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Thread: Shaper Origin large scale accuracy

  1. #1

    Shaper Origin large scale accuracy

    The shop I used to work for has a Shaper Origin but they asked me to do some work on my flatbed router that I would have thought was well suited to their little robot. They are doing a large cabinet project in which the architect has specified brass shelf grommets that fit in a .314" hole- just too tight to match a 5/16" bore. They ran a tall cabinet side with the Origin and found that the front and back hole arrays were aligned at the start and off at the end by an unacceptable amount - 1/16" or more I believe. When they contacted the manufacturer they were told that it was a known issue without a fix. I thought that the strength of the Origin was for projects like floor inlays too large to do on a gantry router.

    Has anyone run into a similar problem? Could it be cured by using continuous reference tape?( I imagine they would have tried that but am not sure).

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Kevin Jenness View Post
    The shop I used to work for has a Shaper Origin but they asked me to do some work on my flatbed router that I would have thought was well suited to their little robot. They are doing a large cabinet project in which the architect has specified brass shelf grommets that fit in a .314" hole- just too tight to match a 5/16" bore. They ran a tall cabinet side with the Origin and found that the front and back hole arrays were aligned at the start and off at the end by an unacceptable amount - 1/16" or more I believe. When they contacted the manufacturer they were told that it was a known issue without a fix. I thought that the strength of the Origin was for projects like floor inlays too large to do on a gantry router.

    Has anyone run into a similar problem? Could it be cured by using continuous reference tape?( I imagine they would have tried that but am not sure).
    The FOG forum will have quite a few people with the Origin and might be able to address the topic a bit better than here.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Shaper Origin is a wonderful device, but it's still a hand-held/motive device not contained by a fixed gantry and precise steppers/servos. It's not hard to see how it sometimes might get off a hair over a longer distance because minor little deviations get magnified over distance. Continuous tape might help, but the act of laying the tape down is still being done by the human hand. It absolutely is an ideal tool for large floor inlays like you mention...instances where portability really gives benefits. They do good work for intermediate to small size things, too. But I think for raw precision with a bunch of small things over a long distance, a CNC router like you and I have is the better choice.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #4
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    Laying down the tape shouldn't be an issue, it's not required to be put down uniformly.

    You lay the tape down, more is probably better, and then scan the entire area to create a workspace. You then import your design and place it on that workspace.

    As you cut, the Shaper Origin scans about a 11" x 15" area and uses the domino pattern. As it's processing it's reading the new dominos that come into the camera scan area. The domino patterns are random so as it processes the dominos in view, that's what it is basing it calculations off from that previously scanned workspace.

    It's hard for me to wrap my head around how it is inaccurate when it's piecing all these view of the dominos together although I've heard about this situation.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    It absolutely is an ideal tool for large floor inlays like you mention...instances where portability really gives benefits. T
    Well, that's what I am questioning. Maybe it is ideal for a set of relatively small discontinuous pockets in the floor, but it seems like it might not be so hot for one large one.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisA Edwards View Post
    It's hard for me to wrap my head around how it is inaccurate when it's piecing all these view of the dominos together although I've heard about this situation.
    So it's not unheard of. I guess I will check the Festool group out of curiosity since I am laid up with time on my hands.

  7. #7
    I did not find a whole lot on the subject but I did find this quote, said to be from the Shaper website, on the FOG forum:

    'In situations with tight tolerances, like joinery where .001” matters, the Origin does quite well. Measured accuracy from 12” to 36” is .02”-.05”, from 4’ to 6’, .08”-.18”. Repeatability — important in real-world CNC use, is about .01”.'

    So it appears that the results my colleagues got are to be expected. I know they have made some useful and accurate jigs with their Origin, but it clearly has limitations for large scale work, which I think is disappointing. I would be interested to hear from anyone with contrary experience that I could pass along.
    Last edited by Kevin Jenness; 11-04-2021 at 1:25 PM.

  8. #8
    I use shaper origin and it has its uses but anything large its difficult as it can loose its bearings
    You need that ID tape and lots of it, small jobs , portability , easy to transport , its fine
    It cannot replace a fixed CNC with a gantry

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevin Jenness View Post
    So it's not unheard of. I guess I will check the Festool group out of curiosity since I am laid up with time on my hands.
    As an aside, it's not a Festool product. The company is owned by the same entity that owns Festool and Sawstop, however.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    As an aside, it's not a Festool product. The company is owned by the same entity that owns Festool and Sawstop, however.
    Yes, I only mentioned it because Joe suggested that a number of people in that group might have an Origin.

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