I appreciate your up front delivery. I am a new Pro owner as well. I experienced the same issues you did. The rigidity of the machine and the customer service easily makes up for the wait I experienced.
communication is most definitely not free when you are understaffed. running a small business, i can easily sink 8 hours a day, for a week, just responding to customers. customer relations and technical support is a full time job once your company grows to a certain size, it just tends to be an underinvested part of most small businesses, since they need to keep prices low to compete with overseas competition.
This is exactly what I'm looking for - an unbiased review of the Shapeoko Pro. I'm close to buying this tool to make signs from wine barrel heads. In the last few years, I've been using the barrel heads for firewood or give them away. Now I want to make some $ on the side of my wine barrel furniture. Thank a bunch for your input!
I’ve been doing lots of research on machines and glad I found your channel. I’m ordering one of these and you answered my questions thank you. Shipping time would give me time to build the needed table for it.
Thank you Sam. Now, July 2024, They seem to have it moving smoothly. My accessories whipped in a day and my machine shipped in 5 days, due to be delivered in 4 days, the 5 Pro. Wish me luck!
Sam just to say that your video on the shapeoko pro, is a top man support. I have just purchase this machine for my hobby as I have just retired and needed a video's like yours too help me through the installation and setup of the machine, I will be watching your cannel for any new tips and trick to ensure a smooth running of my machine.
Ok i got my first CNC in December. Picked up a onefinity woodworker. Now granted im really new in this world. i bought back in june but prob because i was classified as a pre order onefinity keeped me completely informed. they even tossed in free upgrades as i waited for mine to be built and shipped. they gave a free pro version of the dust boot :) I have been so happy with My Onefinity i even paid extra for the laser Jtech 7 w for 700$ just to keep it with onefinity. I could have got a 10w laser for 100$ cheaper but i have been that happy with the hardware and support from onefinity. i dont work for them or anything just love mine that much.
I'm a noob too and I am strongly considering a Onefinity. It appears to be of superior quality but very close in price to Shapeoko. Haven't heard anything bad yet, only very happy customers.
@@phlontstu When comparing with shapeoko It's the belts downfall. belts stretch overtime screw and a ball much more accurate and lasting. Was the main reason why i pulled the trigger for a onefinity. that and i can upgrade it to a water cooled spindle if i need too.
Yes that's what I was reading! Not having experience to just know that myself... it just makes sense. Onefinity is on backorder until June right now! I guess one knock against them I have seen is that the system is rather proprietary... but demand seems super high for these machines and I want one too hahaha
Honest review, very refreshing Sam. Sizing up. Keeping one smaller for productivity on many jobs not requiring a bigger bed. Then having a bigger one also for the larger demand that may come. Me, Signage. Making desing frames like a door and other smaller one cutting single lletters to be set into hogouts on big sign for dimensional looks even use hard foam material. Can pour and make your own polyurethan blanks if desired.
I am a carpenter, that said after buying festool products the price of the pro really isn't bad for what you get. I am currently looking at buying the XXL pro or the hdm. I have a production run of chairs coming up soon and they require a lot of layout and the 12 chairs use about 1850 4x20 dominos and 450 8x40 dominos all done in solid mahogany so I started looking into a CNC router to do the bulk of them.
I also ordered the Shapeoko Pro on October 15th. I to was disappointed when it took longer than promised to receive my machine. However I am not in the same situation as Sam. I am a 48yr old disabled professional woodworker. I am setting up my retirement shop and for me EVERYTHING takes longer than I expected. That being said it was mid January before assembly began. I was SHOCKED by how much easier this machine went together compared to my original Shapeoko 3. This has been well thought out with the customer in mind. My machine came with all the parts but the BitSetter was missing a magnet and wasn't assembled correctly. No problem C3D overnighted me a new one.... well the new one was missing the copper bushing the plunger rides in. At the same time I had had finished assembly and realized my machines Z-Axis stepper motor wasn't working properly. A few email's to support at C3D and I was put in touch with Brandon. He told me how to begin troubleshooting and agreed to call me when I had the first few simple things required to trace down the problem. I jumped up and had it ready in less than a hour. This was at about 9:30pm EST on a Friday night so I emailed him back saying I was ready anytime he could get back to me. I realize there is a three hour time difference but I was available 24/7. Within a hour he emailed me asking if it were okay to call. I said sure. Now remember it's now about 11pm EST making it 1am in California. He called and spent over three hours on the phone with me. It probably could have been done in less than a hour if we both stayed on task but we are after all cnc enthusiasts and I learned a lot. We traced it down to be nothing more than a bad wire and that was shipped out..... you guessed it..... overnight. I was up and running Monday and everything has been great since. That is the end of my story for now. If I had a con about the Shapeoko Pro it would without a doubt be the Z-Axis. The Z-Plus is actually a z-minus in my book. Why build a machine heavy-duty on two other axis and then put the standard part on the third. The reason was because the Z-Plus is fine if you want to run C3D router and cut at 100ipm. Personally I wanted to reach the next level. After upgrading the Shapeoko 3 to the point it would easily cut with a ¼" bit at 0.25 DOC @300ipm I want more. Hopefully very soon this issue will be resolved 😉
Thank you for sharing your story!!! You're more knowledgeable than I for sure about the Z axis and spindles, but I can totally see what you mean. I'll get there someday with a spindle, but still have much to learn first. :) Forge ahead!!!
CCcnc--- sorry to point it out... but the times are backwards in your post. 11pm your time EST is much earlier in the day on the west coast.. like 7pm in Cali.... not 1pm. thanks for posting your story, It's a great read. : )
Just made a deal to get one of these second hand, and am looking forward to it. Thanks for re-affirming what I've heard about the general quality and robustness of the machine.
Sam want to thank you for your video's very informative. Best on youtube. Being a retired contractor I will look forward to seeing your new shop go up. Happy New Year.
I respect you for this video, you did not knock the company into the ground, but gave a very true and heartfelt review, I feel that I can trust you on any review. Thank you 🤜🤛
Great vid Sam! I just always love :) your sense of humor! Even though I don't have a woodworking shop like yours, I can appreciate the value of tools needed for the job. You've got a great business going there!
Excellent video Sam, I’m glad you kept it real. I’m planning on getting the Pro for speakers, so I’m going to keep a close eye on missing parts and delays
Great video Sam! I ordered my machine at the end of December and it arrived at the end of January. I finally got the chance to build it about 2 week ago and I was missing the plastic strips. They did leave me a note saying that they were back ordered. I emailed them yesterday, on Sunday and I got a response from them last night. Today, on Monday I got an email saying the parts have shipped overnight and I should receive them tomorrow on Tuesday. By the way, I love the $100 CNC table. I had a fun time building it. I will be working on the drawers in the next few weeks.
Hey Jason, great to hear that! BTW you can go ahead with assembly and put the black strips on after the fact. At least I was able to. My machine was also shipped without them. That is... if your bed frame extrusions have dados milled into them like in my video. I saw in the FB group someone else had different bed frames and was told the dados were to be phased out for some reason. *shrug*
I got my Pro about 5 months ago. The wires were not marked and so I had to call. They walked me through the process of using a heat gun to activate the labels on the wires so that you could read the labels. I think they should have stated in the instruction booklet to stop and call for wiring hook-up. Then they would know when to start the clock for my 1 month period of protection (break anything and it will be replaced for free). Instead the rep told me that they started using a new supplier of the wires. That remark made me question the quality control. After this period of time I am very happy that I went with this machine.
Bought an XXL in July 2020 before I knew the PRO was coming out. Their service and support is absolutely #1. I really didn't use the machine much until October because I was new to CNC and was trying to learning the in's a out's. I started making stuff to sell for Christmas and was swamped with orders -- great stuff!! But then I started having disconnect issues, most likely because I live in Indiana and colder weather meant turning the heat on and more static electricity. So I was ready to pull my hair out because I would get 1/2 way into a project and lose connection. I e-mailed the company on Thanksgiving Day and they responded in 2 hours -- who does that on Thanksgiving Day. We went through a lot of trial and error to figure out the issue and they sent me, free of charge, items to deal with the electro magnetic Interference. Their support just can't be beat. I think the issue with the PRO was they just didn't realize how popular it was going to be and couldn't keep up with it. I am happy with my purchase and the company. For a hobbyist or small business it is well worth the money. Great video with honest input!
Thank you for the video. I am trying to become a new CNC owner but the Shapeoko XXL Pro has been sold out for several months now. If they become available, I am told that they sell out in about 30 minutes.. I very much enjoy hearing about the CNC router that you have purchased as it helps me to believe that I have made a good choice in going after it myself. I just hope it comes available very soon.
Glad I could help! I continue to be very happy with the machine and its capabilities far out-pace mine at this point. :) Carbide3D is a good company at heart. I think they're faced with growing pains right now. I would buy the Pro again if I were in the market today.
Not a pro owner but had the OG version of the XXL. It was a great machine, for the price point and what it could do. I have since sold it and waiting for my new and bigger CNC to show up. Without the trial and errors I did on the shapeoko I wouldn’t be where I’m at today with Cnc. So anyone looking into getting into it the shapeoko is a spot on beginners machine and can take abuse from noobs!
I sure enjoy your easy going videos. Thank you for taking the time to make them. Some day when I understand enough about CNC machines. I WILL have one of these. Because of you and your videos.
Great Video Sam. I am a XXL owner for about 2-3 years. Mine was also missing parts (belts & drag chain), and it also had wrong bolt lengths included for one section that causes me to make a visit to the local home store. I also had a board go bad, which they covered under warranty. They forgot to send me the board, so it took several phone calls to have them FINALLY send me the replacement board. They did make it right with a bit set as a "I'm sorry" gift. Honestly even back then (2-3 years ago) they were still peddling the same excuses. I think they would greatly benefit from a QA department that would verify the orders before going out. I love my machine and have continued upgrading the different options they have released over time. I do agree support overall has been pretty decent. I ended up choosing VCarve Pro for my CNC design software and it suits me fine. I'm currently building a new house, and the CNC is sitting in the garage un-used. I'm sad by this ;( I'm excited to get my home completed, so I can take advantage of my 1070sqft garage/shop. I plan on doing several of the projects you built, so thank you for sharing those.
I whole-heartedly agree -- they need to hire a dedicated QA team and check orders. I bought a BitRunner and received it yesterday to find it was missing two screws to mount it to the side rail. Thankfully I had some on hand, but still... Best of luck with the home build and new workshop!!! If you have any project ideas or things you'd like to see me try on the CNC let me know! :)
Well done, Sam. Glad to hear that all has worked out for you, regarding your CNC investment. Dust collection seemed to be the only "support" issue you've had with your new CNC, but that is not the fault of the CNC, it just comes with the territory. Keep on keepin' on. With many of the other RUclips woodworkers growing beyond what most of us can relate to, I love watching your videos because, well, I can relate.
Sam - great video, this was my first time finding your channel. In the market for the Shapeoko PRO XL currently and I've heard nothing but good things overall about the company. Thank for the great info!
Great video sam..I was kinda in the same boat as u with my Millright Mega V..XL..the only difference is they actually kept me up to date on the delivery delay..and there were no missing parts..but extra that they included with the kit..I appreciate the honesty of ur video and I hope my video i do about the Mega V is as good
i finished putting it together this week. But bit setter won't work. I will have to wait till next week. Facebook group is helpful. Even videos are good. So far I like the machine and still learning it. I always wanted one for a long long time.
Your order process sounds like my Tesla ordering process. Hope to get one of these soon. Thanks for sharing . Its always best to know what you are getting into when you order.
I ordered my 3 XXL about the same time and had the same experience. Also I had ordered a Laguna Fusion II table saw from Rockler and it was also very delayed in shipping. Neither Carbide, Rockler or Laguna reached out to keep me up to date on what was going on. I'm very happy with my equipment but my projects were delayed for over a month.
thanks again Sam for another great video. I live in texas and was delayed a bit on the shipping of my PRO XL... again, just like you, not their fault. I was able to put mine together this past weekend and just like you I was missing the plastic strips. Tried calling all day today (Monday) but it kept going to voice mail after holding for 10 minutes each time which is somewhat annoying. I finally gave up and left a message. My experience when calling (before this) has been great as well. They're definitely on top of things. When UPS delivered my first bog box, it had abouot 3 inches or so of water damage (like it had been sitting in water)... and after taking pictures upon their request, Support got back to me pretty quickly and said that it's probably ok since the electronics didn't get wet - just a couple of aluminum end-plates. They suggested that I keep an eye on things during the set up and to reach out to them right away if anything wasn't working properly. I was pretty impressed at their quickness to respond and courteous and professional responsiveness. All I have left is to buy a Makita router. Who knew that in all of the Dallas area Home Depots, all of our 9 stores were fresh out of Makita routers!?!@@!@# WTF!? anyways I ordered one off of Amazon and it promises 1 day. My machine like yours is pretty squared up right out of the box. I'm pretty stoked and impressed with that. My next steps are to do the obligatory 'hello world' exercise, then do the calibration movements to see if they are instruction-to-real-life-move equal. Getting really exited at this point. AND YES, this thing is definitely more 'beefy' than I thought it was. TRULY IMPRESSED with the 'pro'. AGAIN, thanks for your videos, and thanks for keeping it real!!!
Thanks for sharing all of this, Steve! Very interesting to hear your story and experiences. I would have been sick to my stomach getting my machine with water damaged boxes! Here's hoping you never have any issues as a result of it. Also best of luck assembling yours! I was pleased with the process and it wasn't bad at all, even with me filming the whole process I was done in 5 hours max. My pleasure to offer 'real' videos as well... it does no one any good sugar coating or pretending, IMO. :) Good luck!!!
Oh and I did have a slight problem getting help from support. I was lucky enough to have the manual and found the problem was my setup configure. Had it set up for belt instead of V+. But never got call back from support, or it took so long I missed it. Still not mad. Just makes me a better operator.
I’m right behind you Sam! I placed my order in November but got right after Christmas. I still haven’t made a thing yet. Trying to find software that won’t kill the bank and no, not carbide create! I’ll make my own video review in a month or so. You’ve inspired me to create a channel (I have 1 video posted). Thanks!
I'm really happy to hear I've inspired you to start a channel, awesome!!! I just clicked subscribe. :) Software is one of the hidden costs of a CNC (another video of mine in the works). Freebies like Carbide Create "work" but are extremely limited and slow. I'm a Carveco Maker fan for the low overhead cost, but it's also been a great CAD program to learn, has top-notch support, and is near limitless.
@@Samcraftcom Right and I was looking into it but they don’t support Mac. In this review video, do I see a tablet running your machine? I thought about the Surface but just run the CNC the price is high. Currently looking into Vcarve.
@@patriotwoodworker6092 Tim, I just got my Shapeoko Pro XL myself. I'm also a mac person as well and I plan on using Fusion360, but I don't know if their new rules nixed the CAM parts. I needed a machine to leave out in the garage with my ProXL and stumbled on a very cheap Toshiba Windows 10 used Tablet. I was pretty impressed that is an i7 with 8GRAM. I only paid $200 for it and the seller was 100% with lots of verbage about 'can return for any reason at all no questions asked'. I got the PC in late last week and I'm pretty impressed with it. It's only 1.6Ghz but I think it's plenty for what I need it for. NOW to your software question. In the past week, when researching Vcarve and pro, I've learned that the ASPIRE is the big brother to the VCARVE and on EBAY I've found several listings for the older versions 9.5 (instead of 10). I don't know how you are about buying older software on Ebay, but mine installed just fine and it looks like there's support that goes with it, though the upgrade to 10 still is too steep for me so I might be getting myself used to some snazzy software only to wish forever that I could afford the upgrade. LOL!
@Tim Triest It's a Fusion5 tablet running Windows 10. It's not powerful enough for CAD, but runs the CAM software, Carbide Motion, with no problems. I've had it for two months and am very pleased with it. This is the exact one I bought: amzn.to/3chTWOm
@@Samcraftcom Sam, do you recommend the Carveco Maker over the Carbide Create Pro. And knowing what you know now are there any other programs you would recommend?
Sam I agree with everything you said. I am in market for one and am yet to decide. The on thing I feel everyone should know is that due to the pandemic, companies world wide. This in my opinion is probably why all the logistic problems and delays. On the other hand Carbide should post a Pandemic COVID-19 disclaimer update on there website to keep everyone informed an send emails to existing customers waiting on machines. If Carbide is an American company, they may have been in a state that had to shut down. Again bad press on Carbides parts as they should let people know. Sorry for long post, loved the review and your videos
Hi Sam, just added a comment to your bitrunner video. I noticed your plastic strips missing in your original machine video, mine came without as well. Got them within a week or two. I started up my machine about 6 weeks ago and ran a few parts before trying to improve on the tram. It’s still a little out but tolerable. I drilled and tapped 2 holes in the router bracket so I could screw on the indicator directly. Works great for tramming the table. The other thing I don’t like is the router collet system. I have looked online for some options using ER collets but no one is making a direct adapter for say an ER 11 collet. Looks like an opportunity.
I have watched this vid before since it shows I liked it then. I watched it again today because I am looking to get my own Pro XXL and what do you know... it is out of stock. going to have to wait 2-3 weeks for restocking. I hope I get my order in to be able to get mine with the next round. Keep the vids coming Sam!!!
Most of the times I see a video saying “honest review”, I think it’s likely a sponsored video pretending to tell the reality. You video is an exception to this rule. You really provide great information, and shows both sides (the pros and cons), and you are clearly being very honest on your opinion. Thanks for making this video. It helped decide which CNC to buy, and it will be this one (once they have it available again lol)
I'm been an XXL owner/user for over 3 years. As others have suggested, they have always gone above and beyond to correct issues. This applies to damage resulting from user error too. In my experience they have never hesitated to send me a replacement part even when I admittedly was the cause. As far as poor communication is concerned, I think they can be chocked up to how the pandemic has affected operations. The timing of the release of the Pro combined with the global situation has to be the culprit here. And yes, it would be nice to have instantaneous responses to inquiries, but as you suggested, that would likely have required them to hire and train additional labor. Which during a pandemic is probably no small task....which in addition to the difficulties that go along with all of that would likely result in a more expensive machine. They seem to have worked out the efficiency issues and hopefully can continue to keep the price point reasonable for us hobby and small business operators alike.
My biggest deal when I buy a product is service after the sale. If I have a question or issue, I expect a response. I take pride in if anything I make isn’t 100% up to expectation, I will go around the world to make so. I expect the same from a company I do business with within reason.
I own a shapeoko 3 xxl and i really like the company. My own complaint and i find it quite annoying is no one at least in my case ever picks up the phone I had always request a callback now when they call I could be driving or in a noise area or away from the cnc machine and not been able to solve the problem when I need to
My number one bit used is a cheap 1/8" compression bit from Amazon, but I mostly use 1/2" baltic birch plywood too. My number two bit is a 60-degree v bit, then 90-degree v bit. These are also nothing special, but do a great job. :)
Agreed with this assessment. I think I was in the second batch. And sales was honest about timelines. I was missing parts also but nothing that stopped me from using it. Also a couple broken pieces that they replaced quickly.
I looked at the pro but in the end I went with the Fox Alien Vasto. It came with a spindle (I upgraded to a 1.5kw water cooled) and a 40w blue laser which works very well. It doesn't have the software (Runs on GRBL firmware) but it is a solid machine and eats aluminum and will even machine steel. There's videos on RUclips. Support has been ... Well, not like Carbide but it will do.
Hey i'm looking at the Fox Alien Vasto myself, mostly for cutting steel (probably sheet metal of a 1-5mm thick), what are its limitations when cutting steel plate ? I think i saw there's a 2.2kW spindle, would that be a better upgrade for cutting steel ?
Mine was a little different. I really wanted a Por XXL but when it was time to order I didn't want to wait 2 months to order and an other to receive it. So I found that Madder hackers had a XXL and it was 800$ cheaper I ordered it along with the T-slot kit, the bit setter, and the probe, and router I basically Got what I needed and wanted. I was still under price from the pro and was able to build a killer stand to set it on when it arrived. I have been cutting on it as a total newbie and finished my first completed sign that came out 99% the way I wanted it too. Still in the practice zone For another couple months until I get my skill level up more and learn the machine better. But all in all I love my beast. And that's her name, Bartha Beast! Oh total cost $3.0155
great video Sam. TY for Sharing......we Subscribed! Totally agree with the "small business" issues; We all deal with it and communication with customers is something I take pride in. I have heard about the black strips issues....waiting to purchase this one for the shop. What online groups do you recommend joining for mediocre players?
I got a workbee but If i was to buy again i would get a shapeoko, the overall package with shapeoko is much better they give you software, clamps, spoilerboard, dust shoe everything you need, with workbee i had to do all that myself (and assemble the entire machine myself as it comes in parts) the machine constantly needs maintenance to keep it running accurate aswell so was impressed to hear that your shapeoko hasnt needed any maintenance the whole 3 months youve had it. Also carbide create is awesome the only cad/cam software for mac
Sam I'm new to the CNC world and am looking to purchase a machine in the near future. Would you recommend this machine to a newbie small wood worker, there is so many choices out in the market. The products i produce now is bird houses carved faces and and driftwood plant holders, would love to expand new inventory to sell at the markets..Really digging your channels.... Chris
I absolutely would recommend this machine. The only reason I wouldn't is if your budget doesn't allow it, or your budget allows for a newer upgraded version. :) I love the fact this machine is rock-solid and stronger than my uses will demand. I don't have to worry about babying it or taking it easy. It's always been ready to get to work for me whenever I am.
I can echo your statements and I can add to them. I do fault Carbide 3D is supporting their products. I was a pre-order customer of a Shapeoko 3 (Original). I waited for ~ a year to have a useable machine. I then ordered the XXL upgrade when it arrived. All of this was more or less good. I was missing parts too, my original was shipped before the limit switch kit became a thing. Iterations of the product happened and you had to actually make contact and usually pay to get the upgrade or part that now everyone who ordered a base machine got. Someone not part of the "community" was basically left in the dark. New board upgrades for actual bugs or changes for upgrade parts ended up costing. EMI was a big issue with first boards. The big problem I have is part support, which luckily my machine is mostly open source. The XXL kit uses parts from the stock machine and then leaves you with a stock machine that's missing a couple parts and motors/board. I was trying to get two new endplates for the gantry to rebuild my stock machine that was collecting dust and they said they have none, you're SOL. They had moved onto Pro versions and didn't have simple parts available. I ended up loading up the design files in Fusion 360 and making a STL that a local laser fab shop cut out for me. Carbide iterates too fast and then doesn't support the previous generation for long enough. They are great machines, just be prepared to do your own support in a couple years.
I purchased the XXL back in June 2020. I had an issue with my router in December 2020 2 weeks before Christmas. I contacted support and sent photo's of where there was an issue with a wire which caused it to arch and burn the motor out. They overnighted me a new router with all new collet's and I was back up in running in no time.
According to Carbide 3D at this point they have received everything that isn't produced in-house in quantities sufficient to keep the Pro in stock through the end of 2021. If you feel like buying one for yourself they should be in stock for a while!!
Great and honest review video! It definitely helped assuage some of my anxieties. I just recently ordered one and haven’t received any updates either although the company did say it would be about 15 business days until shipping would occur after order confirmation so there’s still time. Otherwise, I appreciate your update and looking forward to seeing more of your content! Keep it up and stay safe, sir!
Glad I could help! You're going to love your Pro, I sure do! Don't be afraid to send an inquiry email to support@carbide3d.com to check if there are any status updates. :) I waited as long as I could then emailed to hear that it was out for delivery next day. That was before their new 'Shop' app or order status integrations were in place. I recently ordered a BitRunner from them and the shipping notifications were spot-on.
I also bought a pro recently and had the exact same experience! One of my boxes was missing several parts, including the black strips and hardware to assemble the table. A quick email exchange with support had an overnight box headed my way. Unfortunately for me, fedex screwed up and left my box sitting in Tennessee for a week.
FWIW I had a much better experience with Carbide3D. I was thinking about buying a shapeoko pro but it was out of stock. It came back in stock on June 12, at which time I received an email update from Carbide3D. I ordered it the same day. The website advised that it could take up to 15 days to ship. Mine shipped the next day, on June 13, and I received it on June 18. I have not assembled it yet but I have reviewed the assembly video and looked at all of the contents of the boxes. It appears that everything is there, and in good condition. I also had a couple questions for support so I sent them an email on June 19. They replied the same day. I suspect at least part of what happened to you was caused by the pandemic that shall not be named on RUclips. But it appears they have gotten their act together.
This is great to hear! I am happy to hear that they're flowing much smoother now with everything. I am still perfectly pleased with my purchase and experiences!
What do you think about the machine at this point? I am looking at purchasing one for my husband who has NO prior CNC experience. Torn about what size machining area to get - just wondering if you are still happy with the machine 2 yrs out??
You said that with the significant cost of the CNC that the company should have had plenty of cash to hire more employees to shape up the shipping, work flow, etc. I would disagree with that assessment. A couple decades ago I was a principle in a new start-up company. The cost of R&D sucked us dry. Once the product was able to ship, we had a massive financial hole to dig out of. We had to continue to run with minimal employees to keep the bank happy and keep the doors open.
I understand that with a startup, but Carbide3D is not a startup company... they've been in business many years. The unfortunate thing is that in online groups for community users, there are continued reports and examples of people getting machines with missing parts. It's a real bummer. If they would get that fixed, it would get rid of 99% of the negative comments and words about them on the internet.
That's the million dollar question!! I just spent some time looking at the ones that were on my top list when I decided to get the Shapeoko and think it's still top of the list for the overall safest bet as an investment of my money. OneFinityCNC is the close 2nd for similar price point machine. If money weren't as much an option (real pipe dream here) then Stepcraft or Avid would be where I would really dig into things. But that gets beyond the scope of a hobby CNC or small business CNC I think.
@@Samcraftcom Hey Sam, yeah I have been looking at a few for sure, but as you state I think it may be the best bang for your buck. Glad your getting good use out of yours!
Mine actually had extra parts which is strange because it's the black strips they say they are out of that everybody seems to need. 🤷♂️ From researching within the community and on the carbide support site, the newest version of the XXL pro does not have the black strips which is the version I have. They phased them out for whatever reason. Yet they still came with my machine.
Hi...nice video...my motto is you buy the mschine nit the company...if u buy a good machine you dont need the company and hence are nit dependent on them being in business today and nowhere to be found tomorrow. ...it looks like a good machine/value other than the undesirable belt drive design
Hey Sam. Always love your videos. You always hit tbe mark when it comes to pertinent information. I have done a number of test cuts and each time I get a little more complicated with it. I wound up doing a 2 and a half hour advanced V-carve cut and when it got to the end, the alignment was off. Have you had any alignment issues at all?
Much appreciated, and happy to offer a real life look on things! Never helps to pretend or sugar coat things, IMO. :) I've not had issues with alignment, but also ran through all the calibration/tramming/etc. steps pretty soon after getting my machine. What do you mean by alignment? Non-parallel polygons? Oval circles? or something else? If the first two, I would check the calibration of your stepper motors to make sure they're performing true to life what they're thinking (i.e. 10" in the g code = 10" in real life).
@@Samcraftcom thanks for replying. When I say alignment... lets say I was cutting the letters I and O it would cut half of the I, then cut the O fine, then com back to the I and cut the other half slightly off alignment from the first half. Hope that made sence.
Great video! A friend asked for some custom beer/wine tasting flights and I'm thinking of using it as an excuse to get into the CNC biz. Would you still recommend the Shapeoko Pro? Another? Thanks.
🔗 *Building my CNC Table:* ruclips.net/video/GHoSjAJRA_Q/видео.html 🔗 *Assembling my Shapeoko Pro:* ruclips.net/video/w9-SRTErFw8/видео.html 🔗 *Making Money w/Woodworking Playlist:* ruclips.net/p/PLxHrEOd7lzfFiHAIv_UPPXoBvhmVf6DT4 🔗 *Project Plans:* sam-craft.com/shop/ 🔗 *My CNC Tablet:* amzn.to/3rGZPuY 🔗 *Shapeoko Facebook Group:* facebook.com/groups/unofficialshapeoko 🔗 *My Website:* sam-craft.com 🔗 *Latest Video:* goo.gl/Snbz3U 🔗 *Most Popular Video:* goo.gl/vwp6GG 🔗 *Carbide 3D Website:* carbide3d.com/
I appreciate your up front delivery. I am a new Pro owner as well. I experienced the same issues you did. The rigidity of the machine and the customer service easily makes up for the wait I experienced.
Happy to share my story! Thanks for sharing yours, Rob!
More people need to make a video like this! Thanks Sam! You can definitely fault Carbide with lack of COMMUNICATION!! Communication is FREE
I agree 100%. Happy to provide the truth. :)
communication is most definitely not free when you are understaffed. running a small business, i can easily sink 8 hours a day, for a week, just responding to customers. customer relations and technical support is a full time job once your company grows to a certain size, it just tends to be an underinvested part of most small businesses, since they need to keep prices low to compete with overseas competition.
This is exactly what I'm looking for - an unbiased review of the Shapeoko Pro. I'm close to buying this tool to make signs from wine barrel heads. In the last few years, I've been using the barrel heads for firewood or give them away. Now I want to make some $ on the side of my wine barrel furniture. Thank a bunch for your input!
I’ve been doing lots of research on machines and glad I found your channel. I’m ordering one of these and you answered my questions thank you. Shipping time would give me time to build the needed table for it.
Awesome! Glad I could help!
Thank you Sam.
Now, July 2024, They seem to have it moving smoothly. My accessories whipped in a day and my machine shipped in 5 days, due to be delivered in 4 days, the 5 Pro.
Wish me luck!
Sam just to say that your video on the shapeoko pro, is a top man support. I have just purchase this machine for my hobby as I have just retired and needed a video's like yours too help me through the installation and setup of the machine, I will be watching your cannel for any new tips and trick to ensure a smooth running of my machine.
Awesome, so happy my videos can be of help!
There really is only so much our friends and family can take when it comes to hearing about CNC 😂
Ok i got my first CNC in December. Picked up a onefinity woodworker. Now granted im really new in this world. i bought back in june but prob because i was classified as a pre order onefinity keeped me completely informed. they even tossed in free upgrades as i waited for mine to be built and shipped. they gave a free pro version of the dust boot :) I have been so happy with My Onefinity i even paid extra for the laser Jtech 7 w for 700$ just to keep it with onefinity. I could have got a 10w laser for 100$ cheaper but i have been that happy with the hardware and support from onefinity. i dont work for them or anything just love mine that much.
That sounds like exceptional customer service and an good example for other companies to follow!
I'm a noob too and I am strongly considering a Onefinity. It appears to be of superior quality but very close in price to Shapeoko. Haven't heard anything bad yet, only very happy customers.
@@phlontstu When comparing with shapeoko It's the belts downfall. belts stretch overtime screw and a ball much more accurate and lasting. Was the main reason why i pulled the trigger for a onefinity. that and i can upgrade it to a water cooled spindle if i need too.
Yes that's what I was reading! Not having experience to just know that myself... it just makes sense.
Onefinity is on backorder until June right now! I guess one knock against them I have seen is that the system is rather proprietary... but demand seems super high for these machines and I want one too hahaha
Thanks Sam, you really helped me make up my mind on what CNC to go with! Great video!
Honest review, very refreshing Sam. Sizing up. Keeping one smaller for productivity on many jobs not requiring a bigger bed. Then having a bigger one also for the larger demand that may come. Me, Signage. Making desing frames like a door and other smaller one cutting single lletters to be set into hogouts on big sign for dimensional looks even use hard foam material. Can pour and make your own polyurethan blanks if desired.
I am a carpenter, that said after buying festool products the price of the pro really isn't bad for what you get. I am currently looking at buying the XXL pro or the hdm. I have a production run of chairs coming up soon and they require a lot of layout and the 12 chairs use about 1850 4x20 dominos and 450 8x40 dominos all done in solid mahogany so I started looking into a CNC router to do the bulk of them.
My Pro XXL arrives today. Wish me luck. Great video as always. Keep up the great work!
Good luck!
great video…….not only are you knowable but easy to listen to
Very helpful as I am considering a CNC now!
You are a straight up guy! Glad I found your channel. Excellent content 😀
I also ordered the Shapeoko Pro on October 15th. I to was disappointed when it took longer than promised to receive my machine. However I am not in the same situation as Sam. I am a 48yr old disabled professional woodworker.
I am setting up my retirement shop and for me EVERYTHING takes longer than I expected. That being said it was mid January before assembly began. I was SHOCKED by how much easier this machine went together compared to my original Shapeoko 3. This has been well thought out with the customer in mind.
My machine came with all the parts but the BitSetter was missing a magnet and wasn't assembled correctly. No problem C3D overnighted me a new one.... well the new one was missing the copper bushing the plunger rides in. At the same time I had had finished assembly and realized my machines Z-Axis stepper motor wasn't working properly.
A few email's to support at C3D and I was put in touch with Brandon. He told me how to begin troubleshooting and agreed to call me when I had the first few simple things required to trace down the problem. I jumped up and had it ready in less than a hour. This was at about 9:30pm EST on a Friday night so I emailed him back saying I was ready anytime he could get back to me. I realize there is a three hour time difference but I was available 24/7.
Within a hour he emailed me asking if it were okay to call. I said sure. Now remember it's now about 11pm EST making it 1am in California. He called and spent over three hours on the phone with me. It probably could have been done in less than a hour if we both stayed on task but we are after all cnc enthusiasts and I learned a lot.
We traced it down to be nothing more than a bad wire and that was shipped out..... you guessed it..... overnight.
I was up and running Monday and everything has been great since.
That is the end of my story for now.
If I had a con about the Shapeoko Pro it would without a doubt be the Z-Axis. The Z-Plus is actually a z-minus in my book.
Why build a machine heavy-duty on two other axis and then put the standard part
on the third. The reason was because the Z-Plus is fine if you want to run C3D router and cut at 100ipm. Personally I wanted to reach the next level. After upgrading the Shapeoko 3 to the point it would easily cut with a ¼" bit at 0.25 DOC @300ipm I want more. Hopefully very soon this issue will be resolved 😉
Thank you for sharing your story!!! You're more knowledgeable than I for sure about the Z axis and spindles, but I can totally see what you mean. I'll get there someday with a spindle, but still have much to learn first. :) Forge ahead!!!
CCcnc--- sorry to point it out... but the times are backwards in your post. 11pm your time EST is much earlier in the day on the west coast.. like 7pm in Cali.... not 1pm. thanks for posting your story, It's a great read. : )
Just made a deal to get one of these second hand, and am looking forward to it. Thanks for re-affirming what I've heard about the general quality and robustness of the machine.
Hope you enjoy it! I've not been able to use mine for about a year (moved and setting up new shop is slow), but look forward to it soon!
Sam want to thank you for your video's very informative. Best on youtube. Being a retired contractor I will look forward to seeing your new shop go up. Happy New Year.
I appreciate that! Go easy on me... I'm no pro builder! :)
Thanks for the honest review.
Great feedback, thank you. I will be in the market for a CnC machine this year. I am still shopping.
Good luck!
Really appreciate this video. Right to the point!!!
I respect you for this video, you did not knock the company into the ground, but gave a very true and heartfelt review, I feel that I can trust you on any review. Thank you 🤜🤛
I appreciate that!
Great vid Sam! I just always love :) your sense of humor! Even though I don't have a woodworking shop like yours, I can appreciate the value of tools needed for the job. You've got a great business going there!
Thank you very much!
Excellent video Sam, I’m glad you kept it real. I’m planning on getting the Pro for speakers, so I’m going to keep a close eye on missing parts and delays
My pleasure, sugar coating it or pretending wouldn't have helped anyone in the end. :)
Great video Sam! I ordered my machine at the end of December and it arrived at the end of January. I finally got the chance to build it about 2 week ago and I was missing the plastic strips. They did leave me a note saying that they were back ordered. I emailed them yesterday, on Sunday and I got a response from them last night. Today, on Monday I got an email saying the parts have shipped overnight and I should receive them tomorrow on Tuesday. By the way, I love the $100 CNC table. I had a fun time building it. I will be working on the drawers in the next few weeks.
Hey Jason, great to hear that! BTW you can go ahead with assembly and put the black strips on after the fact. At least I was able to. My machine was also shipped without them. That is... if your bed frame extrusions have dados milled into them like in my video. I saw in the FB group someone else had different bed frames and was told the dados were to be phased out for some reason. *shrug*
I got my Pro about 5 months ago. The wires were not marked and so I had to call. They walked me through the process of using a heat gun to activate the labels on the wires so that you could read the labels. I think they should have stated in the instruction booklet to stop and call for wiring hook-up. Then they would know when to start the clock for my 1 month period of protection (break anything and it will be replaced for free). Instead the rep told me that they started using a new supplier of the wires. That remark made me question the quality control. After this period of time I am very happy that I went with this machine.
Bought an XXL in July 2020 before I knew the PRO was coming out. Their service and support is absolutely #1. I really didn't use the machine much until October because I was new to CNC and was trying to learning the in's a out's. I started making stuff to sell for Christmas and was swamped with orders -- great stuff!! But then I started having disconnect issues, most likely because I live in Indiana and colder weather meant turning the heat on and more static electricity. So I was ready to pull my hair out because I would get 1/2 way into a project and lose connection. I e-mailed the company on Thanksgiving Day and they responded in 2 hours -- who does that on Thanksgiving Day. We went through a lot of trial and error to figure out the issue and they sent me, free of charge, items to deal with the electro magnetic Interference. Their support just can't be beat. I think the issue with the PRO was they just didn't realize how popular it was going to be and couldn't keep up with it. I am happy with my purchase and the company. For a hobbyist or small business it is well worth the money. Great video with honest input!
Well said, and what an awesome story about the support from C3D! :O
Thank you for the video. I am trying to become a new CNC owner but the Shapeoko XXL Pro has been sold out for several months now. If they become available, I am told that they sell out in about 30 minutes.. I very much enjoy hearing about the CNC router that you have purchased as it helps me to believe that I have made a good choice in going after it myself. I just hope it comes available very soon.
Glad I could help! I continue to be very happy with the machine and its capabilities far out-pace mine at this point. :) Carbide3D is a good company at heart. I think they're faced with growing pains right now. I would buy the Pro again if I were in the market today.
Not a pro owner but had the OG version of the XXL. It was a great machine, for the price point and what it could do. I have since sold it and waiting for my new and bigger CNC to show up. Without the trial and errors I did on the shapeoko I wouldn’t be where I’m at today with Cnc. So anyone looking into getting into it the shapeoko is a spot on beginners machine and can take abuse from noobs!
Well said!! Congrats on the new machine!
Thank you your input was very helpful . I am presently shopping
I sure enjoy your easy going videos. Thank you for taking the time to make them. Some day when I understand enough about CNC machines. I WILL have one of these. Because of you and your videos.
I appreciate the kind words and your commenting!
Great Video Sam. I am a XXL owner for about 2-3 years. Mine was also missing parts (belts & drag chain), and it also had wrong bolt lengths included for one section that causes me to make a visit to the local home store. I also had a board go bad, which they covered under warranty. They forgot to send me the board, so it took several phone calls to have them FINALLY send me the replacement board. They did make it right with a bit set as a "I'm sorry" gift. Honestly even back then (2-3 years ago) they were still peddling the same excuses. I think they would greatly benefit from a QA department that would verify the orders before going out. I love my machine and have continued upgrading the different options they have released over time. I do agree support overall has been pretty decent. I ended up choosing VCarve Pro for my CNC design software and it suits me fine. I'm currently building a new house, and the CNC is sitting in the garage un-used. I'm sad by this ;( I'm excited to get my home completed, so I can take advantage of my 1070sqft garage/shop. I plan on doing several of the projects you built, so thank you for sharing those.
I whole-heartedly agree -- they need to hire a dedicated QA team and check orders. I bought a BitRunner and received it yesterday to find it was missing two screws to mount it to the side rail. Thankfully I had some on hand, but still... Best of luck with the home build and new workshop!!! If you have any project ideas or things you'd like to see me try on the CNC let me know! :)
Just bought one today! I've been watching your videos for a while now
Awesome!!! Huge congrats!
Well done, Sam. Glad to hear that all has worked out for you, regarding your CNC investment. Dust collection seemed to be the only "support" issue you've had with your new CNC, but that is not the fault of the CNC, it just comes with the territory.
Keep on keepin' on. With many of the other RUclips woodworkers growing beyond what most of us can relate to, I love watching your videos because, well, I can relate.
enjoy your videos Sam thanks
Sam - great video, this was my first time finding your channel. In the market for the Shapeoko PRO XL currently and I've heard nothing but good things overall about the company. Thank for the great info!
nice comprehensive review, cheers!
Super helpful; thank you!
Great video sam..I was kinda in the same boat as u with my Millright Mega V..XL..the only difference is they actually kept me up to date on the delivery delay..and there were no missing parts..but extra that they included with the kit..I appreciate the honesty of ur video and I hope my video i do about the Mega V is as good
Thanks James! I just binged your videos. :) The MillRight is a nice looking machine!
Good video dude, thank you for that.
Glad it helped
Thanks, good honest review
My pleasure!
Good one Sam 👍
Thanks for the honest review. Helps a lot for someone like me in weighing up if this product is the one for me. Cheers
i finished putting it together this week. But bit setter won't work. I will have to wait till next week. Facebook group is helpful. Even videos are good. So far I like the machine and still learning it. I always wanted one for a long long time.
Your order process sounds like my Tesla ordering process. Hope to get one of these soon. Thanks for sharing . Its always best to know what you are getting into when you order.
I ordered my 3 XXL about the same time and had the same experience. Also I had ordered a Laguna Fusion II table saw from Rockler and it was also very delayed in shipping.
Neither Carbide, Rockler or Laguna reached out to keep me up to date on what was going on. I'm very happy with my equipment but my projects were delayed for over a month.
Great video! You earned another subscriber.
Thanks for the review Sam
My pleasure. :)
thanks again Sam for another great video. I live in texas and was delayed a bit on the shipping of my PRO XL... again, just like you, not their fault. I was able to put mine together this past weekend and just like you I was missing the plastic strips. Tried calling all day today (Monday) but it kept going to voice mail after holding for 10 minutes each time which is somewhat annoying. I finally gave up and left a message. My experience when calling (before this) has been great as well. They're definitely on top of things. When UPS delivered my first bog box, it had abouot 3 inches or so of water damage (like it had been sitting in water)... and after taking pictures upon their request, Support got back to me pretty quickly and said that it's probably ok since the electronics didn't get wet - just a couple of aluminum end-plates. They suggested that I keep an eye on things during the set up and to reach out to them right away if anything wasn't working properly. I was pretty impressed at their quickness to respond and courteous and professional responsiveness.
All I have left is to buy a Makita router. Who knew that in all of the Dallas area Home Depots, all of our 9 stores were fresh out of Makita routers!?!@@!@# WTF!? anyways I ordered one off of Amazon and it promises 1 day.
My machine like yours is pretty squared up right out of the box. I'm pretty stoked and impressed with that.
My next steps are to do the obligatory 'hello world' exercise, then do the calibration movements to see if they are instruction-to-real-life-move equal. Getting really exited at this point.
AND YES, this thing is definitely more 'beefy' than I thought it was. TRULY IMPRESSED with the 'pro'.
AGAIN, thanks for your videos, and thanks for keeping it real!!!
Thanks for sharing all of this, Steve! Very interesting to hear your story and experiences. I would have been sick to my stomach getting my machine with water damaged boxes! Here's hoping you never have any issues as a result of it. Also best of luck assembling yours! I was pleased with the process and it wasn't bad at all, even with me filming the whole process I was done in 5 hours max. My pleasure to offer 'real' videos as well... it does no one any good sugar coating or pretending, IMO. :) Good luck!!!
Thank you and have nice machining bro 👍🏼.
Oh and I did have a slight problem getting help from support. I was lucky enough to have the manual and found the problem was my setup configure. Had it set up for belt instead of V+. But never got call back from support, or it took so long I missed it. Still not mad. Just makes me a better operator.
love it!, thank you
Great and honest video Sam!
Thanks!
I’m right behind you Sam! I placed my order in November but got right after Christmas. I still haven’t made a thing yet. Trying to find software that won’t kill the bank and no, not carbide create! I’ll make my own video review in a month or so. You’ve inspired me to create a channel (I have 1 video posted).
Thanks!
I'm really happy to hear I've inspired you to start a channel, awesome!!! I just clicked subscribe. :) Software is one of the hidden costs of a CNC (another video of mine in the works). Freebies like Carbide Create "work" but are extremely limited and slow. I'm a Carveco Maker fan for the low overhead cost, but it's also been a great CAD program to learn, has top-notch support, and is near limitless.
@@Samcraftcom
Right and I was looking into it but they don’t support Mac.
In this review video, do I see a tablet running your machine? I thought about the Surface but just run the CNC the price is high.
Currently looking into Vcarve.
@@patriotwoodworker6092 Tim, I just got my Shapeoko Pro XL myself. I'm also a mac person as well and I plan on using Fusion360, but I don't know if their new rules nixed the CAM parts. I needed a machine to leave out in the garage with my ProXL and stumbled on a very cheap Toshiba Windows 10 used Tablet. I was pretty impressed that is an i7 with 8GRAM. I only paid $200 for it and the seller was 100% with lots of verbage about 'can return for any reason at all no questions asked'. I got the PC in late last week and I'm pretty impressed with it. It's only 1.6Ghz but I think it's plenty for what I need it for. NOW to your software question. In the past week, when researching Vcarve and pro, I've learned that the ASPIRE is the big brother to the VCARVE and on EBAY I've found several listings for the older versions 9.5 (instead of 10). I don't know how you are about buying older software on Ebay, but mine installed just fine and it looks like there's support that goes with it, though the upgrade to 10 still is too steep for me so I might be getting myself used to some snazzy software only to wish forever that I could afford the upgrade. LOL!
@Tim Triest It's a Fusion5 tablet running Windows 10. It's not powerful enough for CAD, but runs the CAM software, Carbide Motion, with no problems. I've had it for two months and am very pleased with it. This is the exact one I bought: amzn.to/3chTWOm
@@Samcraftcom Sam, do you recommend the Carveco Maker over the Carbide Create Pro. And knowing what you know now are there any other programs you would recommend?
Sam I agree with everything you said. I am in market for one and am yet to decide. The on thing I feel everyone should know is that due to the pandemic, companies world wide. This in my opinion is probably why all the logistic problems and delays. On the other hand Carbide should post a Pandemic COVID-19 disclaimer update on there website to keep everyone informed an send emails to existing customers waiting on machines. If Carbide is an American company, they may have been in a state that had to shut down. Again bad press on Carbides parts as they should let people know. Sorry for long post, loved the review and your videos
I completely agree. Someone else said that communication is free. That was a good way of putting it. :)
Hi Sam, just added a comment to your bitrunner video. I noticed your plastic strips missing in your original machine video, mine came without as well. Got them within a week or two. I started up my machine about 6 weeks ago and ran a few parts before trying to improve on the tram. It’s still a little out but tolerable. I drilled and tapped 2 holes in the router bracket so I could screw on the indicator directly. Works great for tramming the table.
The other thing I don’t like is the router collet system. I have looked online for some options using ER collets but no one is making a direct adapter for say an ER 11 collet. Looks like an opportunity.
Word on the street is that Carbide 3D is planning something with ER 11 in the near future. Maybe a spindle offering or hybrid router. Not sure yet...
I have watched this vid before since it shows I liked it then. I watched it again today because I am looking to get my own Pro XXL and what do you know... it is out of stock. going to have to wait 2-3 weeks for restocking. I hope I get my order in to be able to get mine with the next round. Keep the vids coming Sam!!!
Here's hoping you get yours soon, too! :) Glad to help with the videos and I'll try to keep them coming as quickly as I can. :)
Customer Service is key for any company’s success and communications is paramount. The word of bad travels much faster than the word of good. 😁🛫
That's the hands-down truth!
Great Video, real down to earth Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it, happy to help and/or offer the real truth on things. :)
Most of the times I see a video saying “honest review”, I think it’s likely a sponsored video pretending to tell the reality. You video is an exception to this rule. You really provide great information, and shows both sides (the pros and cons), and you are clearly being very honest on your opinion. Thanks for making this video. It helped decide which CNC to buy, and it will be this one (once they have it available again lol)
I appreciate that very much. Good luck with yours when you get it!
@@Samcraftcom thank you very much!
I'm been an XXL owner/user for over 3 years. As others have suggested, they have always gone above and beyond to correct issues. This applies to damage resulting from user error too. In my experience they have never hesitated to send me a replacement part even when I admittedly was the cause. As far as poor communication is concerned, I think they can be chocked up to how the pandemic has affected operations. The timing of the release of the Pro combined with the global situation has to be the culprit here. And yes, it would be nice to have instantaneous responses to inquiries, but as you suggested, that would likely have required them to hire and train additional labor. Which during a pandemic is probably no small task....which in addition to the difficulties that go along with all of that would likely result in a more expensive machine. They seem to have worked out the efficiency issues and hopefully can continue to keep the price point reasonable for us hobby and small business operators alike.
Well said, Kurt. :)
Great review
My biggest deal when I buy a product is service after the sale. If I have a question or issue, I expect a response. I take pride in if anything I make isn’t 100% up to expectation, I will go around the world to make so. I expect the same from a company I do business with within reason.
Same here. I am 100% happy with the service I've received from Carbide 3D.
My Shapeoko Pro arrived on January 16th and i'm still waiting for the black strips. Other than that I am happy with my purchase.
Well… have you enjoyed your flatbed CNC?
I own a shapeoko 3 xxl and i really like the company. My own complaint and i find it quite annoying is no one at least in my case ever picks up the phone I had always request a callback now when they call I could be driving or in a noise area or away from the cnc machine and not been able to solve the problem when I need to
Right on Roy !
Great video! Do you have any thoughts on the bits you use for your projects (or wish you had gotten first)?
My number one bit used is a cheap 1/8" compression bit from Amazon, but I mostly use 1/2" baltic birch plywood too. My number two bit is a 60-degree v bit, then 90-degree v bit. These are also nothing special, but do a great job. :)
Agreed with this assessment. I think I was in the second batch. And sales was honest about timelines. I was missing parts also but nothing that stopped me from using it. Also a couple broken pieces that they replaced quickly.
Thank you for sharing your story!
Thanks Sam, just learned about this machine today as I’m in the market. I’ll check out your Chanel to see some projects you’ve made on the machine.
Don't pay attention to this guy. He's a Bott.....(sorry, couldn't help it)
@@TheWoodHaven did you stick with the software they provided or you use another? Bott...out..🤦🏻♂️
@@TwoCaptainsOneShip Never got past the intimidation/cost point. In other words, I never bought one.
I have a handful of videos both about the machine and the projects I've made. Hope you find them useful! :)
awesome honest truth dont have the pro but have the xxl and the support is out of this world i was missing one part and the also overnighted it to me
Thanks! Just subbed to your channel, too. :)
@@Samcraftcom ty sir greatly appreciated
I looked at the pro but in the end I went with the Fox Alien Vasto. It came with a spindle (I upgraded to a 1.5kw water cooled) and a 40w blue laser which works very well. It doesn't have the software (Runs on GRBL firmware) but it is a solid machine and eats aluminum and will even machine steel. There's videos on RUclips. Support has been ... Well, not like Carbide but it will do.
Hey i'm looking at the Fox Alien Vasto myself, mostly for cutting steel (probably sheet metal of a 1-5mm thick), what are its limitations when cutting steel plate ? I think i saw there's a 2.2kW spindle, would that be a better upgrade for cutting steel ?
Mine was a little different. I really wanted a Por XXL but when it was time to order I didn't want to wait 2 months to order and an other to receive it. So I found that Madder hackers had a XXL and it was 800$ cheaper I ordered it along with the T-slot kit, the bit setter, and the probe, and router I basically Got what I needed and wanted. I was still under price from the pro and was able to build a killer stand to set it on when it arrived. I have been cutting on it as a total newbie and finished my first completed sign that came out 99% the way I wanted it too. Still in the practice zone For another couple months until I get my skill level up more and learn the machine better. But all in all I love my beast. And that's her name, Bartha Beast! Oh total cost $3.0155
great video Sam. TY for Sharing......we Subscribed! Totally agree with the "small business" issues; We all deal with it and communication with customers is something I take pride in. I have heard about the black strips issues....waiting to purchase this one for the shop. What online groups do you recommend joining for mediocre players?
I got a workbee but If i was to buy again i would get a shapeoko, the overall package with shapeoko is much better they give you software, clamps, spoilerboard, dust shoe everything you need, with workbee i had to do all that myself (and assemble the entire machine myself as it comes in parts) the machine constantly needs maintenance to keep it running accurate aswell so was impressed to hear that your shapeoko hasnt needed any maintenance the whole 3 months youve had it. Also carbide create is awesome the only cad/cam software for mac
Sam I'm new to the CNC world and am looking to purchase a machine in the near future. Would you recommend this machine to a newbie small wood worker, there is so many choices out in the market. The products i produce now is bird houses carved faces and and driftwood plant holders, would love to expand new inventory to sell at the markets..Really digging your channels.... Chris
I absolutely would recommend this machine. The only reason I wouldn't is if your budget doesn't allow it, or your budget allows for a newer upgraded version. :) I love the fact this machine is rock-solid and stronger than my uses will demand. I don't have to worry about babying it or taking it easy. It's always been ready to get to work for me whenever I am.
I can echo your statements and I can add to them. I do fault Carbide 3D is supporting their products.
I was a pre-order customer of a Shapeoko 3 (Original). I waited for ~ a year to have a useable machine. I then ordered the XXL upgrade when it arrived.
All of this was more or less good. I was missing parts too, my original was shipped before the limit switch kit became a thing. Iterations of the product happened and you had to actually make contact and usually pay to get the upgrade or part that now everyone who ordered a base machine got. Someone not part of the "community" was basically left in the dark.
New board upgrades for actual bugs or changes for upgrade parts ended up costing. EMI was a big issue with first boards.
The big problem I have is part support, which luckily my machine is mostly open source. The XXL kit uses parts from the stock machine and then leaves you with a stock machine that's missing a couple parts and motors/board. I was trying to get two new endplates for the gantry to rebuild my stock machine that was collecting dust and they said they have none, you're SOL. They had moved onto Pro versions and didn't have simple parts available. I ended up loading up the design files in Fusion 360 and making a STL that a local laser fab shop cut out for me.
Carbide iterates too fast and then doesn't support the previous generation for long enough. They are great machines, just be prepared to do your own support in a couple years.
I just bought your plans to make the table for this cnc then your video popped up.
Awesome!!
I purchased the XXL back in June 2020. I had an issue with my router in December 2020 2 weeks before Christmas. I contacted support and sent photo's of where there was an issue with a wire which caused it to arch and burn the motor out. They overnighted me a new router with all new collet's and I was back up in running in no time.
A great example of their customer service, awesome!!
According to Carbide 3D at this point they have received everything that isn't produced in-house in quantities sufficient to keep the Pro in stock through the end of 2021. If you feel like buying one for yourself they should be in stock for a while!!
Great and honest review video! It definitely helped assuage some of my anxieties.
I just recently ordered one and haven’t received any updates either although the company did say it would be about 15 business days until shipping would occur after order confirmation so there’s still time.
Otherwise, I appreciate your update and looking forward to seeing more of your content! Keep it up and stay safe, sir!
Glad I could help! You're going to love your Pro, I sure do! Don't be afraid to send an inquiry email to support@carbide3d.com to check if there are any status updates. :) I waited as long as I could then emailed to hear that it was out for delivery next day. That was before their new 'Shop' app or order status integrations were in place. I recently ordered a BitRunner from them and the shipping notifications were spot-on.
Thanks Sam for the informative video. Could you please tell me the expected assembly time for Shapeoko Pro?
I also bought a pro recently and had the exact same experience! One of my boxes was missing several parts, including the black strips and hardware to assemble the table. A quick email exchange with support had an overnight box headed my way. Unfortunately for me, fedex screwed up and left my box sitting in Tennessee for a week.
Hopefully you got it all sorted out in the end. Crazy FedEx did that! :O
Thanks.
I had the same problem with the proverxl 4030. I love the machine however I received nothing from the company on when it was going to be delivered.
FWIW I had a much better experience with Carbide3D. I was thinking about buying a shapeoko pro but it was out of stock. It came back in stock on June 12, at which time I received an email update from Carbide3D. I ordered it the same day. The website advised that it could take up to 15 days to ship. Mine shipped the next day, on June 13, and I received it on June 18. I have not assembled it yet but I have reviewed the assembly video and looked at all of the contents of the boxes. It appears that everything is there, and in good condition.
I also had a couple questions for support so I sent them an email on June 19. They replied the same day. I suspect at least part of what happened to you was caused by the pandemic that shall not be named on RUclips. But it appears they have gotten their act together.
This is great to hear! I am happy to hear that they're flowing much smoother now with everything. I am still perfectly pleased with my purchase and experiences!
Thank you looking to get a machine
can you please share the dust-collection system scheme. Like I see you made some special connections through containers...?)
Hi Sam. I’ve been looking at this for a while and I really appreciate your input. Customer service is garbage in every industry now.
What do you think about the machine at this point? I am looking at purchasing one for my husband who has NO prior CNC experience. Torn about what size machining area to get - just wondering if you are still happy with the machine 2 yrs out??
You said that with the significant cost of the CNC that the company should have had plenty of cash to hire more employees to shape up the shipping, work flow, etc. I would disagree with that assessment. A couple decades ago I was a principle in a new start-up company. The cost of R&D sucked us dry. Once the product was able to ship, we had a massive financial hole to dig out of. We had to continue to run with minimal employees to keep the bank happy and keep the doors open.
I understand that with a startup, but Carbide3D is not a startup company... they've been in business many years. The unfortunate thing is that in online groups for community users, there are continued reports and examples of people getting machines with missing parts. It's a real bummer. If they would get that fixed, it would get rid of 99% of the negative comments and words about them on the internet.
Sam, with all the information you have learned to date, would you get the Shapeoko Pro again or? And what would be a close 2nd for you? Thank you Sam!
That's the million dollar question!! I just spent some time looking at the ones that were on my top list when I decided to get the Shapeoko and think it's still top of the list for the overall safest bet as an investment of my money. OneFinityCNC is the close 2nd for similar price point machine. If money weren't as much an option (real pipe dream here) then Stepcraft or Avid would be where I would really dig into things. But that gets beyond the scope of a hobby CNC or small business CNC I think.
@@Samcraftcom Hey Sam, yeah I have been looking at a few for sure, but as you state I think it may be the best bang for your buck. Glad your getting good use out of yours!
this better be good
Mine actually had extra parts which is strange because it's the black strips they say they are out of that everybody seems to need. 🤷♂️
From researching within the community and on the carbide support site, the newest version of the XXL pro does not have the black strips which is the version I have. They phased them out for whatever reason. Yet they still came with my machine.
Yeah, they changed the design. Bummer for the videos I already made. Now there's a discrepancy. LOL Congrats on your machine and extras!!! :)
Can you do a detail video on using bitsetter and bitzero together and detailed workflow?
Warm weather is upon us.... can the cnc plow, plant, weed?😂 If I had one I'd play too . Enjoying both channels. Y'all (yuns) are wonderful
It would have to be a small garden... :)
Hi...nice video...my motto is you buy the mschine nit the company...if u buy a good machine you dont need the company and hence are nit dependent on them being in business today and nowhere to be found tomorrow. ...it looks like a good machine/value other than the undesirable belt drive design
Interesting.. I went the other way. LOL Bought a good machine but looked much more at the company's track record and community feedback. :)
Hey Sam.
Always love your videos. You always hit tbe mark when it comes to pertinent information.
I have done a number of test cuts and each time I get a little more complicated with it. I wound up doing a 2 and a half hour advanced V-carve cut and when it got to the end, the alignment was off. Have you had any alignment issues at all?
Much appreciated, and happy to offer a real life look on things! Never helps to pretend or sugar coat things, IMO. :) I've not had issues with alignment, but also ran through all the calibration/tramming/etc. steps pretty soon after getting my machine. What do you mean by alignment? Non-parallel polygons? Oval circles? or something else? If the first two, I would check the calibration of your stepper motors to make sure they're performing true to life what they're thinking (i.e. 10" in the g code = 10" in real life).
@@Samcraftcom thanks for replying.
When I say alignment... lets say I was cutting the letters I and O it would cut half of the I, then cut the O fine, then com back to the I and cut the other half slightly off alignment from the first half. Hope that made sence.
Should i get a shapeoko 3 with upgraded Z drive in 2023 ?
Great video! A friend asked for some custom beer/wine tasting flights and I'm thinking of using it as an excuse to get into the CNC biz. Would you still recommend the Shapeoko Pro? Another? Thanks.
Dog River tool on amazon makes a great touch probe for 1/3 of the price if u need one
I picked up the C3D branded BitZero when I ordered, but have heard good things about the Dog River one as well. Good info, thanks!