Shapeoko Pro XXL HONEST REVIEW: Three Months Later 

🔗 *Building my CNC Table:* ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GHoSjAJRA_Q.html 🔗 *Assembling my Shapeoko Pro:* ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-w9-SRTErFw8.html 🔗 *Making Money w/Woodworking Playlist:* ru-vid.com/group/PLxHrEOd7lzfFiHAIv_UPPXoBvhmVf6DT4 🔗 *Project Plans:* sam-craft.com/shop/ 🔗 *My CNC Tablet:* amzn.to/3rGZPuY 🔗 *Shapeoko Facebook Group:* facebook.com/groups/unofficialshapeoko 🔗 *My Website:* sam-craft.com 🔗 *Latest Video:* goo.gl/Snbz3U 🔗 *Most Popular Video:* goo.gl/vwp6GG 🔗 *Carbide 3D Website:* carbide3d.com/

I sure enjoy your easy going videos. Thank you for taking the time to make them. Some day when I understand enough about CNC machines. I WILL have one of these. Because of you and your videos.

I appreciate your up front delivery. I am a new Pro owner as well. I experienced the same issues you did. The rigidity of the machine and the customer service easily makes up for the wait I experienced.

I’ve been doing lots of research on machines and glad I found your channel. I’m ordering one of these and you answered my questions thank you. Shipping time would give me time to build the needed table for it.

Great vid Sam! I just always love :) your sense of humor! Even though I don't have a woodworking shop like yours, I can appreciate the value of tools needed for the job. You've got a great business going there!

Thanks Sam, you really helped me make up my mind on what CNC to go with! Great video!

This is exactly what I'm looking for - an unbiased review of the Shapeoko Pro. I'm close to buying this tool to make signs from wine barrel heads. In the last few years, I've been using the barrel heads for firewood or give them away. Now I want to make some $ on the side of my wine barrel furniture. Thank a bunch for your input!

Excellent video Sam, I’m glad you kept it real. I’m planning on getting the Pro for speakers, so I’m going to keep a close eye on missing parts and delays

Great video Sam! I ordered my machine at the end of December and it arrived at the end of January. I finally got the chance to build it about 2 week ago and I was missing the plastic strips. They did leave me a note saying that they were back ordered. I emailed them yesterday, on Sunday and I got a response from them last night. Today, on Monday I got an email saying the parts have shipped overnight and I should receive them tomorrow on Tuesday. By the way, I love the $100 CNC table. I had a fun time building it. I will be working on the drawers in the next few weeks.

I ordered my 3 XXL about the same time and had the same experience. Also I had ordered a Laguna Fusion II table saw from Rockler and it was also very delayed in shipping. Neither Carbide, Rockler or Laguna reached out to keep me up to date on what was going on. I'm very happy with my equipment but my projects were delayed for over a month.

You are a straight up guy! Glad I found your channel. Excellent content 😀

Good one Sam 👍 Thanks for the honest review. Helps a lot for someone like me in weighing up if this product is the one for me. Cheers

Your order process sounds like my Tesla ordering process. Hope to get one of these soon. Thanks for sharing . Its always best to know what you are getting into when you order.

Great feedback, thank you. I will be in the market for a CnC machine this year. I am still shopping.

Just bought one today! I've been watching your videos for a while now

thanks again Sam for another great video. I live in texas and was delayed a bit on the shipping of my PRO XL... again, just like you, not their fault. I was able to put mine together this past weekend and just like you I was missing the plastic strips. Tried calling all day today (Monday) but it kept going to voice mail after holding for 10 minutes each time which is somewhat annoying. I finally gave up and left a message. My experience when calling (before this) has been great as well. They're definitely on top of things. When UPS delivered my first bog box, it had abouot 3 inches or so of water damage (like it had been sitting in water)... and after taking pictures upon their request, Support got back to me pretty quickly and said that it's probably ok since the electronics didn't get wet - just a couple of aluminum end-plates. They suggested that I keep an eye on things during the set up and to reach out to them right away if anything wasn't working properly. I was pretty impressed at their quickness to respond and courteous and professional responsiveness. All I have left is to buy a Makita router. Who knew that in all of the Dallas area Home Depots, all of our 9 stores were fresh out of Makita routers!?!@@!@# WTF!? anyways I ordered one off of Amazon and it promises 1 day. My machine like yours is pretty squared up right out of the box. I'm pretty stoked and impressed with that. My next steps are to do the obligatory 'hello world' exercise, then do the calibration movements to see if they are instruction-to-real-life-move equal. Getting really exited at this point. AND YES, this thing is definitely more 'beefy' than I thought it was. TRULY IMPRESSED with the 'pro'. AGAIN, thanks for your videos, and thanks for keeping it real!!!

Sam - great video, this was my first time finding your channel. In the market for the Shapeoko PRO XL currently and I've heard nothing but good things overall about the company. Thank for the great info!

Well done, Sam. Glad to hear that all has worked out for you, regarding your CNC investment. Dust collection seemed to be the only "support" issue you've had with your new CNC, but that is not the fault of the CNC, it just comes with the territory. Keep on keepin' on. With many of the other RU-vid woodworkers growing beyond what most of us can relate to, I love watching your videos because, well, I can relate.

Sam want to thank you for your video's very informative. Best on youtube. Being a retired contractor I will look forward to seeing your new shop go up. Happy New Year.

Great video sam..I was kinda in the same boat as u with my Millright Mega V..XL..the only difference is they actually kept me up to date on the delivery delay..and there were no missing parts..but extra that they included with the kit..I appreciate the honesty of ur video and I hope my video i do about the Mega V is as good

Honest review, very refreshing Sam. Sizing up. Keeping one smaller for productivity on many jobs not requiring a bigger bed. Then having a bigger one also for the larger demand that may come. Me, Signage. Making desing frames like a door and other smaller one cutting single lletters to be set into hogouts on big sign for dimensional looks even use hard foam material. Can pour and make your own polyurethan blanks if desired.

Great Video Sam. I am a XXL owner for about 2-3 years. Mine was also missing parts (belts & drag chain), and it also had wrong bolt lengths included for one section that causes me to make a visit to the local home store. I also had a board go bad, which they covered under warranty. They forgot to send me the board, so it took several phone calls to have them FINALLY send me the replacement board. They did make it right with a bit set as a "I'm sorry" gift. Honestly even back then (2-3 years ago) they were still peddling the same excuses. I think they would greatly benefit from a QA department that would verify the orders before going out. I love my machine and have continued upgrading the different options they have released over time. I do agree support overall has been pretty decent. I ended up choosing VCarve Pro for my CNC design software and it suits me fine. I'm currently building a new house, and the CNC is sitting in the garage un-used. I'm sad by this ;( I'm excited to get my home completed, so I can take advantage of my 1070sqft garage/shop. I plan on doing several of the projects you built, so thank you for sharing those.

My Pro XXL arrives today. Wish me luck. Great video as always. Keep up the great work!

Sam just to say that your video on the shapeoko pro, is a top man support. I have just purchase this machine for my hobby as I have just retired and needed a video's like yours too help me through the installation and setup of the machine, I will be watching your cannel for any new tips and trick to ensure a smooth running of my machine.

Very helpful as I am considering a CNC now!

Thank you and have nice machining bro 👍🏼.

Really appreciate this video. Right to the point!!!

Bought an XXL in July 2020 before I knew the PRO was coming out. Their service and support is absolutely #1. I really didn't use the machine much until October because I was new to CNC and was trying to learning the in's a out's. I started making stuff to sell for Christmas and was swamped with orders -- great stuff!! But then I started having disconnect issues, most likely because I live in Indiana and colder weather meant turning the heat on and more static electricity. So I was ready to pull my hair out because I would get 1/2 way into a project and lose connection. I e-mailed the company on Thanksgiving Day and they responded in 2 hours -- who does that on Thanksgiving Day. We went through a lot of trial and error to figure out the issue and they sent me, free of charge, items to deal with the electro magnetic Interference. Their support just can't be beat. I think the issue with the PRO was they just didn't realize how popular it was going to be and couldn't keep up with it. I am happy with my purchase and the company. For a hobbyist or small business it is well worth the money. Great video with honest input!

I respect you for this video, you did not knock the company into the ground, but gave a very true and heartfelt review, I feel that I can trust you on any review. Thank you 🤜🤛

Super helpful; thank you!

Just made a deal to get one of these second hand, and am looking forward to it. Thanks for re-affirming what I've heard about the general quality and robustness of the machine.

More people need to make a video like this! Thanks Sam! You can definitely fault Carbide with lack of COMMUNICATION!! Communication is FREE

Thank you your input was very helpful . I am presently shopping

Agreed with this assessment. I think I was in the second batch. And sales was honest about timelines. I was missing parts also but nothing that stopped me from using it. Also a couple broken pieces that they replaced quickly.

Thanks for the honest review.

Great Video, real down to earth Thanks

nice comprehensive review, cheers!

Thanks for the review Sam

Thanks, good honest review

I received my pro in February and I went through 2 router before I finally decided to buy the makita router from home depot and love it . Plus it's more quiet

great video Sam. TY for Sharing......we Subscribed! Totally agree with the "small business" issues; We all deal with it and communication with customers is something I take pride in. I have heard about the black strips issues....waiting to purchase this one for the shop. What online groups do you recommend joining for mediocre players?

Thank you Sam. Now, July 2024, They seem to have it moving smoothly. My accessories whipped in a day and my machine shipped in 5 days, due to be delivered in 4 days, the 5 Pro. Wish me luck!

enjoy your videos Sam thanks

Thank you for the video. I am trying to become a new CNC owner but the Shapeoko XXL Pro has been sold out for several months now. If they become available, I am told that they sell out in about 30 minutes.. I very much enjoy hearing about the CNC router that you have purchased as it helps me to believe that I have made a good choice in going after it myself. I just hope it comes available very soon.

I also bought a pro recently and had the exact same experience! One of my boxes was missing several parts, including the black strips and hardware to assemble the table. A quick email exchange with support had an overnight box headed my way. Unfortunately for me, fedex screwed up and left my box sitting in Tennessee for a week.

Oh and I did have a slight problem getting help from support. I was lucky enough to have the manual and found the problem was my setup configure. Had it set up for belt instead of V+. But never got call back from support, or it took so long I missed it. Still not mad. Just makes me a better operator.

Great and honest video Sam!

great video…….not only are you knowable but easy to listen to

Great video! You earned another subscriber.

love it!, thank you

I got a workbee but If i was to buy again i would get a shapeoko, the overall package with shapeoko is much better they give you software, clamps, spoilerboard, dust shoe everything you need, with workbee i had to do all that myself (and assemble the entire machine myself as it comes in parts) the machine constantly needs maintenance to keep it running accurate aswell so was impressed to hear that your shapeoko hasnt needed any maintenance the whole 3 months youve had it. Also carbide create is awesome the only cad/cam software for mac

There really is only so much our friends and family can take when it comes to hearing about CNC 😂

I am a carpenter, that said after buying festool products the price of the pro really isn't bad for what you get. I am currently looking at buying the XXL pro or the hdm. I have a production run of chairs coming up soon and they require a lot of layout and the 12 chairs use about 1850 4x20 dominos and 450 8x40 dominos all done in solid mahogany so I started looking into a CNC router to do the bulk of them.

Hi Sam, just added a comment to your bitrunner video. I noticed your plastic strips missing in your original machine video, mine came without as well. Got them within a week or two. I started up my machine about 6 weeks ago and ran a few parts before trying to improve on the tram. It’s still a little out but tolerable. I drilled and tapped 2 holes in the router bracket so I could screw on the indicator directly. Works great for tramming the table. The other thing I don’t like is the router collet system. I have looked online for some options using ER collets but no one is making a direct adapter for say an ER 11 collet. Looks like an opportunity.

I have watched this vid before since it shows I liked it then. I watched it again today because I am looking to get my own Pro XXL and what do you know... it is out of stock. going to have to wait 2-3 weeks for restocking. I hope I get my order in to be able to get mine with the next round. Keep the vids coming Sam!!!

Thanks Sam, just learned about this machine today as I’m in the market. I’ll check out your Chanel to see some projects you’ve made on the machine.

Thanks Sam for the informative video. Could you please tell me the expected assembly time for Shapeoko Pro?

Right on Roy !

Good video dude, thank you for that.

Great review

Hey Sam. Always love your videos. You always hit tbe mark when it comes to pertinent information. I have done a number of test cuts and each time I get a little more complicated with it. I wound up doing a 2 and a half hour advanced V-carve cut and when it got to the end, the alignment was off. Have you had any alignment issues at all?

awesome honest truth dont have the pro but have the xxl and the support is out of this world i was missing one part and the also overnighted it to me

I’m right behind you Sam! I placed my order in November but got right after Christmas. I still haven’t made a thing yet. Trying to find software that won’t kill the bank and no, not carbide create! I’ll make my own video review in a month or so. You’ve inspired me to create a channel (I have 1 video posted). Thanks!

Ok i got my first CNC in December. Picked up a onefinity woodworker. Now granted im really new in this world. i bought back in june but prob because i was classified as a pre order onefinity keeped me completely informed. they even tossed in free upgrades as i waited for mine to be built and shipped. they gave a free pro version of the dust boot :) I have been so happy with My Onefinity i even paid extra for the laser Jtech 7 w for 700$ just to keep it with onefinity. I could have got a 10w laser for 100$ cheaper but i have been that happy with the hardware and support from onefinity. i dont work for them or anything just love mine that much.

Not a pro owner but had the OG version of the XXL. It was a great machine, for the price point and what it could do. I have since sold it and waiting for my new and bigger CNC to show up. Without the trial and errors I did on the shapeoko I wouldn’t be where I’m at today with Cnc. So anyone looking into getting into it the shapeoko is a spot on beginners machine and can take abuse from noobs!

I had the same problem with the proverxl 4030. I love the machine however I received nothing from the company on when it was going to be delivered.

My Shapeoko Pro arrived on January 16th and i'm still waiting for the black strips. Other than that I am happy with my purchase.

Most of the times I see a video saying “honest review”, I think it’s likely a sponsored video pretending to tell the reality. You video is an exception to this rule. You really provide great information, and shows both sides (the pros and cons), and you are clearly being very honest on your opinion. Thanks for making this video. It helped decide which CNC to buy, and it will be this one (once they have it available again lol)

Can you do a detail video on using bitsetter and bitzero together and detailed workflow?

i finished putting it together this week. But bit setter won't work. I will have to wait till next week. Facebook group is helpful. Even videos are good. So far I like the machine and still learning it. I always wanted one for a long long time.

I got my Pro about 5 months ago. The wires were not marked and so I had to call. They walked me through the process of using a heat gun to activate the labels on the wires so that you could read the labels. I think they should have stated in the instruction booklet to stop and call for wiring hook-up. Then they would know when to start the clock for my 1 month period of protection (break anything and it will be replaced for free). Instead the rep told me that they started using a new supplier of the wires. That remark made me question the quality control. After this period of time I am very happy that I went with this machine.

I looked at the pro but in the end I went with the Fox Alien Vasto. It came with a spindle (I upgraded to a 1.5kw water cooled) and a 40w blue laser which works very well. It doesn't have the software (Runs on GRBL firmware) but it is a solid machine and eats aluminum and will even machine steel. There's videos on RU-vid. Support has been ... Well, not like Carbide but it will do.

What type of experience do you need to run the program? Making wood logos and such...

I also ordered the Shapeoko Pro on October 15th. I to was disappointed when it took longer than promised to receive my machine. However I am not in the same situation as Sam. I am a 48yr old disabled professional woodworker. I am setting up my retirement shop and for me EVERYTHING takes longer than I expected. That being said it was mid January before assembly began. I was SHOCKED by how much easier this machine went together compared to my original Shapeoko 3. This has been well thought out with the customer in mind. My machine came with all the parts but the BitSetter was missing a magnet and wasn't assembled correctly. No problem C3D overnighted me a new one.... well the new one was missing the copper bushing the plunger rides in. At the same time I had had finished assembly and realized my machines Z-Axis stepper motor wasn't working properly. A few email's to support at C3D and I was put in touch with Brandon. He told me how to begin troubleshooting and agreed to call me when I had the first few simple things required to trace down the problem. I jumped up and had it ready in less than a hour. This was at about 9:30pm EST on a Friday night so I emailed him back saying I was ready anytime he could get back to me. I realize there is a three hour time difference but I was available 24/7. Within a hour he emailed me asking if it were okay to call. I said sure. Now remember it's now about 11pm EST making it 1am in California. He called and spent over three hours on the phone with me. It probably could have been done in less than a hour if we both stayed on task but we are after all cnc enthusiasts and I learned a lot. We traced it down to be nothing more than a bad wire and that was shipped out..... you guessed it..... overnight. I was up and running Monday and everything has been great since. That is the end of my story for now. If I had a con about the Shapeoko Pro it would without a doubt be the Z-Axis. The Z-Plus is actually a z-minus in my book. Why build a machine heavy-duty on two other axis and then put the standard part on the third. The reason was because the Z-Plus is fine if you want to run C3D router and cut at 100ipm. Personally I wanted to reach the next level. After upgrading the Shapeoko 3 to the point it would easily cut with a ¼" bit at 0.25 DOC @300ipm I want more. Hopefully very soon this issue will be resolved 😉

Great and honest review video! It definitely helped assuage some of my anxieties. I just recently ordered one and haven’t received any updates either although the company did say it would be about 15 business days until shipping would occur after order confirmation so there’s still time. Otherwise, I appreciate your update and looking forward to seeing more of your content! Keep it up and stay safe, sir!

Good video, man. This was a three month video, I'm curious how you feel about it 6 months later? Same same or any other issues? I have a Shapeoko 3 which doesn't seem to share the rigidity and quality of the Pro. I guess I bought the wrong machine. A word about their customer service though: Not the best in my case. I have had major issues since day one. They threw every bandaid fix at me that they could. I'm still not up and running and now they've just stopped returning my emails. I guess they're stumped and just don't want to deal with me. I'll be shopping other brands.

Thanks.

I purchased the XXL back in June 2020. I had an issue with my router in December 2020 2 weeks before Christmas. I contacted support and sent photo's of where there was an issue with a wire which caused it to arch and burn the motor out. They overnighted me a new router with all new collet's and I was back up in running in no time.

Sam I agree with everything you said. I am in market for one and am yet to decide. The on thing I feel everyone should know is that due to the pandemic, companies world wide. This in my opinion is probably why all the logistic problems and delays. On the other hand Carbide should post a Pandemic COVID-19 disclaimer update on there website to keep everyone informed an send emails to existing customers waiting on machines. If Carbide is an American company, they may have been in a state that had to shut down. Again bad press on Carbides parts as they should let people know. Sorry for long post, loved the review and your videos

Great video! A friend asked for some custom beer/wine tasting flights and I'm thinking of using it as an excuse to get into the CNC biz. Would you still recommend the Shapeoko Pro? Another? Thanks.

Sam what version of carbide motion are you running and what tablet it shone in this video .also where did you find the TCPP to do tool Changes. Thanks Jeff

Mine actually had extra parts which is strange because it's the black strips they say they are out of that everybody seems to need. 🤷‍♂️ From researching within the community and on the carbide support site, the newest version of the XXL pro does not have the black strips which is the version I have. They phased them out for whatever reason. Yet they still came with my machine.

I'm been an XXL owner/user for over 3 years. As others have suggested, they have always gone above and beyond to correct issues. This applies to damage resulting from user error too. In my experience they have never hesitated to send me a replacement part even when I admittedly was the cause. As far as poor communication is concerned, I think they can be chocked up to how the pandemic has affected operations. The timing of the release of the Pro combined with the global situation has to be the culprit here. And yes, it would be nice to have instantaneous responses to inquiries, but as you suggested, that would likely have required them to hire and train additional labor. Which during a pandemic is probably no small task....which in addition to the difficulties that go along with all of that would likely result in a more expensive machine. They seem to have worked out the efficiency issues and hopefully can continue to keep the price point reasonable for us hobby and small business operators alike.

Sam, with all the information you have learned to date, would you get the Shapeoko Pro again or? And what would be a close 2nd for you? Thank you Sam!

Great video! Do you have any thoughts on the bits you use for your projects (or wish you had gotten first)?

Thx. I ordered mine a week ago and was expecting an email stating it had been shipped. Can you tell me where it came from? I’ve found a town listed, but I’m not sure if it’s the same company. Without exact information I’m wondering if it came from northern Illinois

I just bought your plans to make the table for this cnc then your video popped up.

can you please share the dust-collection system scheme. Like I see you made some special connections through containers...?)

Mine was a little different. I really wanted a Por XXL but when it was time to order I didn't want to wait 2 months to order and an other to receive it. So I found that Madder hackers had a XXL and it was 800$ cheaper I ordered it along with the T-slot kit, the bit setter, and the probe, and router I basically Got what I needed and wanted. I was still under price from the pro and was able to build a killer stand to set it on when it arrived. I have been cutting on it as a total newbie and finished my first completed sign that came out 99% the way I wanted it too. Still in the practice zone For another couple months until I get my skill level up more and learn the machine better. But all in all I love my beast. And that's her name, Bartha Beast! Oh total cost $3.0155

I own a shapeoko 3 xxl and i really like the company. My own complaint and i find it quite annoying is no one at least in my case ever picks up the phone I had always request a callback now when they call I could be driving or in a noise area or away from the cnc machine and not been able to solve the problem when I need to

Hey! I am thinking of purchasing a Shapeoko 4XXL. I've been on the fence due to noise level. Would it be too loud for a townhome garage? Would I be likely to get noise complaints due to this machine?

what is the gantry clearance of shapeoko pro?

That looks like a fairly simple dust collection setup. Is it something you buy specifically for the CNC or is it generic?

Customer Service is key for any company’s success and communications is paramount. The word of bad travels much faster than the word of good. 😁🛫

What do you think about the machine at this point? I am looking at purchasing one for my husband who has NO prior CNC experience. Torn about what size machining area to get - just wondering if you are still happy with the machine 2 yrs out??

Should i get a shapeoko 3 with upgraded Z drive in 2023 ?

According to Carbide 3D at this point they have received everything that isn't produced in-house in quantities sufficient to keep the Pro in stock through the end of 2021. If you feel like buying one for yourself they should be in stock for a while!!

Hey Sam..me again... sorry to bug you with a dumb question but I just think you'll give an honest and helpful answer. I have been in a position where I have lots of work for a small cnc like the Shapeoko XXL or the Pro and I can afford it but my biggest concern is 100% about the cut speed. I make accessories for the flooring industry and I do all processes by hand...very quickly, accurately and efficiently. I need to know that changing over to cnc will level up production or else I cannot justify the expense! I know speed is not the only factor to consider so I am reasonable about the tradeoff between speed and the fact that I would be able to gang cut parts, which to me is a case of "set up and let the job run until done. I don't want to invest the money and time necessary to learn everything needed to switch from my present method to cnc only to find i actually created a bottleneck. Does that make any sense? Can you offer any insight for me from your hands on experience? Many thanks Sam Cheers Greg

Hello. Must you have a computer in the dusty shop next to the CNC machine in the shop? Is there another way to get files into the machine, say a flash drive or a SanDisk SD card?

can this cut steel, brass, aluminum, and titanium?