Looking to rent a Shaper Origin (or similar)

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bryan.crotaz

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I've got some precision lettering to carve, and I'm looking to rent a Shaper Origin or similar hand held CNC tool for a couple of days in London (UK). Does anyone have one?

Bryan
 
I think the shaper origin is the only thing like a handheld CNC, because it’s a bit of a strange idea! Sounds like what you need is someone with a CNC router and a drawing

Aidan
 
Hello, I’m trying to do the same. Can you please let me know if you have any luck and how much you are expecting to pay to rent it for the day??

Thanks!
Greg
 
Its woodworking Jim, but not as we know it :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

I'm a bit ambiguous on CNC. if youre making money, fine, but when I see a post saying "look what I made" and its a cnc relief....., c'mon man, all you did was push the button (or in this case, steer it).
 
I know where you’re coming from Bob but for me it’s just another way to work wood which is what has fascinated me from being a young lad. I don’t prefer any one method of woodwork all have their own skill set though I’m afraid when it comes to computers that’s a step too far for me much as I’d like to learn how to use a CNC.
 
Pretty cool!
I wonder how well the tape works, does seem like a bit of a bother, also i wonder if one would do the straight bits with a regular saw, and just do the more complex curvy bits with the shaper. Is that an option at all? (Seems hard to accurately align precut contours with the cnc ones)

With respect to making on cnc vs handwork, it's also the design process that makes something your own imho. They are different skills, surely, just as a handsaw is not a circular saw.
 
Hi - new poster here.

I've recently received a new Shaper Origin - really enjoying it so far, but it is expensive! So far haven't launched into a big project yet. Really impressed at how much thought they've put into optimising the workflow. It's so easy to upload a file online, it appears immediately on the machine. Scan the worksurface, add a grid referenced to the edges of the workpiece, place the shape and start cutting.

I'm based in North London - so if anyone is interested in renting it for a few days let me know and can see if we can work something out

Glen
 
Hi Glen,

After using for a little while would you still recommend it, I know it depends on what you want to make, but just wondered what you views were.

Kevin
 
So far - haven't used it in anger on a real project, just been making bits and pieces to get used to it - cam clamps, wedges, a small toy plane that kind of thing.

Impressions so far:
- There is definitely a learning curve to moving it smoothly, and setting the right sequence of cut depths and offsets to get a really nice finish
- Its accurate. You can on device draw a rectangle with rounded corners on a piece of wood, cut one out with an inside cut, one with an outside cut and one will precisely fit in the other. - -Sounds kind of obvious but it's pretty cool to see in action how you can really easily precisely cut things
- It takes longer than you think to cut bigger things - it's not that it's necessarily slow - I think more in my head it's faster. Doing multiple passes of several parts just takes longer than you think. I'm also starting to optimise the workflow a bit - e.g. doing all the cuts at one depth first means you don't need to keep changing the cut depth and offset for each cut. It doesn't take long but breaks your flow.
- On small parts - I haven't quite figured out fixing. I'm using double sided tape but at the end of a cut it's breaking loose and the last bit of the cut isn't perfect
- They've done a lot of work to make it intuitive which makes a huge difference. Unlike a lot of electronic tools, they've really thought about it. It's all the tiny things - e.g. if you change the bit size, it reminds you to reset your Z depth. And then setting Z depth is one button, it can sense when the bit touches the bottom. All of this thinking adds up to make a tool that feels like a tool that's trying to make it easy not find ways to trip you up.
- It really feels like magic. Kind of amazing that you can just drop a file on and cut it. However it's not actually magic - you can still mess it up - set the wrong depth, do a really jerky move and you'll make an incorrect cut.

Overall - impressed but haven't built anything yet more than little toys.
 
I've just ordered one that I want to use on some inlay projects including a large wooden floor inlay with a multitude of exotic woods. If its just half as good as I am expecting it to be then it will soon pay for itself. I will give my full feedback as soon as I have experimented with it fully.
 
I received my origin today and have executed a few test cuts and it is ticking all of the boxes so far. I am still getting the hand of it but going to make a few small projects tonight and I will let you know how it goes.
 
Hi - new poster here.

I've recently received a new Shaper Origin - really enjoying it so far, but it is expensive! So far haven't launched into a big project yet. Really impressed at how much thought they've put into optimising the workflow. It's so easy to upload a file online, it appears immediately on the machine. Scan the worksurface, add a grid referenced to the edges of the workpiece, place the shape and start cutting.

I'm based in North London - so if anyone is interested in renting it for a few days let me know and can see if we can work something out

Glen
Hi Glen, did you buy it in the Uk?
 
Hi - new poster here.

I've recently received a new Shaper Origin - really enjoying it so far, but it is expensive! So far haven't launched into a big project yet. Really impressed at how much thought they've put into optimising the workflow. It's so easy to upload a file online, it appears immediately on the machine. Scan the worksurface, add a grid referenced to the edges of the workpiece, place the shape and start cutting.

I'm based in North London - so if anyone is interested in renting it for a few days let me know and can see if we can work something out

Glen
Hi Glen,
I'm looking into getting a Shaper, but would like to see it in operation from another maker rather than Axminster with all the hard sell. I'm in South London, could I come over to see it?
Keith
 
Glen made those 2 posts in 2020 and hasn't visited the forum since - let's see if your reply gets him an e-mail notification and the possibility to log back in but I wouldn't count on it
 
Glen made those 2 posts in 2020 and hasn't visited the forum since - let's see if your reply gets him an e-mail notification and the possibility to log back in but I wouldn't count on it
He has probably moved on from Shaper now to a different company :D
 

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