Finally got a few minutes for Origin

[Crazyraceguy]

I have been reading and watching videos in the very little spare time I have had this week. The heat/humidity have been the worst of the season, so at the end of the day, nothing but a shower and some cool air would do. So yesterday I got just enough time to get it out and make it do something.
A couple of the office guys came out to see what I was still doing there and watch it work.
All I did was one of the text files from the thumbdrive, but I did get to test the things I had seen about setting it up.  It went well, far better than the focus of my phone in this pic. I did try the night before but found out that you cannot create anything "on board" unless the camera can see a tape field and make a workspace first.

 

[tjskinny]

Congratulations on getting some Shaper time !

I Discovered that same issue when trying to work out bit diameters on some lettering in the house and not in the shop, i.e. needing a tape field. 

What I ended up doing was printing out some sheets of tape fields on some stiff paper stock to keep handy in the house using this generator.
http://browncowww.pythonanywhere.com/

Just scotch tape it down in front of the Shaper Origin, create you workspace and aircut away.

 

[rmhinden]

I made a larger base for the Workstation based on a design I found on Shaper Hub.

[attachimg=1]

I edited the file for 20mm holes.  It came out pretty well, some of the holes are a little tight.  I did it before I received the Festool clamps and Veritas dogs. 

Overall, I think it came out well.  I may also try doing it again and move the holes around to work better with the Festool clamps and stops.

Bob

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Those are both good ideas.
I had seen mention in the Shaper community about printing a tape field, but it was geared toward having a larger "permanent" surface. Having a mobile solution sounds great.

The larger area is a thought I already had, but incorporating dog holes is good too.

 

[WastedP]

For a larger surface, I bought a relatively cheap ($99) desk at the office supply store that has a 3/4" thick finger-jointed rubberwood top.  I laid out Shaper tape and used an online hole generator (http://dve2000.pythonanywhere.com/holes) to make it into an MFT of sorts, that I can also clamp the Workstation to.  The only downside is that when I use the Workstation or any custom jigs, I need to cover the table's visible Shaper tape so the machine knows what workspace it's in.

 

[Bertotti]

Is there available or can you join two workstations to make a wider workstation?

 

[WastedP]

I used the Shaper tape generator (http://browncowww.pythonanywhere.com/) to create a file for a 48"x96" sheet of Shaper tape.  I uploaded that to Wilsonart's custom laminate service, and am waiting to see what the pricing would be.  In 12" rips, laminated to a workbench, you could make a really huge Workstation.

 

[Bertotti]

Now that's a great idea! I am so jonesing for one of these.

 

[Cheese]

I used the Shaper tape generator (http://browncowww.pythonanywhere.com/) to create a file for a 48"x96" sheet of Shaper tape.  I uploaded that to Wilsonart's custom laminate service, and am waiting to see what the pricing would be.

I'd be interested in Wilsonart's pricing when you hear back. I like the idea of 12" wide slices.  [big grin]

 

[rich1]

I'd be interested in Wilsonart's pricing when you hear back. I got mine turned on last night too (delivered Wed). I drilled 4 holes in the wrong place clearly I need to get more familiar with it.

 

[WastedP]

I just got a response back from a Wilsonart graphic designer, confirming that the PDF generated by the website is printable.  She also wanted my address to send a 15"x19" sample.  That's plenty big enough to test for readability by the machine.  She didn't ask for the texture, so I'm hoping it's something matte and non-reflective.

No pricing as of yet.

 

[Michael Kellough]

[member=41832]WastedP[/member]  what did you do to avoid repeating fields that might make the SO think it’s back to a previous Workplace? Will Wilsonart avoid duplication of a small area?

 

[WastedP]

Michael, I guess I'm relying on the online generator to not duplicate patterns.  I generated a full 4x8 sheet of Shaper tape, Wilsonart can print that single file without repetition.

I did get a quote back that it would be about $400, but I will have to check with the Wilsonart distributor to see if there are any additional charges, like freight.  At that price, it is about sixteen times more expensive than an equivalent amount of tape.  If the sample works out with the machine, I may see about laminating and edgebanding some foot-wide rips of 1" thick material to use as a fence on the big MFT tables.  I have a use case for a sixteen foot wide Workstation surface.

Wilsonart says the entire process, from acceptance of the file to receipt of the sheet of laminate, should be under 21 days.  That includes sending out the sample for approval.  That seems fast for a very custom production run of 1 piece.

 

[WastedP]

The laminate sample just showed up.  The texture is very similar, but not an exact match, for the Workstation top.  I scanned the sample with the SO and it seemed to work without any problems.  I'll probably glue this piece, or part of it, to stock to do some test cuts.  There are some hoops to jump through with distributors to get the sheet on the way.  I'll work on that next week.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I used the Shaper tape generator (http://browncowww.pythonanywhere.com/) to create a file for a 48"x96" sheet of Shaper tape.  I uploaded that to Wilsonart's custom laminate service, and am waiting to see what the pricing would be.  In 12" rips, laminated to a workbench, you could make a really huge Workstation.

That would be great if they would produce that. There is a Wilsonart location not far from my house and we get deliveries from them several times a week at work.

 

[Bertotti]

The laminate sample just showed up.  The texture is very similar, but not an exact match, for the Workstation top.  I scanned the sample with the SO and it seemed to work without any problems.  I'll probably glue this piece, or part of it, to stock to do some test cuts.  There are some hoops to jump through with distributors to get the sheet on the way.  I'll work on that next week.

I am curious how your order from Wilsonart worked out. Did you get a bigger sheet or have any issues with the sample since you got it? How durable does it feel? I was wondering how a board with just shaper tape would work out with a very thin epoxy over the top. I hope to get my SO tomorrow so I may try that on a small piece just to see how it goes. Thanks!

 

[Crazyraceguy]

There is a Sessions video on Shaper's YouTube channel called Fixturing for Origin that goes over several very handy solutions. A couple of those include somewhat permanent tape-boards that you move to the work. One is for cutting hinge mortices in the edges of doors. Another is for repetitively cutting inlays like bowties, where you have a hole in the board and make your cut thought it. This essentially becomes a thin, flat workspace that you can clamp/tape/tack into place anywhere.

I am still interested in getting a full sheet of laminate from WilsonArt though.
I wonder if this is something that a copy place could do? Print it on a say 24 x 36 sheet of paper and laminate it in plastic? I have thought about printing it at work because we have a printer that can go that big, but protecting it somehow? It would probably bleed if finish was applied to it?