Running directly on work surface - without base

X-Carve
1

Would be nice if a company representative answered some questions!
I asked this in the Question and answer section, but have not had an answer

Below base carving!
Really want an answer from manufacturer. I really see an advantage in being able to place machine on a surface you want to carve/engrave.
Q1 - Will the spindle/bit reach below the bottom of the baseboard as it is supplied. i.e if we remove the baseboard and place it on a surface we want to carve?
Q2 - will the unit need to be stiffened if we remove the baseboard?
Q3 - if we order without the baseboard, does it still come with the rails that are under the baseboard?
Q4 - Can the end plates be shortened, the cross rails raised (leaving room for the carriage to run unobstructed) without any issue?
Q5 - what is involved in reconfiguring it to a different size e.g. 1000 x 500mm. I know you can change/swap the rails, but what needs to happen on the software side?
Q6 - How practical would it be to set this up to make it easy to semi disassemble, pack and reassemble. (i.e remove carriages and pack compactly) I.e make a case for it, take it to site and reassemble to do a job. Making it really a portable machine? Would it need to be reconfigured each time, if so what is involved in that?
Q7 - How would you know where to reposition if doing work larger than the limits of the “cutting area”?

2

Hello Adam,

I am not the company, just a new customer but I think I can help.
The answers will come fast using this number and email. Sometimes the forums aren’t quickly seen by the staff. But this team of people are THE BEST I have EVER seen! They really care about service so try these contacts and I am sure you will get the help you need.
(312) 775-7009 or help@inventables.com

3

Q1 - Will the spindle/bit reach below the bottom of the baseboard as it is supplied. i.e if we remove the baseboard and place it on a surface we want to carve?

I’m not sure. We’d need to test that use case. If it didn’t out of the box you could build a longer Z axis to accomplish it.

Q2 - will the unit need to be stiffened if we remove the baseboard?

It depends what your application is. The board is bolted to the aluminum extrusions on either end. This bracing could be done with 20x20 extrusions or you could bolt down the whole machine.

Q3 - if we order without the baseboard, does it still come with the rails that are under the baseboard?

Only the 1000mm size has extra extrusions for bracing and yes they are included in the rail kit not the waste board kit. The 500mm size has the extrusions only on the back and front.

Q4 - Can the end plates be shortened, the cross rails raised (leaving room for the carriage to run unobstructed) without any issue?

I don’t understand this question. Can you please explain or provide a drawing?

Q5 - what is involved in reconfiguring it to a different size e.g. 1000 x 500mm. I know you can change/swap the rails, but what needs to happen on the software side?

You need to get different belts too. Easel will support different sizes when we start shipping X-Carve. It does not support that currently. Here’s the thread that talks about it and a short animation.

Q6 - How practical would it be to set this up to make it easy to semi disassemble, pack and reassemble. (i.e remove carriages and pack compactly) I.e make a case for it, take it to site and reassemble to do a job. Making it really a portable machine? Would it need to be reconfigured each time, if so what is involved in that?

We took it in the car to an event but didn’t disassemble it. Each time you move it or disassemble it if you want parts to come out perfectly you will want to perform a squaring process. We will be launching a video that shows how to do it shortly. The machine isn’t designed to be disassembled and reassembled constantly. You could take the X axis off the Y rails. When you do that you’d need to redo the belts each time. Also you risk damaging the wiring in transit.

Q7 - How would you know where to reposition if doing work larger than the limits of the “cutting area”?

How could do cut work larger than the cutting area? Can you explain a bit more about how this would work?

4

Q4 - the end plates seem to be the tallest part that extends below the rails. i.e where the cross rails screw on below the baseboard. If the base board is removed then the gap below the V wheels is greater than required. If i cut the plates shorter and put 2 new holes in them for the cross rail, i could reduce the height for 15-20mm?

Q6 - could you/I use connectors to make the cables more “plugable”

Q7 - if the job size is 1.5M x 300mm and the set up gives you a work space of 800 x 300. how would you set it up to do 750mmx 300, then realign for the other half? I think Vcarve lets you split a project??

Thank you for your responses so far.

5

re Q7… I think he’s imaging an in-situ workpiece somewhere that isn’t moved, instead you place the Xcarve on it and brace in position somehow, let it mill, then ‘move’ the whole machine over for a next segment…sort of ‘tiling’ a total sculptural profile or something?

6

Q4
If you are trying to go deeper than the machine currently does I think your best bet is to modify the Z axis with a longer threaded rod or ACME, longer wires, and longer MakerSlide.

Q6 for the wires you could add in plug gable connectors.

Q7 you would need some way to register the work. Sometimes the way this is done is with a hole outside the final piece but still on the material. Think of it as a known reference you can go back to. If you can’t put an extra hole on the work piece can you mount the work piece to another piece so the are connected and make the registration hole in the second piece?

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RichardRemaki is correct. We are looking at running on insitu floors. Was looking at how to reference the next point (never used a cnc before).

I saw “Handibot” have a giude that you just move the unit along, but that is a much smaller unit.
And “Grow” have a dismantable unit.
“Concrete Printer” have a below base unit.

I want to work out how i adapt the design features into my Xcarve setup. X carve is about half the price of the others. and seems more configurable in terms of dimensions.

8

I imagine that I can remove the X assembly from the Y rails and make a box for the pieces to fit into for safe “compact” transport.

Do you think the Y rails would take the end plate screws being removed and replaced often or would they easily strip?
http://www.michaelwarrendesign.com/MichaelWarrenDesign.com/Grow_CNC.html

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The screws that come with the kit are designed to cut the threads when they are installed. I don’t think you would want to be constantly taking those in and out. If you tapped the holes with a proper tap and used machine screws you would have better luck with removing and replacing the screws. That being said eventually you might strip them because the screws are made of steel and the rails are made of aluminum.

I’m not sure you gain much by taking the end plates off each time vs. just taking the X gantry off for easier packing.

10

I need to carry to site and am looking at running at least 800mm x 600mm, going to get wrecked and be awkward to transport fully assembled. I am planning on making a case to support the elements/pieces and protect.

Therefore want to break it down to linear pieces for the flattest case. maybe 900mm x 300 x 400mm?

May have to start with small diameter screws, if i strip them find a steel/stainless insert?

Would love to find a clamp/latch style “fast” clamp/release system, maybe using squaring/locating pins.

11

I hesitate to say anything that would cost Inventables a sale. They are a great company with a great product. I hope the below is taken in the helpful spirit in which it is intended.

This is not the product for you. To use it in the way you are wishing, you will spend far more (definitely in time and probably in money too) trying to adapt this unit to meet your requirements than just buying the unit you need to begin with. You need a rugged, portable unit designed for a different use case than the X-Carve. Yes, you could probably modify the X-Carve to do what you need but…

  • The three CNC routers you listed above are all designed to be portable and the X-Carve is not.
  • You’re going to have to significantly modify the X-Carve to be portable (electrical connectors, frame modifications, etc.)
  • The electronics are not designed to be portable. The other units all have electronics with power supplies all integrated with cases.
  • It looks like the other systems are all designed in such a way that you wouldn’t have to square them.

Each and every one of the other units list has dramatic usability benefits in portability, durability and ease of use. Any one of those would be worth the 2X cost.

There are two use cases where X-Carve makes sense.

  1. You wish to buy the electronics, motors, spindle, belt and build (weld?) your own rigid frame that is perfectly square and portable.
  2. As a learning test bed to understand the way CNC works and learn to work with materials before you show up at a job site.

Good luck!

12

I am pretty new to all this Adam but I have studied and read a lot about this machine. The Inventables team is Aces, I can’t say enough good things about them. They will go out of their way to inspire the creative spirit and love to see people challenging, modifying and enhancing the limits of all their products. They are always trying to adapt their products to the needs of their customers. It also excites me to see people who have the creative spirit and intellect to come up with challenging new ideas like you have. That said, I cannot help to encourage you to explore other options better designed for portable and adaptable applications, that is, if the sole reason you are buying this machine is for these possibilities. If however you have applications more suited for the intended use of this machine it is a “no brainer” to just buy the base model, assemble and learn it as it is originally designed before you work towards these enhancements and after you have logged enough time with it to be more comfortable changing it. Even though this is a proven design built off the previous Shapeoko machines it is still a brand new machine even for the Inventables team, so I assume their focus will be on making the machine as stable and adaptable for it’s current designs. I am sure they and anyone in this community will try to help you any way they can, but your entering uncharted territory. I think that is awesome! We would not have the machine in the first place if someone hadn’t pushed through obstacles and limitations to create it. You just need to decide if you are willing to take the chance and expense making it work the way your hoping.