User:Edwardrford/Shapeoko

Shapeoko

Shapeoko is an open hardware project started in June 2011 by Edward Ford. The project aims to design and release an open hardware desktop CNC machine that can be built for roughly $300.

History
Shapeoko started as an idea in 2009 to use low cost precision manufactured parts, from emerging "digital manufacturing" services, to design an easy to assemble CNC router. After two years of prototyping, the idea was released as a project on the popular crowdfunding site kickstarter.

The projects goal on kickstarter was to raise enough funds for Edward Ford (project founder) to procure the components for his latest design. The final product was to be the release of the aformentioned design as open hardware. Several things happened, including Ponoko "sponsoring" some of the projects kickstarter rewards, and the addition of a "complete kit" as the highest level reward offering.

The kickstarter project generated the "sale" of 14 units. To optimize the batch size, the number was rounded up to 20 units, making the other 6 available for purchase by anyone who had backed the project at any other kickstarter level. After those 6 additional units were sold, the demand for more units to become available was high enough that 30 more units were procured and put up for sale. By March 2012, roughly 100 units had been sold.

During April 2012, the online e-commerce store Inventables approached Edward about the possibility of selling Shapeoko through their website. A deal was reached, and Inventables became the first distributor of the open hardware project Shapeoko. To date, Inventables is the only official distributor of the project and has sold several thousand units (as of October 2013).

Shapeoko (original)
The Original Shapeoko Retronym was sold from January 2012 until April 2012) as a 'mechanical only' package. Provided in the kit were the mechanical components to build the stock machine. The idea behind only selling a mechanical kit was that the user could save cost by either reusing existing hardware they may have on hand or source the components from their favorite low cost electronics supplier. Because the kits were being sold basically non-profit, it seemed frivolous for Edward to include parts that could be purchased at low individual costs, as shipping would have to be paid twice. A complete list of mechanical components included with the Original Shapeoko can be found here.

In April 2012, when Inventables began selling the Shapeoko, the decision was made to offer both a mechanical kit (originally $199) and a 'full' kit (originally $650) which would include everything the user needed to get started, including accessory items such as end mills, safety glasses, and sharpies among other things.