Or has Carbide 3D decided to stop selling them all together, and hasn’t gotten around to removing the probe from their accessory page? Is there hope? It takes a lot for me to pull the trigger on tools that are expensive. And every time I’ve comes close to doing so. It literally is the fact that I can’t get a probe with the other accessories IM choosing to buy.
We were very surprised by the demand for the Carbide 3D Probe.
We are making more as quickly as we can, and hope to have them back in stock soon, and that they will then stay in stock. One of our resellers was noted as having a restock date of 22 February on the Unofficial Facebook group.
Between the ShapeOko and x-carve the ShapeOko is overall the stronger contender in the fact that it has a much more rigid frame. And in my opinion a better control board. And as far as I can see better hacks/accessories. The probe goes in and out of stock. Just keep an eye on their store page. I got mine about 5 or 6 months ago. As far as calibrating goes the touch probe is a thing of beauty.
It’s a very nice accessory, bit it is worth noting that folks used their machines for years w/o them — I use mine about half the time (discounting how it’s mounted at the front an works as a power indicator), and almost never when working with either a fixture or rough sawn lumber.
I usually use aluminum foil as a probe. The Invetables one is just a Z probe.
But with the SO3, you can make your own probe. Or buy a 3rd party one if the C3D is not available.
I purchased my Shapeoko without the probe that was sold out at the time. I’ve been using it this way for a while without any issues but I’ll buy one at some point. I don’t think that the lack of probe is significant. There are several choices for probes that you can get the official Carbide 3D, Mr Beaver’s and the Triquetra. The aftermarket ones may even have some advantages over the Carbide 3D version.
Funny thing, I own a C3D probe and also own a probe from another vendor, but this weekend I ran some projects and used the tried and true thin paper zeroing method. Mainly because I was using tiny V bits and was worried that even at probing speed I could pop the tiny tip off my endmill on the touch plate
I made a touch plate for my son using 1/4” stock. Using other control software it is capable of everything the C3D probe is, other than having indicator lights.
He now has 3 SO3’s for his business, and each one has a 1/4" touch plate, hasn’t had a need to purchase the C3D touch probe. Not that there’s anything negative about it, just a different way to achieve the same function.