For Christmas I bought myself a Shapeoko 2 CNC machine. I'm still waiting for it to arrive but my own CNC machine is something I've been dreaming about for a long time. I've watched CNC machines come down in price and thought about getting a cheap Chinese-built unit on EBAY but the software was always the hangup. They all seemed to use Mach 3 software which required a computer with a parallel port. I had two computers that fit the requirement but they both crashed in the past year so I preferred to get a USB controlled unit. I also wanted an easy software for creating the design. When the Inventables.com guys released the Easel software that also controlled their Shapeoko 2 CNC kit, I was sold.
I saw them at the Detroit MakerFaire and saw the Easel software in action. I wrote about it in aprevious post. Well over the holiday, I saw the Shapeoko 2 was on sale for $100 off. This is because the new Shapeoko 3 was coming out soon. Shapeoko 2 had everything I wanted so I bought it while on sale.
I received an email that my package was shipped and they are in Chicago and I'm outside Detroit so it shouldn't take long to get here. I'm told it takes about 10-12 hours to put it all together so I'll be doing that over a period of time. I also plan to time lapse record it for my YouTube channel.
I received an email that my package was shipped and they are in Chicago and I'm outside Detroit so it shouldn't take long to get here. I'm told it takes about 10-12 hours to put it all together so I'll be doing that over a period of time. I also plan to time lapse record it for my YouTube channel.
To get a CNC machine with software for around $550 is something I hoped I'd see but never thought it would happen this soon. I plan to build things that my 3D printer can't and find ways to combine CNC, 3D prints and Electronics to make some interesting projects. I just wish I had more time to play with all these great tools.
And best of all, if you have been following me for a while, you know I'm a really fan of 8-bit microcontrollers. I prefer PICs but most of all I prefer the simplicity of 8-bit. I've had people tell me that I'm crazy for not switching over to 32 bit but I'm still not convinced I need that extra horsepower for what I like to do; build electronic products. Well my 3D printer is 8-bit, and now so is my Arduino controlled CNC Shapeoko 2. Not to mention my lab full of 8-bit PIC boards and projects. Tell me again why I need to switch to 32 bit?
And best of all, if you have been following me for a while, you know I'm a really fan of 8-bit microcontrollers. I prefer PICs but most of all I prefer the simplicity of 8-bit. I've had people tell me that I'm crazy for not switching over to 32 bit but I'm still not convinced I need that extra horsepower for what I like to do; build electronic products. Well my 3D printer is 8-bit, and now so is my Arduino controlled CNC Shapeoko 2. Not to mention my lab full of 8-bit PIC boards and projects. Tell me again why I need to switch to 32 bit?
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