I've $666cdn (~$500us), total. I've a SO1 with dual axis, and no other upgrades.

General CNC CNC Routers
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1

I’ve $666cdn (~$500us), total.
I’ve a SO1 with dual axis, and no other upgrades.
I’ve an L-Cheapo laser.

What should I do?

  • Save more until I can afford a Vcarve, or SO3; and then convert my SO1 to laser permanently?
  • Upgrade what I have even more?
    = quiet spindle?
    = software?
    = sound “proof” box?
    = better vacuum “support”?
    = NEMA 23s?
    = better “driver” hardware?
  • Source parts and build a new “CNC” of my own design? I’d probably combine eSO, SO, and Vcarve ideas and parts.
  • Other thoughts? (Please don’t say to spend it on the wife and kids.)
2

Hi Matt…
are you in Canada ?..where about ?

3

I would go with SO3. @Edward_Ford ​ has been doing great work with the platform and if I had your money I would buy a SO3 and come up with projects to cannibalize the SO1. (Like build a small CNC lathe).
If you had a SO2 I’d say upgrade until you go into debt. The 1 is so outdated now that cost of upgrades is the same as a better machine. Good luck and keep us posted with what you decide.

4

Hey DEM GER,
Yes. The closest big city to me is Calgary.

5

Thanks Neal, I’m kinda leaning that way too… But… Edward appears to be going “private” with SO3, I really appreciated the open source nature of SO1 and SO2.

6

Matt, I think he’s still keeping it fully open. At the bottom of the Shapeoko site it mentions Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license. It doesn’t, however, make mention of the controller board being open.