Able to get a used Shapeoko 3 for 550.00. Its a 2015 model with 22"x22" working area so different than the models I see now. The guy knows nothing about it cause he set it up but can’t figure out how to use it and thats all the info I get. Looks like brand new in the pic. My wife has two different vinyl cutters and I know this is totally different. Don’t know if this model is 3d or not, we know nothing about cnc but make a lot of signs by hand. At the moment Im only interested in 2d where it just routes a sign off a silhouette like a vinyl cutter but don’t know if programs have gotten that easy yet.
Is this machine for me to get my feet wet or should I stear clear cause of the learning curve and unknown if he set it up right?
They said they paid 800.00 for it 3 yrs ago so I don’t know if they were cheaper then or not as well made.
A 22" x 22" working area doesn’t match any of our machines:
SO3: 16" x 16"
XL: 32" x 16"
XXL: 32" x 32"
Are you sure this isn’t a Shapeoko 2?
Post the picture?
The original Shapeoko 2 w/ 12" x 12’ working area sold for well over $550 (larger working areas were available, but the machine was sold based on extrusion length, so the original was 500mm x 500mm, there was a 750mm x 750mm, and the largest currently still available as a 1M x 1M from our competition Inventables as the X-Carve), so this is a bargain — the machines are easily refurbished so long as nothing which isn’t a consumable/wear item is broken (consumable/wear items include the V wheels, belts, carbon brushes on the trim router).
They said it was a 3. I see now in the pics it doesnt say that,it does say 3d but that wasn’t what they said. Serial no 1006. It has a grid on the cutting area and I can see its 22" wide in the pic plus thats what they said. Has a dewalt router. They said no bits, don’t know if there was an original bit and its gone or they meant no extra bits. How hard is it to learn on this for simple signs? Im assuming we might need updated software…
So your saying a shapeoko 2 with a 22"x22" cutting area at 550.00 would be a good deal an still a good one to use? The date on the side in marker by the serial number says made in 2015. Nothing should be worn on it cause they said they couldn’t figure out the software and got frustrated and never used it.
Im sry. I joined from a link on a search. I thought I was in a more general home cnc forum. I thought carbide 3d was a program. Was trying to do a fast search to give them a yes or no as its a 1 hr drive. Since machines get better I didn’t know if was better off saving for new.
The original Shapeoko 1 was launched on Kickstarter. It and the Shapeoko 2 were sold by Inventables under license for a while. When @edwardrford left Inventables he created a new machine design from a clean slate, the Shapeoko 3 which is now sold by the company Carbide 3D.
The Shapeoko 2 is a great little machine, but expanding it can push, reach, or even exceed the limits of MakerSlide.
I’ve upgraded @Hobbiest’s account, so should be able to post now.
I appreciate the quick replies. They said sale pending so I’m now second in line. Was first but hard when they know nothing about the item they are selling. Hers one pic if it comes through
in terms of “is it for you” … the first question you need to ask yourself is if you’re afraid of a screwdriver or wrench… these machines are great, but you need to be a bit technical/mechanical inclined for them to be a good fit.
(read: if you make a mistake you will need to use a wrench to fix the machine)
I watched several youtube series (I’ll paste the URLs to the first of the series below but I’d suggest to watch the series of each) before I decided to buy. It’s been awesome for me (I’m a software guy but have learned the mechanical side as a new thing for me).
the machine is great for 2D and 2.5D (e.g. multiple layers of 2D) and can absolutely do 3D. the digital side of 3D is more complicated
That grid isn’t 1"? or it doesn’t cut all the way to the edge? Can you run it out the back and feed it in? I make a lot of 16’’-24" signs and was ok with 22" but might wait for bigger if it stops at 16"
BTW I appreciate all the fast responses. If I don’t get this one I probably will get something in the next year. I would rather have missed out then got the wrong thing for me cause if I have a bad experience I know it will be hard to want to try again.
you can run out of the back… but if you make many signs, you might want to either buy a bigger machine (I have a SO3XL which is 32x16… an SO3XXL is 32x32) since moving the stock ALL the time is going to be annoying.
(there are upgrade kits from SO3 to SO3XL but they’re a big chunk of the price of the machine)