In case you’ve ever wondered what the practical resolution of a Shapeoko 5 Pro is, I had some fun making a video this week trying to find those limits. Check out the link for the results.
PS. The Shapeoko HDM has twice the resolution of the Shapeoko 5, so… maybe I’ll have to revisit this again with a better microscope?
Revisit with a better microscope and using a single-line engraving analog which should allow going even smaller:
I did end up doing something like that for the smallest text.
One other thing I didn’t mention was that I was also running into issues with thermal expansion machining on different days. Between machining the fixture on the afternoon of one day vs engraving the next morning, the machine theoretically drifted about 0.1mm. Not great when your target’s 0.7mm across. But because the machine’s very repeatable, I could make an adjustment in my zero, do a test, and dial it in.
Next upgrade accessory: temperature stabilizing bed. Big chunk of precision-milled slab of stone with a nice 5kw embedded heating element to maintain CNC temperature conditions. Doubles as an isolation table when floated with compressed-air skirting.
Thats crazy cool … Who came up with doing the pencil lead? 
A while back I did a series of cuts to see how small I could do text with using a 90° V bit. I got to 5mm height, .5 DOC and figured I wouldn’t need anything smaller on my projects without needing new glasses.
It was inspired by a machining flex I saw from Kern a few years ago where they engraved on a hair. I didn’t think we could quite hit that tolerance, so I settled for the next best thing I could think of. Pencil lead came to mind because that’s what I was using as a pointer under the microscope.
Time was, the standard flex was engraving “The Lord’s Prayer” on various small objects — I have a small piece of type-size lead so engraved.
Aluminum is going to move with temperature for sure.
The pencil lead was the real test, and the material cut cleaner.
Awesome video !
“Freedom units” ?
Yeah, I had to research that one. Evidently used to measure the length of freedom fries.
Awesome video guys! Very reassuring that the Shapeoko 5 Pro is bada$$!