NEW! SHAPER ORIGIN ORIENTATION | NOV 19
NEXT CLASS Thursday, November 19
6.00p to 8.00p
$50/person
What if a CNC machine fit in your hands? The Shaper Origin is a handheld router that tracks its own position and keeps the cutter on your digital line as you guide it across the wood. Think about that and your head will explode just a little. Walk in curious and walk out with a coaster you set up and cut yourself.
The Shaper Origin’s precision opens up a lot of opportunities. It fills a fascinating gap between hand-tool woodworking and a full CNC table. It brings computer accuracy and repeatability to work you’d normally do freehand, and it makes plenty of CNC projects simpler to set up and faster to finish. Instead of fitting your material to a machine bed, you bring the machine to your material.
The coaster is just your first proof. The same workflow is the one you’ll use for accurate jigs and fixtures, quick prototypes, and precise parts for bigger builds. Once it clicks, the Origin becomes one of the most flexible tools in the woodshop, and the gap between the design on your screen and the part in your hands gets a whole lot smaller.
Like any precision tool, the Origin has its quirks. Your instructor will walk you through the gotchas that separate a ragged edge from a clean one before they cost you a project.
So, if you’ve wanted CNC precision with a tighter learning curve, the Origin is your on-ramp. Successfully complete this orientation and you’re cleared for independent access to our Shaper Origin, Shaper Workstation, and available accessories.
There are no prerequisites. To register, click on the next available date (highlighted in green below) and check out through the shopping cart.
INSTRUCTOR _ Kevin Judson
I teach woodshop use and safety in community woodshops and local makerspaces. Woodworking started as a hobby and, over the last few years, has become part of my professional story too. The Shaper Origin is one of my favorite tools to teach because it rewards careful preparation, which is exactly the habit I want to build.
What I hope sticks with you goes beyond any one machine. On any project, preparation is an exponential improver. When the plan, the material setup, and the cut preparation are all done well, making the actual cut in the wood should be the simple part. Get that groundwork right and the quality of your finished piece follows.
Outside the shop, I enjoy working on computers. In fact, the first computer I ever used stored its programs on audio cassette tapes. Over the years it’s been a blast to have a front-row seat as the integration of software and hardware pushes us toward new frontiers.
OVERVIEW
Most CNC work starts with a big machine and a long setup. The Shaper Origin keeps the accuracy and drops most of the overhead. It’s one of the friendliest first steps into digital fabrication we have in the shop, and the skills carry straight over to our larger CNC Router when you’re ready.
In this 2-hour orientation you’ll learn what the Origin does well and where its limits are, so you can design with the tool in mind. You’ll prepare a design in Shaper Studio, lay out your material on the Shaper Workstation, set your grid reference, install the cutting bit and run a depth check, then make active cuts using the Origin’s different cutting modes. Along the way your instructor will cover how the Origin works with our dust collection and how to reset equipment to its original condition for the next user.
This is a hands-on training. You’ll cut a 5″ Facility Makerspace coaster in MDF to demonstrates your understanding of the process and your ability to safely operate this equipment. We keep the design simple on purpose, so everyone gets time on the machine to run the full workflow from layout to finished cut.
Pairs well with our CNC Router Orientation and woodshop orientations.
ACCESS
Pass this orientation and you’ll walk away with access privileges to independently operate our Shaper Origin, Shaper Workstation, and available accessories.
HARDWARE
– Shaper Origin
– Shaper Workstation
– Dust collector
PPE
– Eye protection (safety glasses available on site)
– Hearing protection (available on request)
– Dust mask recommended
– Closed-toed shoes
– Tie back long hair
– No loose-fitting clothing
– Remove all dangling jewelry
If this is your first class at The Facility please arrive 15 minutes early for a short safety briefing and some paperwork.
Classes start promptly at 6:00pm.
This class prepares you to safely perform basic operations on supported equipment. It is not intended to cover design concepts or comprehensive operation of tools or equipment. If you are interested in learning more about design or advanced equipment operation look for additional upcoming classes.
Safety and Basic Use (SBU) Orientations at The Facility are open to anyone over 18 years old. Please feel free to pass this invitation on to others. Minimum enrollment of 3 people is required to hold the class.
