Recommended desktop CNC Router Engraver

[Colin LLoydParticipant @colinlloyd53450]

I'm looking for a desktop CNC Router/engraving machine for use on aluminium, plastics and solid wood. As an amateur guitar maker, I might need to be able to accommodate wood pieces 350mm x 450mm, but as many carved guitar tops are in 2 halves and I'm guessing that a wood piece can extend longitudinally outside of the table dimensions (even if you have to reposition the wood within the router range and reset the CNC accordingly), 200mm x 300mm would be OK. I don't intend to route/engrave large aluminium pieces. As this is for occasional use, production quality of the machine is not a major factor and production time is also not a major factor. But precision of both the machine position and the CNC software are more important.- although no doubt machine quality and precision go hand in hand.

Any recommendations? There are many on ebay – are these any good? I realise you get what you pay for – but it would be nice to have a range of machine price points so that I could judge what I need against what I can afford.

[Colin LLoydParticipant @colinlloyd53450]

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

There were instructions for a router in mew a few years back. It was well designed and fairly easy to make. You can access the issues through subscribing to the archive. The size could be made to suit you.

[Colin LLoydParticipant @colinlloyd53450]

Well – 2 things – well 3 actually.

1. Thanks for the reply David

2. How do I subscribe to the archives – couldn't find any link in the MEW menu list?

3. I didn't really want to go down the DIY route – as I'm already spending more time making accessories for my mini lathe/milling machine than I am actually making things with it. And whereas I can adjust my machining approach to take account of backlash, material foilbles, my own amateur failings, etc., CNC appears to need a better approach to precision than I, at present, am capable of.

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

G&M tools have a Bofxord router at £850 + vat. This would have the mechanical work done for you ( and to a better standard than an import ). You would of course need to update the electronics but there is plenty of help available for that and you could be up and running fairly quickly.

In your shoes I would be looking for something by Boxford or Denford.

Good look.

David.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Hi Colin,

Archive access requires an upgrade to a digital subscription: **LINK**

Neil

[wheeltapperParticipant @wheeltapper]

Hi

These look interesting.

**LINK**

Roy.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by David Clark 1 on 07/09/2015 13:13:20:

There were instructions for a router in mew a few years back. It was well designed and fairly easy to make. You can access the issues through subscribing to the archive. The size could be made to suit you.

I think it was by Richard Gordon.

Neil

[Colin LLoydParticipant @colinlloyd53450]

Thanks Roy – I noticed the Inventables site as well – the machines look capable, but at this point in time (not knowing exactly what they (or I) am capable of doing) a little expensive especially in having to add shipping and import costs from the USA. ASIL in the UK do eShapeoko kits but there is a long order queue.

I like the Inventables site being open-source as I am an open-source advocate.

I note there is an open-source CNC program (LinixCNC) that I could use – anyone have any comments or experience with this program and how it compares to Mach3.

A lot of the desktop CNC routers/engravers I've seen on the Ebay site still use parallel port communication to the controlling program despite the machine itself appearing to be modern. Parallel port communication went out years ago when USB serial comms arrived. You can get Parallel Port to USB conversion cables of various qualities but has anyone managed to get these to work between CNC machines and modern USB equippped PCs or laptops. I do have an old desktop with a parallel port input which will probably run Windows XP without too much trouble – but it would be nice to run the machine from a dedicated laptop.

[Colin LLoydParticipant @colinlloyd53450]

Neil, as far as digital subscriptions go – what platforms do the digital editions work on -its not mentioned or clear from the MEW subscription site. Are they Android, Apple? or can they be downloaded into general browsers like Firefox, Chromium etc. As I regard Apple Inc and Microsoft as "Devils Incarnate", I avoid their products whenever possible.

[paul asselin 1Participant @paulasselin1]

as an experienced swiss carpenter i recommend you badog x2 ,capable of milling wood,plastic even metal plates, x2 table size 620mmx350mm and 100mm height price 3900, robust, swiss made,will suit your uses well.

[ZebethyalParticipant @zebethyal]

LinuxCNC vs Mach3 – this topic alone can start a passionate debate, both are capable of controlling 4 or more axes on whatever you choose to attach them to, both have a huge following and support forums. LinuxCNC uses a custom 'real time' kernel to ensure correct synchronisation of all signals on the parallel port, Mach3 uses lots of clever internal software to make the Parallel port behave in a similar manner whilst running under MS Windows, ultimately your choice boils down to how comfortable you are with Linux or MS Windows.

USB vs Parallel port – yes USB is newer, but it doesn't maintain the required timing for multiple step/direction signals at near real time which is required for a CNC machine, various 'off board' processors like Smooth Stepper can be used with Mach3 via a USB port (extra cost), the off board processor handles all of the timing signals. You can't simply use a USB to parallel converter, and many laptops don't have a fully connected parallel port.

Many of the CNC router/engravers available on 'the bay' at around £300.00 – £900.00 could well fit the bill, they claim sizes of 300x400mm up to around 750x450mm.

Prices only really go up from there, depending on how rigid and well specified a router you are willing to pay for, the other option of course is DIY – there are hundreds of different approaches to building a CNC router, many of which have open source or free plans.

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Colin, IMO it is best to go for a machine capable of movement to your greatest dimension of 450mm, re-setting is floored with problems, especially with material that is prone to distortion. Don't get confused with table size and amount of travel on each axis, movement does not always match the table size dimesion. You need a table large enough to allow clamping the part on the outside edges.

Like Timothy says the old desktop with parallel port and XP is sufficient for Linux and Mach, laptops are not normally suited to this application.

Emgee

[Colin LLoydParticipant @colinlloyd53450]

Bringing this thread up-to-date: I did buy an Ebay Chinese 3020 CNC router/engraver. Can't fault the CNC machine so far and LinuxCNC does everything that I want it to do. I've also found that the gcodetools extension within the Inkscape graphical package provides an easy route from graphic design to machine gcode – although I still have not found an easy solution in this process for routing out solid areas. It works fine for outline engraving. I'm also in the process of adding a 2W 445nm laser for thin cutting and photographic burnt wood imagery. This unit is attached to the front of the spindle moter. I've attached limit switches to the CNC machine. But my main problem is entirely mine – in trying to get a good relationship between type of material/ type of tool/ spindle speed / feedrate/ and plungespeed – just need more experience and practice.

I've always been an open-source guy ever since I found out about Richard Stallman and the whole open-source philosophy back in the early 1990's. So Linux has been my OS ever since except where employed work was concerned and corporate mindset forced Windows on me. Even then I preferred to use IBM OS/2 or Sun Microsystems Solaris operating systems – they were so much more sophisticated and secure than Windows. And although Linux now powers the Web and the most powerful computers in the world and most of the mobile phone market through Android, it's takeup on personal PCs and laptops is still small – partly because Microsoft still has hardware makers in thrall. But the good side is that even though Linux is highly impervious to malware, the market share means that it is not a profitable target anyway. Microsoft and closed-source software, IMHO, will eventually die out. The increasing Linux adoption by countries and organisations has shown that, despite an apparently stupid commercial roadmap – giving away intellectual property, it works and firms such as Redhat and Ubuntu can make a profit through servicing agreements. The current debacle over Windows 10 and Microsoft's inbuilt security blindness and eternal attempts to control users is just the latest in the death throes of this ugly organisation. PS – I don't like Apple either for nearly the same reasons.

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

Me too Colin. I switched some time agp. While walking round PC World I saw a Suse Linux box with a mass of cd's in it, full documentation and even 12 months support. The books in it were very complete. The support not so good when I told them what was in my machine at the time but the man on the phone disregarded their rules and helped with several installation tips – the main one being to not let it power down my disks if I didn't touch anything for 5 min. Not sure how long ago this was but it had KDE 2.? in it.

I've been wondering if it's possible to fit a 3D printer extruder to one of these routers.

Maybe FreeCad for your problem. It might tie in with inkscape. Just a guess.

John

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[MWParticipant @mw27036]

Sherline CNC mill? They're expensive but i've got a used (like new) one i took from my old co' that i've not used much if you're still interested.

Michael W

[Colin LLoydParticipant @colinlloyd53450]

John – I do have FreeCad but I'm also doing the steep learning curve with Blender as I want to do 3D (well 2.5D) wood routing with the CNC Machine. I think Blender has the greater attributes and facilities for complex imagery. As an amateur electric guitar maker – I want to "sculpt" the top body surface with various designs.

Michael – I now have a basic CNC machine and until I find its limitations for what I want to do – I'm not in the market to upgrade yet. But thanks anyway.

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