Some of you may know that I wasn’t able to buy everything at once and I later found out that I had to have a couple surgeries anyways. So I bought my Shapeoko 5 Pro with our 2023 Tax Return and I didn’t have enough for a cheap laptop. So I bought a laptop with our 2024 Tax Return, which we filed quite late this year.
Since I wasn’t able to benefit for any additional perks/help like getting 4 Free 30 minute calls to help get me started. We put the CNC together but I would love to have someone on the line explaining things as I go just to get me started.
I downloaded Carbide Create and the Pro Trial version today. I don’t use computers much usually. So it would be great to still be able to get that help. I have a really basic project in mind to practice on. It’s a simple rectangle tray to hold a wallet, phone, and keys or whatever when you come in the house or by a bedside table. But really basic. I think it would be a good start to just get a first use with the CNC.
If you are an employee or know someone who works with the company who could answer this question please let me know. They are closed until Monday I assume and I call then.
Kathy, Get a hold of C3D, drop them an Email this weekend letting them know what you need. That will get you in the Que.
If you have been reading the forum, you know we are willing to help when we can. Some have even set up calls with those in need to lend their help.
I don’t have the Pro 5, but am willing to help when I can.
Good Luck
I appreciate that. I always feel bad for not knowing stuff. I have always loved buildings things back in the day, years ago. I had a car accident in 1999 and had to stop. Medical tech has improved a ton since then. I am able to do more, thanks to technology of course. Very happy. I’ll give them a call on Monday and send them an email tomorrow, Saturday. Thank you. I can say that a phone call might be easier, but I’ll see what I can do first.
Nobody ever started running first, we had to fall down a few times, mastering walking first. Someone was there to stand us back up.
Edit:
I am glad you are getting better after the accident
There is no issue for not “Knowing Stuff”. There is not a person on this forum that was born with the knowledge of stuff. We all learned what we know. You will learn stuff by doing. Obviously you have to do some reading and viewing youtube videos but DOING will get you to know stuff. Everyone of us learned to roll over, crawl and eventually walk. We did that in steps and progressed to walking and chewing bubble gum at the same time. Just keep working and doing and you will get it. You can read and study but in the end the knowledge from studying and reading will become clear by doing.
I used to work with a person that had a PHD. He was very smart but was paralyzed with analysis. He felt he had to master any subject before he attempted to do any procedure. Actually you can prepare but you learn how to do something by doing it. You make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. All success comes from failure. You fail and learn what not to do and try again and maybe fail but you keep learning and eventually you get things right.
Dont worry about failing because that is just part of life. We live and learn.
Thomas Edison, in creating the light bulb didn’t say he failed 99 times before getting it right. He said, “I didn’t fail 99 times. What I found was 99 ways that it didn’t work. Then I found 1 way that did.”
If all you did was program a straight line and cut that line, you could work on making that line better with each attempt. There are so many ways to cut a straight line with your S5Pro. I have a S5Pro as well. I opted for the 4x4 design with the hybrid table, and the spindle. I decided that I would rather have more then I needed in my machine then not enough and wish I had gone with a bigger one.
I think your biggest issue comes down to designing and programming. My very first cut on my machine was a simple word sign that said, Eli’s CNC Shop. It was a test of the machine and how fast something simple could be designed and programmed. There are a ton of threads here in the community that touch base on almost any issue you may have with your machine.
Also, asking any question can get you an answer from those who may know the answer, or have experienced what you may be experiencing, etc.
We are all here for you to help you out if need be. I had a few questions when I first started out. I came into this with knowledge of CNC machining and programming already, but I still had to learn the Carbide Create Pro program. Some of the simplest solutions are just that, simplest solutions.
Don’t be scared to try things and experiment with cutters and types of wood. My suggestion if you are scared of breaking endmills because of programming errors, buy the pink insulation boards from the local hardware store and then cut to sizes of your desired material. Then run this stuff as a practice material. It would be a little less expensive for the material and will be more forgiving if you make mistakes. I would rather pay $18 for a 4’x8’ sheet of this sheet insulation and use it for test runs, rather then the $45 to $70 cabinet grade plywood and ruin a bunch of practice runs.
Anyways, don’t be scared to post your questions about anything you have come up.
Thank you so much. I am a hands-on learner far more then watching. Though I do watch and even over watch. I just need help starting and the program, basically not over thinking which I do too my husband says and I get fearful of breaking it. I have some things to get thru this weekend that came up so I will message next week and go from there. I am going to leave this tab open so it will be there waiting when I can get back on. I can’t tell you how so kind you are how wonderful this community has been. Thank you again, talk to you soon. And yes, Thank You again. Just go with it, I say that a lot when I am grateful, it’s just who I am…lol. Have a great weekend!!!
I have a thing about logging out of things when I am through. I close windows also but that is just me. Anytime you log in you can just go to the upper right and open that menu and there is an activity tab. That gives you everything you have replied to or posts you have started. So you can always go back to whatever you have posted in.
I didn’t see this mentioned, but posting the c2d file that you are having problems with can sometimes lead to faster answers for you from the community here.
As far as I know nobody learns from osmosis, It’s because we are willing to share our knowledge with each other.
Sounds like your feeling better and ready to continue on your CNC journey, that’s awesome.
Thank you for letting me know. We are packing to move now. Life, gotta love it. It’s a Murphy’s law thing. I’ll be on soon enough.
This topic was automatically closed after 30 days. New replies are no longer allowed.