Not sure what the hassle was, my thread forming screws performed perfectly. I did the first one by hand with my t-handle hex wrench and a drop of 3and1 oil and it was so simple that for the rest of them I just put a hex bit in my cordless DeWalt drill and set the torque down to 1 or 2. They all drilled right in with no hassle.
I should say I ordered mine in mid-September 2015 (they had just made the DWP611 the default spindle) so maybe what I received was a little bit different…
How is your build progressing? Pictures?
I used red heatshrink…I like the contrast…lol
Good luck!
@AngusMcleod I can appreciate life getting in the way of plans. It’s been nearly two weeks since I did anything to my X-Carve, my excuse is spring got in the way.
“seemed like several tons of useless junk that previously occupied the space. Now all I have to do is find somewhere to put the several tons of useful junk that remains.”
Who says X-Carve useless. Started to work in the box without even take it out. 
You’re funny and nice man. Made me laugh.
I have a few of the exact same tubs to keep my Lego bricks in. Love them.
Curtains in the CNC workshop? How flash.
At least you don’t have carpet on the floor 
Like the idea Nailing carpet to the door. Never think about that.
Just to have it clear. Would it be smart to buy some M5 screws to use instead of the self tapping screws, if tapping the holes with the 1-2-3 tapping set? Something was written about too loose/wide threads after tapping.
I will start building my XC-500 very soon now. The machine is at the moment at the customs here in Norway, but soon…
I went this route and picked up some M5 screws for the frame assembly, went quite well and is the way to go I think.
Just got my 1000mm unit assembled, hopefully will be cutting tomorrow!
I might have to consider carpet curtains myself! I just did a quick noise test by running the Makita router full bore with the door shut and I can still hear it. I can’t hear it from in the house (CNC is in a shed).
What type of M5 screw head did you use?
Cap, cylinder, six sided?
Torx, Allen, flat, star?
They have the correct ones at Inventables I think, but that is another shipment and waiting…
My tap set taps 16mm, so I don’t think 20mm screws will work for me. I think there is M5 16mm too
The Button head allen M5 screws are so hard to find in shops here in Oslo. I think I will start with socket heads and order som black button heads later on
Longer is better (that’s what she said!), but with a bit of loctite, you could probably count on a screw as short as 12mm to be stronger than a 20mm screw without loctite. And a little black paint (or even black nail polish) can glamorize your hex head screws without paying for shipping…
It’s always the little things that get in the way of progress.
For me it was being 4 screws short of being able to finish off the base for my x-carve stand. Nearest hardware store is 17kms away but at least they are open on a Sunday.
You should give him something. He showed you where to put the second section. 
Nothing like dog fur in fresh paint!
Dogs with chisels are dangerous!
Speaking of dogs and paint… I fell from a ladder some years ago and managed to place one foot on a bucket of paint I had standing on the lawn below me. The stuff flew everywhere. Much of it landed on me after I hit the ground. It was one of those slow motion moments watching the stuff come raining down on me - no joke.
My mother’s puppy saw me landing on the ground from just around the corner and decided this was the best moment to charge in and do some wrestling with me. The next 13 years of his life that dog fled the scene if you took out a bottle of White Spirit( the stuff we clean paint brushes with here in Norway).
Nope.