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When I was shopping for my CNC I looked at a number of different machines with differing levels of DIY required. While questing for information I came across a forum that had sub forums for quite a number of DIY machines. Lots of discussion and comparisons.
Now I am considering building a small machine capable of handling aluminum and brass milling. That forum would be a great resource… If I could find it again…
Anyone have any thoughts on which forum that I may have been looking at?
I have an account on CNC Zone, but i’m not very active there. That’s more machine discussion rather than project oriented and many of the machines are of the industrial variety.
For the DIY type, the Gatton CNC machines are good performers.
Of course the usual hobby / pro-sumer CNC machines like the X-Carve, Shapeoko and NextWave machines are out there too.
The pendulum has reached its end and is swinging back. The race to the low cost CNC has happened and many people have bought small Sainsmart kits only to be disappointed with what they can produce. People are willing to pay a bit more for capability and ease of use.
I have looked around at CNCZone and found some info but not what I was after. I will keep looking
I have an X-Carve and it is a fine machine for what it is. I have the 750x750mm and plan on upgrading to the 1800mm Y axis rails and stiffiners to give me more workspace.
The new machine is going to be smaller and much stiffer with a VFD spindle. And… lets not forget… A bit more precise/accurate.
I was looking at some C-beam linear slides thinking of a pair of those in a steel base for my Y axis and another atop the cars on the Y slides for the X axis. Still contemplating Z…
I have looked around at CNCZone and found some info but not what I was after. I will keep looking
I have an X-Carve and it is a fine machine for what it is. I have the 750x750mm and plan on upgrading to the 1800mm Y axis rails and stiffiners to give me more workspace.
The new machine is going to be smaller and much stiffer with a VFD spindle. And… lets not forget… A bit more precise/accurate.
I was looking at some C-beam linear slides thinking of a pair of those in a steel base for my Y axis and another atop the cars on the Y slides for the X axis. Still contemplating Z…
I took a look at the Gatton and that is headed in the opposite direction. I am looking for something smaller, stiffer, more powerful and more precise/accurate than my X-Carve.
I need the ability to work with some aluminium and brass that is a bit beyond the X-Carve.
I run a stock Techno Isel Davinci III from the mid 1980’s. I know what I’m doing but I would not recommend following in my footsteps. That said, the Tehcno Isel easily cuts non ferrous metals and has very good precision. They frequently end up on Ebay and it is popular to pull the 1980s guts out and replace them with modern electronics.
I’m not sure what I would recommend from a DIY point of view. If you want more power and precision I would go with something with linear rails and ball screws like my Techno Isel. The CNC Sables sold by Luke Chan on Ebay always tempted me.
They are small and have a small working area, but they are quite precise. Unfortunately, he has been all but wiped out by the plethora of cheap Sainsmart type toy CNCs.
Of course you could go with something that is already built such as the Carbide 3D Nomad.
