New Buyer, New Member, Awaiting Delivery of 5 Pro

Folks were just trying to be helpful by pointing out that this topic had been covered before.

It’s very hard, esp. when one is just starting out and is uncertain of the terminology to find stuff.

There is no stupid question, and it’s not an inconvenience at all for a new user to ask anything — folks who don’t want to answer can skip over it far more quickly and efficiently than a new user would struggle to find the answer in old (and buried) threads.

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Thanks. I understand completely. AlphaHD Tim has been very helpful, and I appreciate that.

I have actually seen that thread he linked. But I quickly glanced over it because I thought it was a perennial Speeds and Feeds topic or maybe a Loose Collet or Spindle Runout issue. Had I delved more than a couple of replies into it, I would have encountered a half-dozen or more questions I have in my head right now by the time I got to Reply No 46 (by AlphaHD Tim). I guess it’s kinda comforting to see that fellow hobbyists have concerns similar to mine.

I’ve been searching the archives of this forum as well as googling the web to find information about using toolpaths and g-code generated by Fusion360 with Shapeoko 5 Pro. I’ve downloaded the latest versions of Carbide Create and Carbide Motion. I probably won’t be using Carbide Create very much because I design stuff using AutoCAD Civil 3D and layout toolpaths and generate g-code using Fusion360. Because I am still many months out from getting my machine, I cannot open Carbide Motion to familiarize myself with its functions and/or get moving along the learning curve. When I open it, I get stuck on the opening screen with a big button in the middle that says “Connect to Cutter”. I have no cutter to connect to.

Can anyone explain their experience using Fusion360 as a design tool and a g-code generator? Or suggest a few links to videos or helpful websites? I plan to use Carbide Motion to simply feed g-code generated from an outside CAD/CAM system to the 5 Pro controller.

Thanks.

I’ve always found Winstons videos quite helpful overtime. He had one a while back as a primer:

I’d also highly recommend Winstons channel as well:

Lars has been my goto for fusion as well:

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I use F360 daily. It is absolutely awesome for practical/mechanical projects. But as much as I love it for all the mechanical stuff I do, it is absolute garbage for most decorative stuff. :smiley:

I use Carbide Create Pro or Vectric VCarve for decor and 3D mesh stuff.

I also second Winston and Lars, but also add NYCNC.

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I just got notice that my Shapeoko 5 Pro 4x2 has shipped. I ordered it Feb 14, and at the time the projected shipping date was May 28. The prospect of a 3-1/2 month wait was a bit excruciating, but I still placed the order. Having it arrive about 2 months early is a relief. Of course it isn’t here yet, so it’s a little too soon to celebrate, but overall this is good news.

In the meanwhile, I assembled the table. I used the Rockler Rock Steady metal framing system instead of the Kreg. The Rockler is plenty sturdy and powder-coated and cost about $100 less. Of course, any savings was swallowed up by the plywood that cost about twice as much as the steel frame.

Here’re a coupla photos . . . ¾” AC plywood for the bottom shelf, full-size side panels, 16” deep back panel, and 6” deep front apron. Double-layer plywood for the 64” by 37” top. Everything is bolted to the frame. The side panels resist front-to-back racking of the frame, and the rear panel resists side-to-side racking. The open space below the rear panel will allow space for wires, pipes, tubes, and whatnot, and will be covered with a heavy drape or something. Swinging double doors will be installed on the front to (more-or-less) seal the lower area. And by the way, AC plywood is not nearly as good as you think A-rated plywood should be. But apparently $80 dollars only gets you so much . . .

60” by 36” rubber-and-fuzzy-polyester heavy-duty door mat on top.

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I like the side panels on that table. Those will do a lot to add stability when the gantry moves back and forth.

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Yeah. In addition to providing a stiff membrane to provide lateral support for the steel frame, the 3/4" plywood side panels will provide a solid surface to attach shelves, supports, brackets, and/or outriggers (such as a pulpit for the laptop or controller, or some sort of derrick to loop the vacuum hose over the top). I thought about using 1/2" ply, or even 1/4" ply, but I am trying to anticipate as many situations as possible. And that’s the whole issue with trying to design a workstation for a machine that isn’t onsite yet. Hopefully, according to the shipment tracking algorithm, that issue will resolve itself by Friday March 24. And then there’s still the thing about designing and building some sort of dust enclosure for the upper table . . .

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