Still, all of this bodes well for the creation of a whole new category of tools for small shops/mobile work. I already have 3 CNC small machines and I believe the Shaper can replace them all. Anyone interested in an early version of the HandiBot at a great price? I don't know about this one, they all focus on one hip advantage and hide all the new inconveniences their solution creates. Quote from: Richard/RMW on October 07, 2017, 01:27 PM @Timtool - that's what I was thinking, you expressed it better than I could have. It's a novel idea but I think the Shaper is more practical. This Shaper Origin handheld precision CNC router offers unparalleled accuracy, flexibility and efficiency. Shaper Origin features a larger 5.5” high resolution screen, a 25% increase in size. The entire assembly is now housed in a sleek, super strong aluminium unibody construction. The Shaper Origin, literally puts CNC routing at your fingertips. I love innovation. I am getting more skeptical on the whole crowd funding aspect because it is investing in a future product based on emotions.

The Ts and Cs will always advantage the corporation. I can think of scenarios where they would want to take ownership of content uploaded to their platform (e.g. to advertise the platform without having to license every individual item uploaded, or to remove content that is inappropriate). This is a cloud service as much as it is a hardware device, so of course since they are paying to manage the infrastructure they could turn it off without legal consequences... Customers would vote with their wallets and likely avoid Shaper like the plague, and potentially Festool as well. I think the likelihood of that happening, at least in the short/medium term, is extremely low. Knowing that I probably only have another 40 years on this planet, I've decided to concern myself with more pressing priorities. The big, big difference between the Origin and a flat-bed CNC is not this, however. It's that you have to move it yourself. If you have an hour of cutting to do, you need to move the machine around for an hour while you're standing next to it with ear protection on. This is tiring and you need absolute concentration the whole time. If you are doing things commercially and have enough shop space, having a flat-bed CNC would enable you use that hour for something else, even if you need to be in the vicinity just to keep an eye on it. It's cool to see it doing a small cut in the middle of a giant panel, as cool as watching an SUV commercial with it driving through the desert or on a beach. That just doesn't happen in every day life. Timtool - that's what I was thinking, you expressed it better than I could have. It's a novel idea but I think the Shaper is more practical. Like any CNC machine, pre-programmed computer software dictates the movement of tool. Origin features precision X, Y and Z axes with automatic tool tip detection. The large screen displays the path of the design for you to follow, the really clever bit is the full auto correction for the movement of your hands guaranteeing precise results every time.

Designing with Studio

Possibly our favourite feature of the Origin is the automatic cut correction. If you stray too far from the design line, the Origin lifts the cutter and will not let you continue until you reposition. All Origin owners will have access to the Shaper Hub where you can access designs, for enhanced creativity in your projects.

Experienced Origin users achieve cut quality and precision comparable to a gantry-based CNC. Less experience is needed to achieve cuts far greater than 1/100th of an inch using Origin. Where is Shaper Origin made? Quote from: Timtool on October 07, 2017, 11:09 AM I don't know about this one, they all focus on one hip advantage and hide all the new inconveniences their solution creates. Till then their ToS is their written testemony that they don't care about me, that I'm just a resource to be exploited to the maximum extend possible - I see no point in supporting an entity that, in an attempt to bind me with it, puts such a stance into writing. For me, working in a small workshop and not commercially, with the Origin, I can use my Festool MFT as a work surface and bring my CAD designs directly to the wood without needing to print them on paper and use bandsaw, belt sander, spindle sander etc. to cut them out. I love it As noted by @neilc the Shaper does not require CAM or even CAD, which it the game-changer for me. I am somewhat skilled in Fusion & very comfortable designing in Sketchup but creating toolpaths is another layer of complexity. Being a sometimes user I end up making mistakes that don't show up until midway thru cutting so there are a lot of do-overs.Shaper Origin is the first handheld CNC router. It is for woodworkers, and users looking to add CNC capabilities to their shop without the learning curve, footprint, and cost. That is in contrast to what a traditional CNC machine entails.