First steps with a Shapeoko router table

As mentioned elsewhere, I have been fortunate to have taken delivery of a Shapeoko 3 router table. This thread is intended to give some idea of the trials and tribulations of a toe-dipper into CNC machining. So, off we go ......

First job was to make some room in my workshop (a single garage of UK dimensions) The pantograph engraving machine was relocated to a temporary home on the bench until it goes to a new home, once it's sold. I had an off-cut of worktop on which mounting the router. It just fits the available space.

The box in the first photograph contains all the goodies, well-wrapped and labelled.

The base and front and rear plates assembled. All the screws are left lightly snugged up until construction is completed and final alignment checks have been done.

End of day one's efforts. The X-axis and Y-axis rails are mounted with the Z-axis motion plate on the X-axis rail. The side rails impart a lot of torsional stiffness to the whole machine. It is certainly not a flimsy "toy" machine and I'm anticipating making some interesting parts with it.

Updates coming as and when. Construction will be finished tomorrow, then I've got to try to connect it to my ancient laptop to see if it works! Such fun!!

John

Looking good so far, did you end up having to pay the VAT & Duty?

Jason,

I made enquiries of Fedex, the couriers, as the driver left no paperwork when he dropped it off yesterday, and they said that I would receive the invoice by post in the next 7 days. They gave me no indication of the likely cost, but HMRC have confirmed that I am liable for the import duty and VAT. Fedex obviously have a handling charge to be levied as well. Time to raid the piggy-bank methinks!

John

That's a pretty impressive looking bit of kit, what materials can be machined on this?

As I'm still planted firmly in the Victorian era of technology, I might buy your old engraving machine if it would fit on my workbench, could you give me a rough idea of dimensions please?

It's a pretty substantial-looking piece of machinery, I watch with interest.. ..and maybe a little envy - looks like fun..

but HMRC have confirmed that I am liable for the import duty and VAT.

In that case it should be ex-VAT from wherever in Europe?

.

Why do you assume Europe as the source ?

MichaelG.

.

https://carbide3d.com/about/

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 20/04/2021 23:03:39

John H,

I recently purchased a Multifix set from PeWeTools Germany. Slightly different to your experience in that the initial courier was DHL then passed on to Parcelforce who charge £12 handling for an import. Then held by Parcelforce until I paid 2.5% duty and 20% vat levied by our friends at HMRC, delivery was next day after payment was made.

Michael

Edited By Michael Briggs on 20/04/2021 23:43:42

If possible can you give us a video of your new toy in action

Best of luck

To address the questions as they arise:

Pete. The manufacturers appear to have aimed it at the woodworking fraternity, but of course it will tackle plastics and the like, aluminium and has also been demonstrated on YouTube to be capable of machining cold-rolled steel and even stainless steel. The engraving machine's foot print is 43cm wide by 53cm deep.

ndiy. The machine was imported from the USA. Hence the requirement to pay import duty.

Michael Briggs. DHL/Parcelforce must have a different invoicing strategy to Fedex. However, now that I come to think about it, in order to fulfil the delivery timescale, Fedex would have had to get the money by some means and all they had was my address, i.e. neither phone number nor email address as far as I'm aware, as the senders didn't have that information, either.

And finally,

Ady1. I hope to put a video or two up on my YouTube channel once the router is up and running, though my priority is is getting it working satisfactorily. You won't have to fast forward through endless shots of me screwing bits together. As anyone who has watched any of my videos will know, I'm so keen to progress with the projects, I sometimes forget to switch the camera (phone) on! I've even been known to talk over a particular machining procedure, only to find that instead of a video, I had the camera on photo, not video and it had taken a still shot!

Watch this space.

John

ndiy. The machine was imported from the USA. Hence the requirement to pay import duty

I was referring to VAT. Import tax is a different matter. The US, I believe, have differing state taxes and federal taxes to be added when purchasing. I know that Ca has GST and HST. Until we left the EU, VAT was only payable once- although a different rates in some cases.

Ndiy. I don't pretend to understand taxes applying to various countries. If I get a bill from Fedex, I assume they know what they're doing and I'll pay it.

I would prefer this thread to be about the machine rather than sliding off down another rabbit hole, but thanks for trying to explain it.

John

.

Thanks ... I will be following it with great interest

MichaelG.

A little more progress today. Taking it slowly so as not to make (m)any mistakes!

Finished off the wiring and after the shot below was taken, found a cable-tidy lying in a drawer, so used that to smarten things up a bit - though it won't show, but I know it's there.

This is from the rear. I assure you it looks neater now.

Everything squared up and tightened, rotated 180° ready to test and the DeWalt router mounted ........

Then I realised that the power supply had a U.S.A. plug on it and no spare ones in the house. Never mind, I'll pick one up at Tesco's tomorrow. In the meantime the laptop is getting a charge, so with a bit of luck, a short video might be on the cards tomorrow - with or without smoke, you'll just have to wait and see.

I think that I'm going to get some MDF to make a new waste board to protect the base board. I'll use the router to drill a grid pattern of holes to accept some 6mm threaded inserts to aid workholding.

I have been fiddling about with a double-tapered sleeve and ER11 nut re-threading arrangement in order to utilise a selection of metric end mills, but I've abandoned that idea through lack of accuracy and a better idea:

I have purchased a genuine DeWalt 8mm collet and nut to replace the standard ¼" one that rather restricts the end mills one can use. Instead, I have an ER11 collet chuck with an 8mm straight shank which I'm going to shorten and that will fit in the 8mm collet and allow the use of cutters in the ER11 range of sizes - up to 7mmØ - 8mm collet for the next one up. I just hope that there won't be too much "stick-out". The machine is supplied with a ¼" end mill, so I can start on some wood for the first exercise. Next episode will not be for a couple of days, I guess, by which time I would hope to have sourced some MDF sheet.

John

welcome to the club, i bought my XXL shapeoko in 2018, its a cracking bit of kit, i use mine pretty much only for wood work so far, cutting plywood & MDF templates for my work on musical drums.

one day i will try it on metal im sure but right now its pretty busy most days in my business.

if i can offer any advice at all is buy some ferrite cores and put them on every single cable, the major issue most people get is electrical interferance, pop a few of those guys round the machine & it solves it pretty quick.

VAT is simply due on all goods of value entering the UK, you dont pay it in the USA (you dont pay their sales taxes ether as its an export) so its due on your machine.

have worked in manufacturing import & export for 20 years, we move musical instruments across the globe & i have also imported most of my machinery including my shapoko....i deal with most countries including the USA & all of europe.... if you need help with anything or clarification of the bill/charges me know... there are 2 ways your bill could be calculated..

"Drum maker". Thanks for the offers of help. I'll let you know if I need any pointers. The build instructions do warn of the possibility of emf interference and their suggestion is to make stand-offs with cable ties to hold the router mains cable away from the other cable bunches. Which I've done. I've got some ferrite cores on a "watch list" on eBay, just in case.

John

yes thats one method that works for some on the groups, it didn't offer us much help, the conclusion was the issue being our router was on the same mains circuit as the machine & the computer we run it from... so we added ferrite to everything we could & we have not had any issues since.

John, if you can get some I recommend you use "Valchromat" for the waste board. It is a superior version of MDF that uses melamine rather than formaldehyde resin. It's harder, stronger is normally supplied in dyed colours for furniture making or construction, doesn't produce nearly such hazardous dust, and is much kinder to cutters. Google to find suppliers - I was able to get an 8x4 sheet for very little that had been in a showroom and faded in the sun. There are suppliers that have CNC cutters to machine boards to set sizes, they may well have offcuts that would suit your needs. Also if you make a tapping sized hole in it it will take a stud or bolt without needing to cut a thread - make a slight countersink to stop it bulging upwards around the fastener if necessary. No need for inserts!

Thanks, John, that's useful to know. I'll have a yellow page search later to try to find a local furniture makers. If not, The B & Q warehouse depot often has off-cuts of MDF in the foyer for a small donation to a charity. I really don't want to be buying a massive sheet, just for a small square. Too late to stop the insert purchase - already on their way, hotly pursued by some ferrite cores!

John