[joeavaerage]

Hi,

The Shapeoko HDM is a router style CNC machine and it will cut aluminum but it will do so vey slowly or it will start to flex and deflect. Its not really rigid enough for
what you want. Additionally I'd recommend flood cooling, and that machine is not well suited to enclosing it in a manner that makes flood cooling convenient.
Lots of others recommend air blast and minimal lubrication, I did not have much success with air blast, but flood cooling I did. Take from that what you may.

Craig

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
I would recommend that you look at some of the many drill-mills out there. This is an example:

https://rongfu.com/mill-drill-machin...-machine-rf45/

Machines such as this are rigid enough to do aluminum well and with care can do steel. It is not CNC, but many such machines have been converted to CNC and have resulted in useful machines.

Craig

[Zoomy_Unknown]

Hi,

The Shapeoko HDM is a router style CNC machine and it will cut aluminum but it will do so vey slowly or it will start to flex and deflect. Its not really rigid enough for
what you want. Additionally I'd recommend flood cooling, and that machine is not well suited to enclosing it in a manner that makes flood cooling convenient.
Lots of others recommend air blast and minimal lubrication, I did not have much success with air blast, but flood cooling I did. Take from that what you may.

Craig

Thank you for the advice. It's odd, though , as I've seen so much praise for the HDM's aluminum-cutting capabilities.

Anyway, what would you recommend I go with instead? As an absolute beginner, I'd like to go with something reliable and somewhat beginner-friendly (this is one of things that interested me in Shapeoko).