SHAPEOKO

INSTRUCTIONS

FAB-LAB.IOA

cnc machine: shapeoko 3 XXL

machine work area: 838 x 838 x 76 mm / 33"x 33"x 3" (XYZ)

rev.1.4.0 20191007
INDEX
NECESSARY STEPS FOR OPERATING SHAPEOKO CNC MILL
(DETAILS IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES)

A B C D E

MACHINE PROGRAMING TOOL OPERATION OPERATION

SETUP (CAM) SETUP SETUP RUN

1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3

4 4 4 2a 4

5 5 5 2b 5

6 6 6 6

7 7 7 2c 7

8 8 3 8

9 9

IMPORTANT! MAKE SURE THAT YOU READ ALL PAGES OF THIS MANUAL
AND FULLY UNDERSTAND ALL STEPS, BEFORE OPERATING THE MACHINE!

-- USE THIS PAGE AS A CHECKLIST EVERYTIME YOU OPERATE THE MACHINE --

 A

A. MACHINE SETUP
1 CLEAN CNC BED
Make sure all dust is gone so that double sided tape adheres properly and stock levels
properly.

2 CLEAN MACHINE
Wheels, guides, in all axes. there are hidden wheels under the plates and in Z-axis.
A dirty machine will break down within months!

3 CHECK ALL AXES FOR RIGIDITY

Plates in XYZ axes must glide smoothly but with absolutely no give or shake.
All wheels must turn when gliding. Tension the off-centre bolts till wheels turn and shake
disappears.

4
CHECK FOR POSSIBLE COLLISIONS!
Stock may collide with Z Axis, or XY Axis wheel plate, etc.

5 ENSURE STOCK IS PROPERLY MOUNTED

Stock should be parallel with axes, mount with double sided tape, or clamps.
get to learn your enemies.

6 CHECK SPINDLE CABLE ROUTING

Ensure cable is free to move and can reach all XY coordinates.

7 CHECK VACUUM HOSE ROUTING

Vacuum hose should point to the right of machine

8
PLACE POWER SWITCH CLOSE TO HAND
Always be ready to press the red switch to shutdown machine if something goes wrong
(collisions, Z-probe, parts flying away etc.)

9
MAX WORK DIMENSIONS XYZ 820x780x70mm
(you can work with Z up to 75mm+, with careful programming in rapid Z level, Z axis may
crash on upper limit)

FABLAB_IOA_SHAPEOKO_INSTRUCTIONS 1
 B

B. PROGRAMMING
1 USE RHINOCAM MILL OR CARBIDE CREATE
RhinoCAM: Rhino 3D plugin. Document units must be millimetres
Manuals: Dropbox\FAB_LAB_IOANNINA\13_CNC_router\01_RhinoCAM\Manuals
Carbide Create: Export .dxf from Rhino in inches (even if you work in mm)
Tutorials: https://docs.carbide3d.com/assembly/carbidecreate/video-tutorials/
Note: Steps 2-6 are for RhinoCAM, for Carbide Create, refer to the link above.

2
CREATE STOCK IN RHINO
Create stock 3D geometry (a box, or whatever has the exact dimensions of the uncut raw
material you will place on table to mill) that encloses your part. Select stock in Rhino, go
to RhinoCAM, rightclick Stock icon, click Stock from Selection. Place stock in separate
layer and hide it afterwards, it may interfere with some operations.

3
SET WORLD COORDINATE SYSTEM (WCS)
Click align icon, set world coordinate system, click the arrow icon, snap to stock.
Snap point should be stock front left corner, at the top level of stock.
(you can set another point but you should know what you are doing)

4 DEFINE TOOLS
You can either create tools, start from a file that has tools, open all the tools from a
previously saved library or open a library and drag and drop tools you need in the tool
list. There is an option to load specific feedrates from each tool for every operation.
Our Tool Library in RhinoCAM format can be found at:
Dropbox\FAB_LAB_IOANNINA\13_CNC_router\01_RhinoCAM\Tool_Library

5 CREATE CUT OPERATIONS

Start with a previously correctly cutting file/ template and replace geometries to cut,
accordingly. Reading the manuals is suggested, for in-depth knowledge and safety.
Cutting Templates can be found at:
Dropbox\FAB_LAB_IOANNINA\13_CNC_router\01_RhinoCAM\Templates

6 SELECT CORRECT POST PROCESSOR

Next to the post icon, it should read: CARBIDE 3D GRBL MM

7 CREATE A SEPARATE .NC FILE FOR EACH TOOL

Carbide Motion does not support zeroing Z while cutting. So, we must export a separate
post (.nc file) for each of the tools. Select the operations that are sequential and use
same tool, rightclick, select post. Always use the naming format below when saving:

ProjectName_StepNumber_Tool_ToolNumber_ToolName_RPM_operation_ToolLength.nc
ie. MyProject_01_Tool_1_#201Nomad_6.35_Flat_25000_roughing_TL45mm.nc
MyProject_02_Tool_22_#202Nomad_6.35_Ball_20000_finishing_TL35mm.nc

FABLAB_IOA_SHAPEOKO_INSTRUCTIONS 2
 C

C. TOOL SETUP
1 KEEP TOOLS ORGANISED AND IN THEIR CASES
Always return each tool in its case, after use.

2 UNPLUG ROUTER WHEN CHANGING TOOLS!

Router may accidentally power on router and rip-off fingers!

3 TOOLS ARE !!!HOT!!! WAIT FOR COOLDOWN

You can speedup cooldown by letting the spindle on for a while,
after cutting is finished. Keep fingers away from spindle when machine operates!

4 AVOID OVER-TIGHTENING!
DON'T APPLY PRESSURE ON XY Axes!
While tightening tool, you may move XY Axes and zeroing will be lost! Hold router with
other hand. if XY move, you have to relaunch carbide motion and reinitialise machine.
(XY zero may differ slightly in this case, but will be mostly usable. shapeoko remembers
the previous XY Zero even if switched off and back on)

5 DO NOT DROP TOOLS

Try not to drop on the cnc bed when changing, keep tools away from each other or any
contact with metallic parts.

6 ON EVERY TOOL CHANGE, RE-ZERO Z!!!

Z zeroing is a very important process, treat with caution.

7
BLOW AWAY DUST FROM TOOLS AND SPINDLE
WHEN CHANGING TOOLS
Dirt and particles can destroy tools and spindle.

8 ENSURE TOOL HEIGHT IS LONG ENOUGH TO

REACH BOTTOM OF PART WITHOUT CRASHING!!
Tool length should be written in .nc filename (tool at least 18mm inside the chocke)

9
FIX BRUSH HEIGHT TO TOOL END (OR LOWER)
Use the thumbscrew to loosen the dust collector and adjust height. remove front brush
module to change tools, or slide off entire brush holder when zeroing with probe.

FABLAB_IOA_SHAPEOKO_INSTRUCTIONS 3
 D

D. OPERATION SETUP
1 HOME MACHINE
Launch Carbide Motion, click CONNECT TO CUTTER, go to JOG, click CONTINUE to
INITIALISE MACHINE. Note: step necessary only when you first connect to machine.
Always keep your hand near kill switch when probing, homing or rapid positioning.

2 SET XYZ ZERO

(MAKE SURE CLIP IS FIRMLY ATTACHED TO TOOL
AND PROBE TURNS RED WHEN TOUCHING!)
When zeroing with probe, make sure to select correct tool (that is in the spindle) from
the dropdown list. DEBRIS UNDER PROBE!! Slide off brush holder when probing.

2a XYZ, WITH PROBE

(JOG/PROBE) Place probe in front/left/top corner of stock, manually move XYZ so that
tool aligns the probe circle, not more than 8mm above it. If its too high probe cycle will
fail and you will need to restart carbide motion.

2b X,Y or Z SEPARATELY, WITH PROBE

PLACE PROBE ONTOP OF STOCK, NOT AT CORNER OR MACHINE WILL CRASH Z !!
(JOG/PROBE, select axes from list) if you place the probe at the corner, it will dig 4mm
into the material later on, when cutting. Probe programme subtracts 28 (probe min
depth) instead of 31 (probe max depth).

X Probe: Place tool 5mm to the left of probe, tool must be lower than probe level.
Y Probe: Place tool 5mm in front of probe, tool must be lower than probe level.
Z Probe: Place tool 8mm above probe circle.

2c MANUALLY ADJUST Z (NO PROBE)

BE PATIENT AND NEVER DO MULTIPLE CLICKS OR MACHINE WILL CRASH!!!
(SET ZERO button) A. With INCREMENT in FAST, bring tooltip close to the stock (ie.
+10mm in Z Axis, at desired XY). B. change INCREMENT to 1mm, go to 2mm from stock,
C. change increment to 0.1mm, place paper under cutter and go step by step down till
paper catches, then go one step up. If you want to finetune, go to step 0.01mm and
repeat. (you will need to set Z manually when there is no space or there is debris on the
part, probe cannot level properly). D. Press ZERO Z.

Why manually zeroing Z? A. Probe cannot be placed properly (cut debris, small or
uneven surface) B. Part is thick and Probe cannot fit

3 HOME MACHINE TO CURRENT XY OFFSET

RE-CHECK FOR COLLISIONS, RAISE Z IN PRIOR!!
Go to JOG, RAPID POSITIONING, go to current XY offset.

FABLAB_IOA_SHAPEOKO_INSTRUCTIONS 4
 E

D. OPERATION RUN
1 LOAD CORRECT PROGRAMME (TRIPLE CHECK)
(INFO/LOAD/LOAD NEW FILE) If you overwrite a programme from RhinoCAM, Carbide
Motion will correctly load the new one, even if it has the same name (you have to reload
manually in motion).

2
ENSURE YOU HAVE CORRECT TOOL
AND THAT THIS SPECIFIC TOOL WAS ZEROED
Slowly move cutter to stock top and ensure coordinates read Z0. Always RAISE TOOL
afterwards, tool may crash when program starts.

3 DISCONNECT PROBE CLIP FROM TOOL!!

If you power on router with clip attached = DISASTER.

4 ENSURE XYZ ZERO IS CORRECT AND YOUR

CUTTING SPACE FITS THE MACHINE WORKABLE
AREA, POSSIBLE CRASH IN XYZ LIMITS!!!
A part may be small for the table but if you place work zero ie. in the center it will go out
of bounds. Always triple check your setup.

5
START VACUUM/ ROUTER TO CORRECT RPM
Correct RPM is mentioned in each CAM operation or Feed Calculator and .nc Filename.
Router Dial to RPM: 1 = 16000RPM, 2 = 18000, 3 = 20500, 4 = 22500, 5 = 25000, 6 = 27000.

6 GO TO RUN, SET FEEDRATE to 10%!

Gradually increase feedrate (FR) if everything goes ok in the first seconds of cut. If
the machine is trembling, FR Down or Router RPM Up. If tool is heating and wood is
burning, FR Up or RPM Down. In many cases you can go up to 200% feedrate (better not
in the finish passes, as it may introduce cutting artifacts).

7 PLACE POWER SWITCH CLOSE TO HAND

Always be ready to press the red switch to shutdown machine if something goes wrong
(collisions, parts flying away etc.)

8 DO NOT TOUCH TABLE WHILE CUTTING

Table structure is flexible and your cut will change Z (will cut less deep) especially near
the table/edges centre.

FABLAB_IOA_SHAPEOKO_INSTRUCTIONS 5
 “Give ordinary people
the right tools and they
will design and build
the most extraordinary
things”

Neil Gershenfield
creator of Fablabs

FABLAB_IOA_SHAPEOKO_INSTRUCTIONS 6