####Shapeoko is as much an idea as a physical machine.####

An idea that maybe there are people like me in the world. An idea that some people want a CNC machine but don't want to spend thousands of dollars to get one. An idea that maybe there are people who want a CNC machine, but don't necessarily know what they will make. An idea that maybe there are people who want a CNC machine but don't know how to use a CNC machine! An idea that maybe there are people who want to build something that was their own hands, but are not expert fabricators. An idea that a machine could be designed that was hackable, scalable, customizable, but doesn't require the re-invention of the wheel for each modification.

####An idea that maybe there was a different way to do CNC.####

Those ideas laid the foundation for Project Shapeoko. It was those ideas that the community has built itself around. A community that started out as an email list and is now 1000+ active members strong, and growing everyday. A community that I wouldn't trade for anything.

Over the last two years the community has bounced ideas off each other, tested new ideas, discussed and debated trade-offs in various designs and improvements, and helped each other make a better machine. We are a pragmatic, positive bunch that hasn't taken it's eye off the main goal of the project: Let's do CNC a different way. Let's commoditize it, let's make it accessible to anyone who wants it, and lets give anyone a place where they can come learn, a place they can be part of a community, and place where the newest, greenest, most inexperienced person's ideas and suggestions are taken as seriously as anyone elses.

Maybe the project is a physical Machine, but it's the community that keeps the project together. It's the community that keeps the project moving forward, and it's the community that is responsible for Shapeoko 2.

The culmination of all that, is what you see here. I'd like to introduce you to Shapeoko 2. Say hello.

Shapeoko 2 has taken all of our design improvements and rolled them up into one thoughtful, low-cost, scalable, hackable, simple, beautifully designed package full of improvements over the v1 Release.

####Specifications:####

• Working area is expanded to about 12" by 12" by 2.5"
• Open front and back for loading in longer pieces of material
• Dual-drive motors on the Y axis, standard
• Double width Makerslide on the X axis for added stiffness and strength
• Completely redesigned Z axis for added stiffness and easier tool changes
• The wasteboard is now integrated with the machine
• Re-engineered belt system keeps teeth cleaner and reduces skipping
• Easier to assemble- put it together over a weekend or a couple of nights

#####To-Do List#####

• Publish Original Design Files (Autodesk Inventor)
• Publish Generic Design Files (STEP Format)
• Publish Original Drawing Files (Autodesk Inventor)
• Publish Generic Drawing Files (PDF Format)
• Publish Generic Drawing Files (DXF Format)
• Publish Assembly Instructions (Outline Format) - WIP
• Publish Formatted Assembly Instructions

This is the beginning of this repository. Information will be added as it becomes available and time permits.