Got to actually use my Shapeoko to try and make a thing. Was a small box to hold dowel centers, but went slightly poorly. The major issue I realized partway through is I don’t think my bit was secured fully in the collet, I’m using a reducer which I’m not sure I like, I think I’ll be buying the 1/8" collet carbide sells for my router. Because of that you can see on the left I had a very uneven pocket. Once I realized what was happening I paused it, tightened it a bit, and the next pocket was going much much better (on the right) until it must have slipped more (it might not have been fully seated when I tightened it, who knows) and gouged the piece pretty heavily, that’s where I hit the stop button.
Next run I think I’ll try it with my quarter inch bit so I don’t need the reducer.
First of many I hope, because only those who quit stop failing. I have been in this game 44 years and could probably build a very pyramid with my scrap. Now having said that learning from the fail, is the number 1 rule.
I hope you are using a router (Maybe a Dewalt DWP611) and precision collets are available in my sizes (Metric and English). Carbide3D has 1/8 collets in stock too. Collet adapters are a cheap way to get into the game but they (1) don’t run very true, so you are probably only cutting on one flute of a two flute end mill, and (2) as you are not well aware of, don’t hold very well.
I know you just spent a bunch of money for this great machine, but you will also need to spend more getting it properly tooled up. I think I have slept more that the machine getting all the toys, I mean tools needed to run just about any job.
