[WillAdams]

I've been working on the directions for assembling the new ShapeOko 2 (a hobby-level, open source CNC machine which can be used as a mill/router or 3D printer or be fitted out w/ a drag knife, &c.) for a while now, and have recently begun up-dating the diagrams so as to make them interactive, and to make them function better on tablets w/ high resolution displays and which have browsers which support zooming in / magnification.

The files are on docs.shapeoko.com --- thus far I've finished the diagrams for Wheels & Idlers and Carriages, and have begun on the Z-axis.

Unfortunately, the file sizes have been increasing quite a bit (I'm using Inkscape and publishing the files as SVGs) and this should be dealt w/ by putting them on a server we have more control over and using SVGZ compressed files, but I was curious as to what people thought of the idea of making the diagrams interactive.

Here are links to the ones which are done thus far:

The first two are pretty simple:
http://docs.shapeoko.com/content/tPi...203-02-100.svg
http://docs.shapeoko.com/content/tPi...197-02-100.svg

The next two are variations on a theme:
http://docs.shapeoko.com/content/tPi...S20021-100.svg (arguably this one should come first, since the second adds parts)
http://docs.shapeoko.com/content/tPi...S20022-100.svg

And it's in the Z-axis that the file sizes really ratchet up:
http://docs.shapeoko.com/content/tPi...S20029-100.svg (warning ~15MB)
http://docs.shapeoko.com/content/tPi...S20028-100.svg

The diagrams became an issue 'cause some of the new purchasers haven't been as mechanically inclined in the past, so weren't able to visualize ``missing'' hex nuts, washers and other hardware.

You can see a full page on the ShapeOko 2 in the April _Popular Mechanics_ if you're not inclined to click on the links.

Anyway, I was curious as to what other CNC machines do for assembly instructions and whether or no people think this sort of thing helps or not, or if anyone has any suggestions as to how they might be further improved upon.

[doorknob]

My apologies for the OT post, maybe I should look for the answer on the shapeoko forum, but would you happen to know if the shapeoko 2 Z axis is compatible with the original shapeoko? I never finished building my shapeoko because I was unsatisfied with the design of the z axis, which seemed flimsy and hard to adjust. I'm wondering whether getting the parts for the shapeoko 2 z axis would cure that.

[WillAdams]

Yes, one could turn the Z-axis around and upgrade a ShapeOko v1 to the new SO2 design --- just takes a few parts, see the Z-axis assembly step: Shapeoko2 - Z-Axis and compare w/ the B.O.M. BOM - ShapeOko and the detailed parts listing: Parts - ShapeOko

Inventables seems to carry most of the parts --- let me know if I missed any for the purchase links. You'll need to source some hardware they don't carry (though if you contact them they may be inclined to put together a Z-axis upgrade kit). If you're really concerned about the Z-axis you'll probably also want an Acme screw: shapeoko - Shapeoko 2 - Acme Upgrade

[doorknob]

Thanks - it looks like the acme screw kit is currently out of stock, but I'll keep this info until I can get all the parts.

[cpr]

> I was curious as to what other CNC machines do for assembly instructions

Funny you are posting that. I am just going through an assembly of a Shapeoko. I did not buy a kit but sourced parts everywhere.

There is something else but the diagrams with the docs-subdomain explanations:
- I find the typography terrible to read! *ventingoff*
- Nice that the reference numbers "#xyz" are bolded but this happens way too often in the bulletpoint list.
- the article numbering scheme confuseds the heck out of me: letters, numbers AND dash symbols "get in the way" when reading
- thumbnails of pictures that should never have a thumbnail: I should never look at those (1), (2), … indexed pictures in thumbnail format because these seconds of digesting information is lost and only confusing.
- even small details: In the menu "Welcome!" should be "Assembly Overview". Can you get tracking data how many people actually ever scrolled down?

The instructions should be downloadable, because I am _not_ going to take my laptop into the oily-greasy workshop. Printouts from the browser fail because… Sorry! Because of the svg files you just created!


The docs of Shapeoko are in the "web2.0" pitfall: Clean webpage, user-generated YouTube videos -- BUT YOU NEED A MANUAL!!1!
Design your instructions for print, not for the web.

f'up to ikea.com

[wizard]

Assembly drawings are always a good idea. Even if you took the machine apart the day before it is still good to have a reference. When working on machines without documentation (happens more than you might think) pictures are wonderful, the more the better. I'd be the first to admit though. That the ShapeOko isn't for me, at least not as a router, so take these comments realizing they come from a person to directly interested.

I haven't looked at all of your drawings as I'm on a slow connection at the moment, however the first one looks good. As for SVG it is better than nothing! If you have CAD software though, versions viewable in any of the free CAD viewers would be nice.

Nice work!

[WillAdams]

Thanks!

It's the machine's designer who sets the part #s and other nomenclature, and also dictated the ``Web 2.0'' aspects of the current presentation and workflow.

That's why (for instance) em-dashes are ---, uni-directional stick quotes, &c. are used and the spacing above heads is inconsistent (based on whether there's a preceding empty paragraph or no).

The reference #s are bolded mostly as an aid to myself to make certain that every part was called out at least once and to try to enforce consistency of part description in the text.

Interestingly, a fair number of people have done the assembly w/o printing the documentation, instead using an Android Tablet or iPad to view the instructions.

I've finished up the last three, save for some minor revisions, so they'll all get posted this evening and I'll re-word the text to reflect them --- then we'll have to see about re-drawing them so that they'll be ready for printing an actual manual / assembly instructions.