# I need help!



## DaveinPa (Apr 30, 2014)

I am a newbie when it comes to the cnc router stuff but very intrigued. I have looked at the shark and a few others in the 4-5 thousand dollar price range. 
Well I found a nearly new only used a couple of times Oliver 1015 Pro, originally asking price was 3500, I neg down to 2800, it took a bit for them to accept my offer and today they did. 
My fear is I have not found any reviews on this machine good or bad and do you think for 2800 bucks it's worth the risk?
I need to decide asap


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Welcome to the forum Dave. I don't know anything about the machine but I found lots of reviews on it. oliver 1015 pro reviews - Bing


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## BCK (Feb 23, 2014)

welcome aboard..enjoy the site and your new adventure


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Hi Dave, glad to see you join our community


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, Dave.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Dave.


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## Trimax (Apr 9, 2009)

Dave i looked at that machine aswell but i ended up with the Shark pro HD
mainly because the oliver has a dedicated cutter so your stuck buying that part
general int makes the same machine and its little brother
Buy General 15" x 20" i-Carver CNC Carving Machine, Model 40-915X at Woodcraft.com

but the reason I went with the Shark pro is because i can buy any router if mine goes bad and replace with just the time i need to run to Lowes or where ever'
and be up and running in a few hours. but thats just my opinion
The idea of having to just plug in a jump drive is nice but what if i have to make a change then i have to go to my computer with the jump drive and make changes then return I bought a 500.00 computer that stays with the machine so i can make changes as needed right there
plus if you have a joy stick it can be programed to move you cutter to get exact position as i did here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0yM5USr4So


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## Selwyn Senior (Jan 11, 2014)

Welcome to the group Dave.


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## DaveinPa (Apr 30, 2014)

I was thinking of either this oliver machine for 2800 bucks or save a few more dollars and go with the probotic meteor. I am not crazy about the table on the probotix, but I already own the colt bosch router that fits it.


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

I own a Probotix Meteor, and have convinced my boss to order another one for the University department I teach in. All aluminum frame, home/limit switches, an emergency stop switch right on the bed frame, as well as a plug provided for the router right on the gantry. I also own a Shark pro (early model that came with an MDF bed as well) although I've upgraded it to the latest controller and added a t-track bed. 

For the bed I added t-track in an X/+ pattern. I let the Meteor cut the recesses into the MDF to mount it. For the one we are getting where I work I ordered an extra section of the t-slotted frame and plan to trim the MDF to fit flush inside the frame top, split it into two halves so half can be removed and the center bar can be used to clamp boards vertically. Dovetails or finger joints or anything else on the ends of long boards possible. I'll also use t-track, but we'll screw it in rows on top of the MDF, add MDF strips between each track, and use the Meteor to surface those planar to the router travel. We also ordered their rotary axis. 

The CNC Shark folks have been promising a 4th axis for the Sharks for a few years now with no follow up. 

I picked the Meteor because of the potential their open frame design provides, as well as because it comes pre-configured with the PC needed to control it. VCarve Pro (which I already own) has post processors for the Meteor as well as the Shark, meaning whatever I draw up to cut can be cut on either machine so long as it fits. 

What the Meteor doesn't come with is a Touch plate, and from what I can tell only a few out there have figured out how to add one to LinuxCNC, and no one I can find has figured out to connect one to the meteor's controller. The Shark will come with controller software that can remap the bed so your G-Code will cut evenly even if your bed is warped or out-of-plane with the router.

If you don't need a 50" long bed, they make an Asteroid that is 37" long and a Comet that is 25" x 25". Both for less than the Meteor. 

4D


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## BradD (Mar 21, 2014)

Seems to me like a lot of money for a small work envelope, but then I wish my 48 x 96 was a 60 x 120. Just so you know where I'm coming from.  Add in the proprietary cutters (?) and the proud owner wants to sell, and I would say walk away.

Brad


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