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How Does the Shaper Origin Stack Up Against a CNC Gantry Router?

After much hype and a swarm of pre-orders following CNC router Shaper Origin’s introduction to the market in 2016, Shaper’s sales team brought their shopping cart to a halt, giving time for them to fulfill pre-orders and produce more units. The Shaper Origin has recently been made available for pre-order again (and will apparently begin shipping January 2019), but we were able to get our hands on one of them prior to the re-launch so we could see for ourselves: how does a Shaper Origin compare to a large CNC gantry? 

Years ago, industrial designer and Core77 contributor Randall Tyner built himself a 4'x4’ CNC gantry machine—in a recent video for Core77, Tyner gives a balanced review of pros and cons regarding the Shaper Origin versus his heavy duty CNC. Who is the Shaper Origin best utilized by? What type of projects are best for Origin or best for a traditional CNC? 

Check out the video to weigh in on whether a Shaper is a fit in your shop—and if it’s calling your name, thankfully you no longer have to wait to pre-order.