Mounting Solution for Z Limit Switches

This mounting kit for the Z limit switches is coming soon to the store:

Z-limit-switch-mounting-2It consists of a bracket for the limit switches, with hardware to attach to the front X motor plate, and two tabs that push the limit switches, with screws and insertion nuts to attach to the Z rail.  The limit switches already include the screws and nuts to attach them to the bracket.  Here’s what they look like installed (note that the tabs are small enough to pass by the V-wheels unimpeded):

Z-limit-switch-mounting-1The kit is compatible with all eShapeoko versions.

(You can still reserve your eShapeoko kit here.)

Store Open Again

The store is open.

The MakerSlide arrived from the extruder plant to the factory that cuts it.  They say they will “try” to get it cut this week.  With some luck, it will be back in stock next week.

The eShapeoko kits will be back on sale a few days after MakerSlide.  It looks like the laser-cut parts will be delayed a little (very busy time, apparently), but, even so, they’ll probably arrive before the MakerSlide.  You can still reserve your eShapeoko kit here.

Parts for more GAUPS kits are on their way.  They’ll be back in stock in a day or two.

If anything else seems to be missing, please use the “Contact Us” form and ask!

MakerSlide and eShapeoko

I got good news from the factory: they are expecting the MakerSlide to arrive from the extrusion plant any day now.  It still needs to be cut, packaged and delivered to us, so it’s still going to be the middle of August before it’s available again.

Everyone who reserved an eShapeoko kit, thank you!  We’ll try to keep your wait as short as possible.

Store Temporarily Closed

We’re taking a short break from this.  There’s no MakerSlide in stock anymore, so the timing isn’t going to affect a lot of people.  The store will reopen in two weeks or so.  I expect MakerSlide and the eShapeoko back mid-August.

If you try to order, you’ll get an error saying that there’s no shipping method to your destination.  That’s not true: most likely, we can ship to your address — it’s just that we’re closed for now.  I’ll see if I can replace that with a more informative message.

If you’d like to reserve an eShapeoko kit, please do so here.

Reserving an eShapeoko Kit

Update (22 December 2015)

The eShapeoko kits are now available to buy directly. You do not need to make a reservation anymore. I have removed the form.


 

Original Post

Many people said they would like to reserve or pre-order an eShapeoko kit, to make sure they don’t miss out when it came back in stock.  I haven’t changed my decision on pre-orders (I will not accept paid pre-orders), but I don’t see why I could not reserve future stock.  I will keep a list of people who’d like to order a kit, and put aside those kits until they get around to ordering them.

If you’d like to reserve an eShapeoko kit, please use the contact form below (preferred), email me, or use the contact form in the store.

Please use the following code when describing the kit:

  • X rail type:
    • DX dual X rail
    • SX single X rail
  • X carriage spacers:
    • -N nylon spacers*
    • -A aluminium spacers (only available with dual X rail)
  • Frame type:
    • -s classic (closed) end plates (machine size limited to 375 × 500)
    • -OE open end plates (machine can be any size)*
    • -F deluxe frame (only available for 750 mm or longer Y axis)
  • Zaxisleadscrew type:
    • -M M8 threaded rod*
    • -Z Tr 8 x 2 trapezoidal screw
  • Motor mounting hardware:
    • -R NEMA17 on all axes*
    • -S NEMA23 on X axis, NEMA17 on Y and Z
    • -T NEMA23 on X and Y axes, NEMA17 on Z
    • -U NEMA23 on all axes
  • X rail length in mm (375, 500, 750, or 1000);
  • Y rail length in mm (375, 500, 750, 1000, or 1500).

Options with an asterisk are the defaults and can be omitted.

For example, DX-A-OE-Z-T 500×750 is a machine with dual X rail, aluminium spacers, open ends, trapezoidal leadscrew, NEMA23 motors on X and Y and NEMA17 on Z, X axis 500 mm long, Y axis 750 mm long.  DX-N-F-M-R 1000×750, or DX-F 1000×750 in short, is a machine with dual X rail, nylon spacers, the deluxe frame, standard M8 threaded rod leadscrew, NEMA17 motors on all axes, X axis 1 m long, Y axis 750 mm long.

I estimate the kits will be back in stock in the first half of August.  Reserving a kit is free and comes with no obligation, but I would appreciate it if you used this form only if you genuinely intended to buy.  Once a week or so, I will collate the requests and allocate them serial numbers (you’ll get an email).  This will help me plan ahead and make the delivery quicker.

Update: shipping cost

The store calculates the shipping automatically, based on the size and weight of the items in the basket, and on your address.  Because the kits are out of stock, you can’t put them in the basket, so that doesn’t work.  To give you an idea of what the shipping cost would be, for a typical large kit (1000×1500, weighing about 15 kg):

  • Domestic (UK): about £12 (about £24 to Northern Ireland, but small kits are much cheaper);
  • Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland: about £25;
  • Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden: about £28;
  • Czech Republic, Hungary, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland: between £30 and £35;
  • Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania: between £49 and £56;
  • Cyprus, Malta: £65;
  • Croatia: £92.

For the really ridiculous rates (last three lines), the size of the kit matters a lot — smaller kits will be much less expensive to ship.  For the rates under £35, the size does not make such a difference (expect to pay about £5 less for the smallest kit).

Update: Confirmation Email

I collate the requests and send confirmations once a week.  Please do not ask for a confirmation in the comments, or by email, unless more than a week has passed and you did not get a confirmation email.  Thank you.

Update: Form Removed

Please order your eShapeoko in the store. It is no longer necessary to make a reservation.

Where’s the MakerSlide?

Two companies are involved in making the MakerSlide: an extruder (who extrude and anodize it) and a fabricator (who cut it and ship it to us). The fabricator say that the extruder are way behind with all their orders — some are delayed as much as eight weeks. They are catching up, but our MakerSlide order is still about four weeks in the future — and that’s just the extrusion, not the cutting.

The eShapeoko kits need MakerSlide too…

eShapeoko Kits Update

Finally, all the eShapeoko kits are done!

They are all packed and have the shipping labels on.  They are sitting patiently all over my living room, waiting for UPS and ParcelForce to collect them.  ParcelForce will collect UK orders tomorrow and delivered them on Friday before noon.  UPS is scheduled to collect all international orders today.  I think all of them should arrive next week (although a few may arrive on Friday — UPS is particularly fast to Netherlands, Belgium and France).  I have already emailed everyone their UPS tracking numbers; ParcelForce do not give me tracking numbers until they actually collect the packages, but I’ve emailed a link that can be used for tracking.

Update: UPS collected their packages not long ago.

Update: ParcelForce collected their packages today (Thursday), and UPS collected the one remaining parcel too.

eShapeoko Kits Update

One-third of the kits were shipped last week.

The other two-thirds are nearly done: the rail is checked and packed, the leadscrews are assembled, and all other parts are picked and in their boxes (including everything ordered besides the kit itself*). They still need some protective packaging around the more delicate items, the boxes need to be taped shut and strapped to the packs of MakerSlide, and I need generate shipping labels.  I want all of them to leave by Wednesday.

I did not have a chance to read email (let alone respond) over the weekend; I’ll catch up Monday night.

* Except the Arduino Uno boards — those aren’t in the boxes yet.