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Anyone have a home cnc router?

dntsdad

dntsdad

Central California
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
47
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1,268
Loc
Central California
Longshot I know in this group. Just curious.

Looking at a couple different ones that will do wood mostly but some aluminum (AR lower engraving)

Actually looking at the one Project Twin bought.

Just curious if anyone has one for feedback. About 2k range
 
How big of a work area are you looking for?

I picked up a ~3'x5' one for a steal on FB earlier this year. This was a DIY kit from a set of plans you can buy online. Almost everything is made from extrusion and the designer sells most of the specialty parts. From what I understand this one would have run about $3,500 to build several years ago.

Depending on how big of a table you're doing, there are some things to look out for in the rails and drive mechanism. Mine uses gear racks and the pinion is driven off notched belts from the steppers. Uses a a regular bosche trim router modified with a tach to feedback to the speed controller.


20200411_130423.jpg
 
A friend of mine had an axiom (sp?) nice machine and useful but limited on size. I bought him a shop bot last year that can cut full size sheets of plywood. Its one of those machines that is very useful once you learn to use it. He now makes all kinds of things with it. Large downside is it consumes considerable real estate in the shop.
 
Check out the offerings from Openbuilds dot com. I built one based off of the Workbee kit and improved on it. If you're wanting to do smaller stuff like lowers then one of their Minimill kits would probably work great.
 
I looked extensively at everything you guys mentioned above.

I ended up ordering the Shapeoko XXL this morning. Lots of support in forums and such, and their software is free and NOT cloud only like the Carve-X. Fuck that in that I don't own any of my designs and if they go tits up, goodbye to it all.

Gives me a 32x32 work area which should be plenty most of the time. I will have to learn to tile together when not.

Never used a CNC ever. Not even sure I have seen one other than my buddys plasma table.

Looking forward to playing with it and hopefully making a few bucks here and there. My sister is deep in the hobby bullshit world and its insane what they sell little signs with cliche sayings for. Urns, etc.

I have a few ideas for some things that are actually unique but never going to be my day job for sure.


When I mentioned ARs above, I didn't mean milling the 20% on lowers. I was talking on the side design/pew- no pew type of thing. Fuck no on the legality of doing millings. I follow all laws!! :grinpimp:
 
Last edited:
Jes said:
Remember to factor in the cost of software to run it, bits, end mills, fixtures, etc.

I use a similar machine to this one at work...
https://www.rockler.com/axiom-ar8-pro-v5-cnc-router-with-stand-and-toolbox
...took me a while to figure out how to use it.
Click to expand...

you aint kiddin!!

Damn things are pricey.

Going to start with some cheapies from amazon for now to learn and probably break from wrong speed and feed settings till I learn some mistakes and then invest in some better Amana or Whiteside stuff. I have been using a router for a long time so I am familiar with good brands and shit ones as well.

Need to find some businesses around that are logical sources for materials that they would consider scrap and trash that would be a score for me.
 
We have one at our Makerspace. It mounts a Dewalt router and works quite well. I’ll get the brand of the rest of it when I am in there today.
 
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