I'm not going to write a comprehensive build log for this, since there are already plenty, but I will update this thread with some of the problems that I ran across and the solutions I used to mow them down. I'll also share some of the unique things that I plan to do with this unit. The first of those things is going to be a soundproof enclosure. I live in an apartment, so reducing the noise to acceptable levels is a requirement. I spent a lot of time designing an enclosure that should be both simple and effective (and I'm crossing my fingers on the "effective" part of that statement). I'm going to build the enclosure this weekend, so hopefully I'll have some pictures of it to share very soon.
Before I go too far, though, I still need to re-check all the mechanics (tighten bolts, adjust v-wheel contact, apply Loctite, etc.), I need to square the machine, and I need to run a couple of custom draw jobs with the highlighter pen to get the hang of g-code and see if I can actually figure out how to operate this machine without destroying it (which is always a good thing). I don't think I'll actually start cutting anything until well into next week, and that's largely going to depend upon how soundproof my soundproof enclosure turns out to be.
Here are some pictures of the machine just after finishing run #1. The diagonal line crossing out "Shapeoko 2" was drawn when I hit Return To Zero. I expected the z-axis to raise up and then return to zero, but what happened was that the z-axis when down a couple of mm. Clearly there's something that I need to learn about that function before I use it again. I expect a lot of people have made that mistake.


