[HN Gopher] Show HN: Compass CNC - Open-source handheld CNC router
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Show HN: Compass CNC - Open-source handheld CNC router
Hey HN, I am Cam, and for the past two years I have been working
on Compass, an open-source handheld CNC router that brings computer
precision to woodworking while keeping the user directly involved
in the process. The idea started as my senior design project at UC
Berkeley, with the goal of making a more approachable CNC machine--
standard CNC machines are expensive, bulky, and remove you from the
tactile "maker" experience. Compass solves that by combining a
handheld router with real-time robotic assistance. You move the
router roughly along a design path, and Compass uses four optical
flow sensors (like in computer mice) and a 3-axis motion system to
auto-correct for precision cuts. What is different about Compass:
- Open source: All plans, firmware, and CAD files are available on
GitHub. - Affordable: The DIY build costs ~$600 in parts, and I am
selling kits for <$800. - No external markers: The sensing
technology allows for positioning without external markers, so no
setup or consumables required. - Portable: Fits in a backpack and
is not limited by a fixed work envelope. We recently completed our
first beta program and have just launched V1 kits for pre-order.
You can find more info and the launch video at the listed URL.
GitHub: https://github.com/camchaney/handheld-cnc
Author : camchaney
Score : 96 points
Date : 2025-07-19 07:48 UTC (3 days ago)
(HTM) web link (www.compassrouter.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (www.compassrouter.com)
| hbarka wrote:
| CAD, meet Cam ;)
|
| I'm curious why Jupiter Notebook is involved.
| jrmann100 wrote:
| It was a pleasure trying your demo at Open Sauce 2025!
| recipe19 wrote:
| It's probably worth noting that a commercial version of this
| exists (Shaper Origin). It's a bit pricey but is remarkably nice
| for a variety of tasks that can't be handled by a stationary
| mill. And because it's hands-on, it's also easier to catch
| mistakes as you go.
|
| On the flip side, it's just much, much slower than a stationary
| setup. You can't really push it quickly while retaining enough
| control to stay in the narrow range it can compensate for.
| Further, because it's less rigid, high feed rates produce nasty
| finish.
| itsdesmond wrote:
| A big difference between this and that is that this appears to
| determine relative positioning through multiple mouse-style
| optical sensors, rather than visually checking relative to
| patterned tape.
| anxman wrote:
| Yeah IMO the Compass appears to be a more convenient design
| recipe19 wrote:
| The reason Origin uses tape is to maintain precise,
| absolute registration over large distances - so that you
| can for example machine a pattern the size of a kitchen
| table.
|
| I am very skeptical you can have that level of registration
| with mouse-style sensors that can only measure relative
| motion. I might be wrong, but it seems unlikely.
| x0x0 wrote:
| The shaper is super cool, but a little pricey understates it.
|
| You can get a very nice router for $300-ish; the Shaper Origin
| is 3k.
| NegativeLatency wrote:
| The tape is also like $20 a roll, I realize this pales in
| comparison to even medium tier wood, but was sorta
| immediately off putting for me since it reminded me of all
| the stuff with inkjet printers.
| recipe19 wrote:
| A CNC router with a work area suitable for typical
| woodworking projects is definitely not $300 - you're probably
| thinking about 3018 kits, but with 18 cm of travel, that's
| really not enough for the usual scale of woodworking
| projects. Not even enough for a typical cutting board.
|
| A ready-made unit in "woodworking" size will likely set you
| back $2-$4k.
| sgc wrote:
| Looks like a very interesting project.
|
| A little feedback: I found a video of this in action in the forum
| link, but it should be on the landing page. Also, photo examples
| of larger completed projects to judge accuracy are necessary. If
| none of your kits include the 3d parts (not the best choice
| IMHO), you should at least have a link to uploaded 3d files on a
| site where they can be ordered.
| CodeWriter23 wrote:
| > You can find more info and the launch video at the listed URL.
|
| Maybe I'm a complete dumbass but I could not find a video at any
| of the URLs on this post using Chrome under Sonoma.
| NoNotTheDuo wrote:
| https://youtu.be/t5xDmslfzvs
|
| It's on the compass home page. Admittedly the Play button does
| blend into the background image of the router a bit.
| Ductapemaster wrote:
| I've always wanted a Shaper Origin, but the cost and subscription
| fee required for accessing some features always turned me off. I
| don't need it for anything other than fun hobby projects and
| couldn't justify it. Now I get double the fun: building a tool,
| and getting to use it! Nice work.
| spiritplumber wrote:
| Is this anything like the Maslow?
| recipe19 wrote:
| Maslow is self-propelled using cables. It's the same goal -
| expand the work area by getting rid of a rigid frame of the
| mill - but a fundamentally different way of getting there.
| Here, you're the one moving the mill to follow your desired
| pattern, and the device simply corrects for your errors to stay
| on target.
| lindsayrgwatt wrote:
| Had a lot of fun building one of the demo units. Straightforward
| build and incredibly rewarding to build your own machine.
| itsdesmond wrote:
| Yoooooo. I am very seriously considering buying that kit. Do you
| intend to provide an upgrade path between revisions?
| fxtentacle wrote:
| It looks like you're selling your own control board PCB design as
| part of the kit. I'm guessing that it doesn't have Wifi by
| itself, so that would make it an unintentional radiator under FCC
| rules. How did you deal with EMI testing and certification? Can
| you recommend any services or labs? Would you be willing to share
| how much it cost? I'm asking because I am considering publicly
| selling prototypes of my 3D sound hardware, but the regulatory
| stuff has so far prevented me from doing it.
| blackguardx wrote:
| There are loopholes for kits if it acts like a subassembly:
| https://emcfastpass.com/fcc-rules-kits-subassemblies/
| robomartin wrote:
| Interesting project. I am sure it was a lot of work (and fun as
| well).
|
| I was introduced to the general concept when the Shaper Origin
| came out a while back. Here's my problem with the idea:
|
| What's the use case?
|
| Any xyz gantry router will run circles around this approach, by
| far. They will be much faster, more accurate and, more
| importantly, hands off. There's a lot to say for clamping the
| material and mashing the "go" button. The pattern shown in the
| video on the YT channel literally takes three seconds to cut on a
| gantry router. And you can swap material and push go again, very
| quickly (or cut as many as possible out of one piece of material.
|
| For around $1K you can have a much more capable machine. Unless
| the use case is cutting/engraving on items that cannot be cut on
| a traditional router, I am not sure what these would be used for.
| Then the question becomes: How many of those projects do DIY
| hobbyists have?
|
| The other question is one of accuracy and repeatability. Having
| done loads of CNC metal machining, CNC and manual wood routing, I
| can tell you that nothing beats a rigid xyz machine.
|
| So, if someone has just one or a few odd parts that cannot be cut
| on an xyz router, well, maybe that's a use case. Other than that,
| why would anyone guild one of these rather than a gantry?
| bluGill wrote:
| Size I assume - this should be able to handle massive projects
| at the same price, while a gantry router would be much more
| expensive. Or so I would assume, I didn't dig into this to see
| how large it can go.
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