Shapeoko, V-Carve or Onefinity? Here is what I decided...

So in deciding between a V-Carve, a Shopoko or the mostly vaporware Onefinity, which looked interesting but has delivery dates going into 2021. Anyway, I did an oh WTF and just ordered a 6060 Pro, which um, yea I figured the others were training wheels and I should just cut to the chase because I know me and that's where it'd end up. I got the 6060, with an extended gantry and a 12/8" Z axis, NEMA 34 steppers, plus the 5th axis circuitry, figuring these are all the things, well first 4 anyway, you can't really redo easily later. It's all standard Avid electronics, plug and play controller, their motors, their spindle, frankly, deviating from that would have just turned this into a long winded project about the build and I'd be back to 2021 which I really made this decision to avoid going down the modification rabbit hole from the get go, something that was looking more and more inevitable with any of the hobby machines.

So now my training wheels are not so much some throw away, hacked up machine to get me going but something I can add capacity and functionality to. Any of the bench top hobby machines would have been inadequate for what I wanted to do almost immediately, since non-ferrous metals are high on the list of desirables, as is being able to mill grey cast iron, but baby steps, though pretty confident it's doable. Anyway what I ordered seems to give me all kinds of future options, rotary, plasma, extending the bed to, I guess, some ridiculous length, I think they said 64 feet. So my first post and I'm sure there'll be many more, I'm an engineer by profession and have worked with CAD since before the machines to run it on were practical for mere mortals, so I'm not all that intimidated by this, but it will be new to me. Oh also ordered it with a "special feature" that I'm sure will be interesting.

One of these: https://www.cncrouterparts.com/pro48...kit-p-251.html ? Did Avid tell you that this machine would mill cast iron? What non-ferrous metals did they say it would work on? I'd be skeptical of its ability to mill aluminum well, let alone anything harder, especially with the extended Z axis. Did you buy this primarily for working with metals, or did you mostly plan on cutting wood or plastics?

OK couple things, the Z-axis is extended travel not extended height from the table, which they said should not effect the rigidity of the machine. I got the extended Z because it could prove useful should I add a rotary axis. The extended width gantry I purchased does not change the width of mounting points, it just adds over run room so you can have 2 side by side Z axis that can run the full width of the table. As far as doing non-ferrous metals, there is no shortage of people doing aluminum, and even brass on an Avid on Youtube, even Avid itself, and for that matter there is no shortage of people doing that on a Shapoko with a trim router to the level I'd find acceptable. Why are you suggesting the Avid is less capable than a Shopoko? I don't expect it to be a Haas. Did I ask them about grey cast iron? Well yes, though they didn't suggest I could, and I didn't think they would, it's a very specific material. However in some senses grey cast iron is easier to machine than aluminum it chips out like sawdust, it's almost impossible to get a curl out of it. If you're thinking it's like steel, it's not, not at all, and it's not like ductile cast iron either. Ask a machinist that has actually worked with it, it's like the MDF of the metal world. But as I said in my original post, baby steps, we'll see.

Well, hmm, not exactly the "congrats" and "welcome" response I was kinda hoping for. Just one "who told you that?" response and crickets, doesn't really overwhelm one with with the warm and fuzzies. OK, back to living vicariously through the accomplishments of Youtubers, I guess.

I find the avid Facebook group a lot more chatty and congratulatory, if that's what youre looking for [emoji4]
Should be a super fun machine! Just got my last of the benchtop pro parts a week ago after a ten week wait.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Thanks Rich, a glimmer of light. I'm still weeks, well months really, away from having it here, but if any of what I've experienced with them continues to hold true, they're a fantastic company to deal with. They've answered all my crazy questions, and given me lots of insight into the product. They seem truly invested in wanting to help you push the machine to do new things.

Avid makes a very capable machine. I primarily use it with wood, acrylics, corian, etc.
You should be quite pleased with its performance.
If you are good at assembly it will be very accurate.
I've had one for 5years and have never been disappointed. AND Yes they have very good customer service!

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Originally Posted by pete1961

Avid makes a very capable machine. I primarily use it with wood, acrylics, corian, etc.
You should be quite pleased with its performance.
If you are good at assembly it will be very accurate.
I've had one for 5years and have never been disappointed. AND Yes they have very good customer service!

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So that was another material I was really curious about: Corian, how does it do with that, or I guess more specifically knock off Corian?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by skorpioskorpio

So that was another material I was really curious about: Corian, how does it do with that, or I guess more specifically knock off Corian?

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CORIAN type materials cut very well on CNC Routers. Better than wood materials.

Corian cuts like butter with SHARP tools. Always use either new tools, or tools that have only cut Corian.

And be prepared for a colossal amount of flakes all over the target area-which cling to everything.