# The Ultimate Router Base?



## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

This made the top of my want list. It might be called the ultimate router base:

Shaper Origin


----------



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

You can bet Rockler will have a high price tag on that.


----------



## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

hawkeye10 said:


> You can bet Rockler will have a high price tag on that.


Just click pre-order to find out. Not for me, just something more fancy to go out of whack and cost a bunch to repair.

Computer fried a mother board awhile back. It would have cost me about 2 1/2 times what buying a replacement computer would cost. It was not repaired.


----------



## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

No patience, few routing skills? Perfect.


----------



## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

This isn't just about lacking skill. There are few, if any, on this site who could do what this thing can. Similarly, my carving machine, which relies on a pattern, does what would be humanly impossible [using a router].

It's another tool, that's all. If using it is so horrible, then, since this is a router forum, so is using a bandsaw or tablesaw and so on.

I will admit, using it to do entire projects most of us would use other equipment on is demanding an awful lot from a router and bit. I would see this as more of a minute detail machine. 




Quillman said:


> No patience, few routing skills? Perfect.


----------



## fire65 (Oct 29, 2008)

1500$ I think I will wait a while.


----------



## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

I haven't been all over the site. I looked at the price and, as expected, it's not free. Fifteen seems not unreasonable, though I can't afford to rush out and buy one.

My next wonder is, how much is the tape they use to give the machine the ability to track itself?


---------------went back and looked around and found it listed for about $15.00 for a 150' roll


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I'm sorry but I want one . Waiting for someone here to buy one first so we can find out how reliable this puppy is .
I think it's a genius design IMO , and not much worse price wise than a Festool.

But I have a feeling it's going to be about as popular as 3D glasses in a few years, but hopefully this takes off .


----------



## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Dejure said:


> It's another tool, that's all. If using it is so horrible, then, since this is a router forum, so is using a bandsaw or tablesaw and so on.


For me, it's a another very expensive tool, one that I would have no use for anyway.


----------



## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

Come on Joat, you've been around long enough to know its about buying cool toys, then justifying the need.




JOAT said:


> For me, it's a another very expensive tool, one that I would have no use for anyway.


----------



## furboo (Oct 12, 2015)

I wouldn't buy it, but it does look really interesting. After seeing the Rockler e-mail earlier today, I actually expected a lot more discussion about it on this forum.


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Dejure said:


> Come on Joat, you've been around long enough to know its about buying cool toys, then justifying the need.


Kelly I like the way you think , we could be related 

You make a good point IMO , don't we all at some point use templates? So this is basically doing the same thing in a high tech way . I sure hope it's here to stay


----------



## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Dejure said:


> Come on Joat, you've been around long enough to know its about buying cool toys, then justifying the need.


Got all the cool toys I need to do what I want, router, scroll saw, sabre saw, skill saw, drill press, hand drill, tape measure, ruler, pencil, hammer, nails, nail puller, sander, paint brush. They all work, so that's cool. 

For the cool toys I had to justify the need for, how about a brace and bit, eggbeater drill, hand crank grinding wheel, old Craftsman miter saw, couple of old planes; I don't 'need' any of them, but they all work and work well. 

Just now my idea of a cool toy is finding a suitable vehicle to convert to a self-contained camper. The cost of that fancy router would go a lonnng way toward doing a camper. Already justified too, traveling toilet. :lol:


----------



## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Will be an interesting tool to follow the reviews on but otherwise "I'm out".


----------



## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

Not only is it expensive and not yet available, to me it would take the fun out of doing things by hand. It might find a very useful place in high-throughput industrial settings.


----------



## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

New toys also help your public speaking ability. For example, a few years ago, I had to talk really fast [to the wife] to justify the 48" drum-disk sander, which is, now, an indispensable part of my collection of equipment.

Nearly a year ago, it was given opportunity to practice my BS capabilities, just before a new 8", long bed, spiral head jointer arrived.

Only a short time later, I came across a deal for a Radio Carver. Part of the justification, which was sincere, was, it can duplicate intricate details for projects like chests that would look good with appliques. 

Of course, and except for things like gun stocks or pistol grips, the carver is not used for the entire project. It merely adds to it. So it would be for this machine, if I could justify affording it, but which I, probably, wont. Instead, my next upgrade would be a laser carver.




JOAT said:


> Got all the cool toys I need to do what I want, router, scroll saw, sabre saw, skill saw, drill press, hand drill, tape measure, ruler, pencil, hammer, nails, nail puller, sander, paint brush. They all work, so that's cool.
> 
> For the cool toys I had to justify the need for, how about a brace and bit, eggbeater drill, hand crank grinding wheel, old Craftsman miter saw, couple of old planes; I don't 'need' any of them, but they all work and work well.
> 
> Just now my idea of a cool toy is finding a suitable vehicle to convert to a self-contained camper. The cost of that fancy router would go a lonnng way toward doing a camper. Already justified too, traveling toilet. :lol:


----------



## rrrun (Jun 17, 2014)

Just saw that shipments will begin in 13 months, according to the website: September 2017. That's a profound lead time for a marketing campaign when working units are already in some hands.

Assuming they are actually working.

Interesting tech, but my belief is it's overpriced. I would be a good candidate to buy, with my small shop cutting board business ... but I'll pass. Investing in a full-fledged CNC at $5-8k seems like a much better investment, and doesn't require a projected 13 month lead time. And, for the record, I'm not buying a CNC, either. My next treat will be all new cabinetry, I think.


----------



## richjh (Jan 14, 2013)

Seems like a good idea for the folks that have no room for a CNC, Like me. I never buy the latest greatest of these types of tools. Like many, I will wait and see how it performs and how reliable it is, and what the reviews say.


----------



## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Durn. Forgot to add my tools for detail carving, first my power planer for rounding, then chainsaw - they put the fun into carving. And for really fine detailing, big wood chisels and some carving mallets. I love precision woodworking. :lol:


----------



## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

The simple of it is, it's a like the carver sold by Craftsman, which has little use to any other than hobbyist who like toys, until it's proven.

At this point, it isn't proven, so, yes, put out four times as much (for starters) and get a real CNC, if you're talking about payback. 




rrrun said:


> Just saw that shipments will begin in 13 months, according to the website: September 2017. That's a profound lead time for a marketing campaign when working units are already in some hands.
> 
> Assuming they are actually working.
> 
> ...


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Kelly , I like the fact that it doesn't take up half of your garage . Could be a very handy tool if it works as advertised


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Found an interesting video about it 

Shaper Tools Will Blow Your Mind | Hackaday


----------



## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

Any clear explanation of how this thing tracks the tape?


----------



## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

As far back as my brain is able to go, all the power tools and most of the hand tools I own were bought to facilitate the completion of a current project, (customer related). And with the hope that they would be valuable assets down the road. 

It would be nice to see how intricate a design the tool is capable of producing, the vids offered in the link are limited to simple designs.


----------



## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

This is pretty intricate:

Shaper Tools Will Blow Your Mind | Hackaday

The site also tells a bit more about how it tracks. Per the video, merely seeing the tape, laid out above the cutting area, can get many jobs done.


----------



## Jack Wilson (Mar 14, 2010)

I watched the video, but it really doesn't show too much. Truth is I am interested and I do use tools to make a living. If this can do what it says then it should pay for itself very quickly if used as production equipment and not as a hobby tool.


----------



## Jack Wilson (Mar 14, 2010)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Found an interesting video about it
> 
> Shaper Tools Will Blow Your Mind | Hackaday


This video shows SO MUCH more than Shapers own video. This should be their sales video.


----------



## ysbalawi (Aug 28, 2016)

Hi


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## ysbalawi (Aug 28, 2016)

I need someone helm me how to access dlink router 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## The Hobbyist (Apr 25, 2015)

I can see a lot of good uses for such a tool.

Joe


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Interesting tool but using a low powered router is a shortcoming. But what would really stop me is the electronics will eventually need to be replaced, and the computer world stops making such parts within a few years, and then this becomes a $1500 paperweight. And, as with Micro$oft, you don't want to be an early adopter.


----------



## MichPRich (Oct 28, 2016)

How long before someone hacks this into a combination handheld-CNC-Atari-router? 

Imagine the fun to be had with just a sheet of plywood, a friend, and Pong on the Shaper..


----------



## Ray Newman (Mar 9, 2009)

Re: initial/preorder price. Just wait a few years after its release and there will be a "quality Asian" import for 'bout US$300.00....:grin:


----------

