CNC Machine for the home - thoughts?

[dougdirt]

I've talked with someone about this on here before, but I'm not searching the archives for the thread - it was a side discussion in a different kind of topic, so I'm starting a new one and hoping someone can chime in.

One of my hobbies is woodworking/making things. I don't get to do it hardly at all during the baseball season because I don't have enough time in the day often enough (maybe I don't use my time efficiently, or maybe I just work too much to survive?). But, things are going a little better for me financially right now than they have been since I was a teenager and didn't have bills to pay. And I also started a second company that in no way at all is related to baseball stuff. It's more of a "side project" to the baseball stuff, something that I'm just looking at to supplement income for now that I can run out of my home.

But, with that, I've been looking back into a CNC machine for the garage. I would be looking at it for both personal and business use - I could use it to help make a few different products to go with the other stuff I'd be offering (entirely unrelated in category).

Right this second, I'm looking at the X-Carve. It's a tabletop router CNC. I'd be getting the 1000mmx1000mm version (roughly 39.5 inches by 39.5 inches). It's got it's limits that some other machines don't have. But it's got some benefits, too. The largest being, at least from what I've seen, is that I can afford it. I can get it for just under $1300. But, this is also where someone else could come in with other options. While I'd absolutely love to go all out and get a 4x8 machine, I just don't think I can swing that one these days because of the price. And at least from a business perspective, I don't think I'd utilize the size for stuff that large. I'm willing to listen and look at other options, though. So, if you're in this world, let's chat. Share your knowledge and tell me why I'm an idiot, or a genius (as it relates to this situation - otherwise you'd never stop typing).

[dougdirt]

Just bumping this up one time to see if anyone had any thoughts from the side of "I've got a CNC machine/I've used some" and have another option that falls in that $1500 or less range. After I pay my bills at the end of this week I'm going to be purchasing either the machine mentioned above, or another option if someone chimes in with something better suited for my needs.

[BernieCarbo]

I have worked on so many CNC machine that I can’t even remember them all. In fact, I am in China right now working on a CNC machine for the oil pipeline industry. And although the machines I work on cost upwards of $20 million, the concept remains the same.

I looked up that vendor that you posted, but I can’t see how you can get under $1500. Can you post the options that you chose?

[dougdirt]

I have worked on so many CNC machine that I can’t even remember them all. In fact, I am in China right now working on a CNC machine for the oil pipeline industry. And although the machines I work on cost upwards of $20 million, the concept remains the same.

I looked up that vendor that you posted, but I can’t see how you can get under $1500. Can you post the options that you chose?

Here's the link for anyone who didn't look it up with the different options: https://www.inventables.com/technologies/x-carve/customize#500mm

The base 1000mm set up is $1614. I added homing switches for $25, which puts it up to $1639. I added the collet kit so I can use 1/8" bits for $58, pushing it up to $1699. But I subtracted the toolkit, clamp set, and calipers, which was $79. So now we're back to $1618. Took off the Easel Pro software which was $156, and now we're at $1462. Took off the "starter material bundle" and it drops another $15 to $1447. Drop the wasteboard at $129 and we're sitting at $1318.

I'll have to get my own "wasteboard", but I'm not paying $129 for a piece of wood to mound this thing to when I'm going to have to build out a table for it anyways. Just because you screen printed your name on it and a grid doesn't make it worth that. I've got a t-square and a sharpie, guys.

The software is something that I'm just not paying for. There's a free version that will let me do what I want to initially. And if I want to get fancier than that, I'll get some real software from somewhere else that will output the g-code to this machine.

Where you save the money is that you've got to put the machine together yourself. They just send you all of the parts.

[BernieCarbo]

Ok, I guess that works. I’m not sure what you are doing, but if you are using 3-d, you may want to consider the surface detection probe if you are using uneven materials.

Real CNC software is very expensive, and I would agree on not getting the pro software listed there. Like anything, a little bit of G code will do a lot, but it takes a LOT of knowledge to get you past that last 10%. But you wouldn’t be doing projects like that with three axes anyway.

Let us know how it works.

[dougdirt]

Ok, I guess that works. I’m not sure what you are doing, but if you are using 3-d, you may want to consider the surface detection probe if you are using uneven materials.

Real CNC software is very expensive, and I would agree on not getting the pro software listed there. Like anything, a little bit of G code will do a lot, but it takes a LOT of knowledge to get you past that last 10%. But you wouldn’t be doing projects like that with three axes anyway.

Let us know how it works.

I'm not really planning on doing much of any "3d" stuff right now. But, if I do, I'll probably look at Fusion360 - seems to be what a lot of the people I know of who have non-commercial CNC machines are using. It's either $300 or $350 a year, which is nothing if I'm going to be using this to make things for resale. I have a friend that does this stuff for a living (he designs/models stuff, then runs the different milling paths - though he does it with metals and such), so if I ever get to the point where I need someone to help point me in the right direction with the right software, he's probably the guy I'd go to.

Might as well add the detection probe. For $29, why not? Good looking out.

[dougdirt]

Just ordered.

I've spent a whole bunch of money on this secondary business (it's probably peanuts for an actual business, but I've taken on no debt in doing so, and it's taken all of my savings). I should probably start trying to sell some things soon. Had plans to start phase one at the start of April, but a company completely screwed me over on an essential part of the product that I needed, and I'm still dealing with that mess. And still waiting on another company to provide some product that I need, though without both I can't do anything on either end. Hooray business!

Looking forward to getting things going soon though.

[BernieCarbo]

Just ordered.

I've spent a whole bunch of money on this secondary business (it's probably peanuts for an actual business, but I've taken on no debt in doing so, and it's taken all of my savings). I should probably start trying to sell some things soon. Had plans to start phase one at the start of April, but a company completely screwed me over on an essential part of the product that I needed, and I'm still dealing with that mess. And still waiting on another company to provide some product that I need, though without both I can't do anything on either end. Hooray business!

Looking forward to getting things going soon though.
What is the product you are making? Or can't you say?

[dougdirt]

What is the product you are making? Or can't you say?

There's not a single one. There's a lot of stuff I'm looking at doing. For now I'm just going to keep some of that to myself. Once I get things up and running I'll be sure to share.