I am fairly new to this forum, and figured I would make this post for a little insight.
I purchased my Shapeoko 3 XXL in January 2019 and have not had the dedicated time to actually use the machine, aside from assembling it.
Fast forward to now, I’d recently weighed the idea of selling the machine and upgrading to a newer model but, decided to upgrade the 3 XXL. I have purchased and installed the HDZ, BitRunner, BitZero and BitSetter, along with a dust collector setup. I have squared things up(to what I felt was adequate) by following some tutorials on YouTube.
I still have the original Carbide Create and Carbide Motion on my PC, and am curious, should I just use that, or the latest versions?
I have a 3XL and use the latest version of Carbide Motion. The only problem I came across was that the original tablet I was using only had a 32 bit version of Windows loaded and the new Motion is 64 bit only. So:
If you are running Windows in 32 bit mode, stick with what you have.
If you are running windows in 64 bit mode, update to the latest version.
The new version has several new features that made the upgrade worthwhile.
Thank you for the response! Just checked and it appears my system is 64-bit, so I’ll get the latest one to try out. This machine has been an expensive dust collector these past few years, and I’m just at a point of being able to finally get it going, and having to sort out where to start with it. Definitely stoked to make anything though! Haha
Nice! I’ve watched some cool YouTube videos of things people have done with their machines, and I have a good amount of ideas for things I would like to try. Just finally got passed the Initialize Machine but, in Jog, my HDZ only goes halfway down and makes a strange noise. Unsure what that’s about though, so I’ll have to do some digging.
I feel really stupid, trying to get this thing going. As for the Z Axis only going half way, was because I had installed one longer bearing bolt into the back of it, when I installed the HDZ. I am now able to lower it further but, it stops at about .5 inches above the waste board. Is this normal?
ON SO3 there are 2 bases. The base unit is mdf held in and is part of the basic assembly. Most SO3 users make a supplemental spoil board that sits on top of the base board. The base board should not be used for your spoilboard. That base board is hard to replace and is not meant to be used for machining on top of. Here is a document I wrote up about spoilboard considerations.
The XXl has a 32 X 32 inch cutting capability but some of that capability is off the front of the machine. Please ready my pdf before you make a spoilboard. Some people make the hybrid type with t-tracks and mdf strips between but I am not a fan. Additionally here is my c2d (v7) file for making a long L bracket and some cam clamps.
If you use my c2d file change the job set up for what you want. I use the center and bottom of material to make mine. Also what ever thickness you use make the large recess holes for the washers to be .5" from the bottom of the material so you can use the same bolts for all your clamps. You material thickness may be more less than mine.
As @WillAdams indicated the router bits should not be inserted further than the collet length. The reason is the collet is cut so it forms a W. When you insert the bit into the collet the best grip is when the bit is at the top of the collet or just above. When you tighten the collet nut that is pushing the collet up an inclined plane that is machined inside the router shaft. This is also aided by using two wrenches to tighten the Makita/C3d router collet. The shaft stop button is only used to get the collet/nut tight enough to keep the bit from falling out. After securing the collet nut with the stop button and a single wrench you finish tightening the collet nut with two wrenches.
When you loosen a Makita/C3D collet nut the spring action from the W pattern of the collet expands and pushes the collet back down the inclined plane of the router shaft. Sometimes the collet sticks and if that happens leave the nut loose but fully engaged on the threads and use a plastic screw driver handle to tap, not beat, on the collet nut and the collet and bit will come down the inclined plane. Never beat on the collet nut with any steel implement. If your collet sticks after getting it loose clean it with alcohol or brake cleaner. Then use the alcohol or brake cleaner on a qtip to clean the router shaft inside. Do not apply any lubricant to the collet, nut or router shaft. It should be dry and lubricant free. Using a lubricant will lead to the collet being loose and the bit slipping up and/or down ruining your project.
Inserting the router bit too far up the router shaft can cause out of round condition for your router bit. The inside of the router shaft is machined but not all the way up. The top of the router shaft is rough and inserting a router bit all the way up also causes tightness issues because when tightening the bit with the collet and nut the bit is pushed up slightly. With the bit all the way up it has no where to go and can cause your collet nut and collet to not fully tighten around the bit shaft.
On my non CNC routers, depending on the length of the bit, I push it up as far as I can and then move it back down about 1/4 inch. This gives me the best grip on the bit without it bottoming out.
Porter Cable and Dewalt type collets have the nut and collet attached to each other. So when you loosen the collet nut it comes free and then becomes harder to turn after a few turns as the collet is pulled back down the inclined plane inside the router shaft. The Makita/C3D router collet and collet nut are not attached to each other so when loosening those collet nuts they turn freely and just the spring action of the collet moves the bit and collet down the inclined shaft. Hence if it does not come down tap on it to aid the spring action in loosening the collet/bit. Never beat on the collet/nut because you can physically bend the router shaft. Bending the router shaft will cause your router bit to have excessive run out. If tapping does not work then spray a lubricant in but clean it out when you get the collet/bit out. If you are spraying a lubricant in the router shaft put some paper towels under the router to keep your spoilboard from becoming oily and discolored.
Very informative, thank you! Definitely good to know, as much as I can. Not to leap head first into a project but, I’ll likely try running to Menards tomorrow to pick up a few things, for some basic projects, as I’m hoping my evenings will be free within the next couple weeks to at least try some semi simple things out.
I have no experience with Carbide Create either but, I have done a fair amount of stuff in Fusion 360, with 3D Printing stuff. Is it safe to assume model files from Fusion can transfer over, or? By no means do I want to seem like I need a hand to hold through the process but, id certainly appreciate all info/guidance I can get.
you can import STL projects into CC pro (the subscription version)…
but there’s sort of 3 worlds of CNC cutting… and I’ll add some example cuts I did to show the differences
“cutting things out” aka 2D – basically you cut shapes out of sheets and assemble into things
(I’ll admit to not doing much of this)
2 1/2D multiple 2D layers in a design, V carves etc. I do this a lot and this things like signs, name plates, putting artistic things into other woodworking etc. Carbide Create outright shines here and frankly, this isn’t where I see Fusion 360 be at its strongest.
Full 3D designs – this is where Fusion 360 is at home – not saying Carbide Create Pro can’t do anything here… but CCPro is more at home in a “2 1/2 D with bits of 3D stuff” world. You can do the toolpaths straight in Fusion 360 but from 3D printing, you need to change your brain to thinking “subtractive” instead of “additive”…
Arjan, those are awesome looking! Lets say I wanted to do a circle cutout, with fillet edges, would that be 2.5D?
Also, could you please elaborate a little more on “subtractive” and “additive”?
Another thing, which I’ll admit seems a little intimidating to me is, the speeds & feeds. Since I’ve technically not cut anything with this machine before, is the toolpath automatically generated?
a circle with fillet… yeah that’s basically 2.5D. Basically anywhere where you think in “layers” is 2.5D
On subtractive vs additive… When 3D printing, you are adding plastic one layer at a time… while with CNC, you start with a block and remove material (from the top)… e.g. subtractive. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, and I’d suggest starting to really try to think about removing material from the get go… the sooner you get your brain to be there the quicker you feel more “native” in this world.
On speeds and feeds. You will find a billion youtube videos, articles etc about the math to get the perfect S&F etc… But the reality is that you first need to get over the desire to get the “perfect” S&F… there is no such universal thing. And it does not matter!
Every material has a range of S&F that works for that material. Wood has a VERY wide range. Things like polycarbonate or aluminum have a much narrower range. As long as you’re in that range, you get a decent result. Typically the high speed end of the range gets you great cut times, but at the price of a bit of cut quality… while at the low end you may end up taking a LOT of time (and if you go TOO low you can get some burn marks on your work). With that said, when you’re not sure, it’s almost never wrong to just start conservatively low. Carbide Create comes with a set of reasonable “middle of the pack” S&F built in so you could just pick those (or even go a little lower). This lets you focus on the design, not the “hard” S&F.
My C3D compact router has only 1 collet nut. So, the stop button and a single wrench are all I can do.
If I only insert the bit to the depth of the collet then on some longer bits, even #201 I have to lower the sweepy mount down so far that the clamp is holding only on one screw. Is that your experience as well? I have been trying to have the sweepy brushes down to about 1/8” above the end of the bit. Maybe that is too low.
