[A selection of forum threads]

Hi folks,

As I mentioned in a previous thread, I wanted to try and provide a curated list of interesting/popular forum threads on a variety of topics.

Obviously, there are so many things being discussed that it would be impossible to reference everything in a meaningful and maintainable way, so I went with a simpler approach of selecting one reference thread for a list of topics I see mentioned often, or for things I enjoyed reading over the last few years.

I’ll make this a locked thread with a single sticky post, to avoid additional references being scattered across multiple posts, please don’t hesitate to PM me with suggestions to make it more useful (the “Techniques” section is probably the one deserving a few more references). The rule is that it has to be a forum thread, since it’s the whole point (yes, I know, the last four are exceptions), and it should be “that one thread you should read to learn about [XYZ]”

Setup and maintenance

Torsion box (and this)
Bracing the baseboard
Belt tension
Belt calibration : the caliper method
Grounding your shapeoko
The Enclosures Zoo
The Hall of Dust Shoes
Aluminium baseboard
Air compressors & nozzles
Backlash, deflection and vibration explained
List of connector references

Carbide3D Software

Tracing a bitmap in Carbide Create
Compositing design elements in Carbide Create
3D carving using STLs in Carbide Create Pro
Using Layers in Carbide Create

Alternative CAD/CAM software and G-code senders

VCarve Post-processor supporting BitSetter
Fusion360 post-processor
CNCjs macros
Online 3D (STL) to G-code tool

Feeds and speeds

MaterialMonday videos
Speeds, Feeds, Power and Force calculator

Techniques

Inlays using advanced V-Carving
Terrain carving
Diamond drag bit on Granite
Diamond drag bit on acrylic

Mods / Add-ons

Laser add-on
Spindle & VFD
Huanyang VFD params documentation
Complete shopping list and schematics for a spindle upgrade

Wild Linear Rail mods

@BartK’s Shapeoko
@DiegoC’s Shapeoko
@DanStory’s Shapeoko
@RoughDraft40’s Shapeoko
@VinceFab’s Nomad

Showcase

Aluminium machinining
Stainless steel watch
Wooden wonders
Guitar build log
Cool PVC signs

Funny

Death of a #201

Inspiring

Salvaged Shapeoko

Miscellaneous (non-forum) external references

Shapeoko ebook
Carbide3D videos on Youtube
Winston’s videos on Youtube
Carbide Create: 2D Drawing - Design into 3D (gitbook.io) and Toolpaths - Design into 3D (gitbook.io)
Carbide Motion: Machine Operation - Design into 3D (gitbook.io)

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