On 6/23/2019 8:32 PM, dpb wrote:
On 6/23/2019 4:49 PM, Leon wrote:
On 6/23/2019 1:06 PM, dpb wrote:
On 6/22/2019 4:18 PM, Leon wrote:
Has anyone bought the Shaper Origin yet?

I see that the Festool parent company, the one that bought SawStop,
has now acquired the Shaper Origin.

So I guess you'll not be picking one up at Harbor Freight anytime
real soon now...


Probably not.


I hadn't heard of it before -- and didn't have time to do more than
just glance at the video so...at the risk of the obvious, how does
this thing work as being handheld?

--

It is basically a router in a computerized holder.Â* The front top has
a camera to view the special dotted tape on the work and a video
screen to see the field.

You import drawings of what you want to cut or design on the onboard
screen and then cut.

The design shows a projected path to take and you follow that path.
You provide the coarse adjustment/movement and the onboard computer
provides the the fine resolution adjustments.
There is a circle on the screen and you simply push the tool so that
the circle is over the path on the screen.Â* While the circle in on the
path the tool will adjust itself within that circle to cut in the
correct location.Â* The spindle/motor moves independently of your
guidance.Â* If you go too far off course the spindle will raise and not
cut where it is not suppose to cut.

It is basically a portable CNC machine.Â* It has unlimited travel,
being portable.Â* You can engrave a whole wood floor in a room.

Pricey, $2500. but a CNC can cost you tens of thousands of $s and you
are limited to the CNC's platform size.
...

OK, makes sense.Â* I hope they've got a lot better videos than that one I
watched to illustrate how it works--that one is pretty-much useless to
illustrate the machine (although the helper was/is nice eye candy).

If you go straight to YouTube and search Shaper Origin you will see a
lot of demo's and pros using the tool. I was in particular interested
in the flooring guy. He was using the tool to make and inlay medallions
on a pretty complex floor. I;m thinking it would make quick work for
inlay work on boxes and or sign making. And obviously odd shaped
furniture parts. I often have large radius arcs on my furniture. I
print out multiple templates on paper, align and glue those templates to
the work, cut with a jigsaw or band saw, and then sand, sand, sand.



Presuming it does work (as appears to) well, doesn't seem exorbitant for
that kind of technology and if one were doing that kind of engraving
professionally agree could easily pay for itself on one job.

Agreed, even a small traditional CNC machine starts in that range.


Probably not too many just recreational/hobbyists will spring, but then
again, you can drop that much on a TS or other stationary machine pretty
easily, too, so they'll probably sell quite a few...

Yeah. LOL


Be interesting to see if volume sales will bring price down some altho
one would expect not in near term and with the Festool pricing history
already to support it, they'll undoubtedly try to recap development
costs quickly for a while...

--

As I have mentioned I have been watching this tool evolve, like the
SawStop. When I first saw it on line it was being offered like a beta
version and you could preorder for less then $1800 IIRC. As time passed
the tool was improved and the price continued to go up. IIRC I saw the
last preproduction version offered just a few weeks ago and it was a few
hundred dollars less.

With that said the web site, a few years ago, indicated that this tool
was being partnered with Rockler, AutoDesk, and Festool. IIRC this tool
was originally a Kick Start idea, I think. also I believe I read that
The parent company of Festool acquired the tool only a few months ago,
again I think.

So, I believe this tool will actually be around for quite some time. It
got the interest of a large company and sold it. It really fills a
niche for many Pro's.