[rocket67]

G`day Jim, We have just endured 15 days of temperatures over 35 degrees. Today it will begin to get a bit cooler with only 29 degrees. We have all had a gutfull of hot weather! Need to go to Tassie to cool down.

Glad to see that you are really getting on top of your learning curve.

Our Excitech continues to perform flawlessly. Ramon is now routing all of our panels. We are extremely proud of him and the work that he is doing.
With some of our designs he is able to use the Whiteside bits and on those designs he only needs to change bits to cut the panel to size, but with the fancier designs he uses the replaceable insert bits and needs to change bits 3 times - he is getting used to it.

So now i have to admit that ger21 was absolutely correct - We should have bought the Auto Tool Changer machine to start with.
Now that we are routing all of our own panels the cost benefit is really starting to show up in our figures. The Excitech will pay for itself very quickly.
Another example of the benefit of having our own router - Last week we inadvertently sent out a routered door robe with the incorrect door thickness ( my fault ). As soon as we found out from the installer we had Ramon rout the correct panels for the job and they were painted the same day and taken out to the customer the next day! Previously it would have taken 2-3 weeks to go through the process.
Purchasing the Excitech has proven to be a fantastic business decision for us.

Rocket.

[lgr]

I just read some of the older posts and noticed Spencer (BC-CNC) said that CE was recognized in Canada. I brought in an Excitech 1325 router a year ago into Ontario, Canada for evaluation with the intention of importing more for resale. We brought in the ESA (electrical safety authority) to inspect the machine and were told CE is not recognized in Canada. Here is ESA's web page listing acceptable certifications.

http://www.esasafe.com/GeneralPublic/epa_002B.php?s=19

The rules maybe different in British Columbia. but I don't think so. If you plug in an unapproved machine in Ontario you can be subject to a $5000. a day fine (maximum $50,000) and a year in jail.

I found the rules for BC.

http://www.safetyauthority.ca/bcsa_p..._Elec_Prod.pdf

It's worth having a site inspection by BC hydro. You may have to change a few cables and add a fuse here or there but if you don't and your building burns down it's just one more reason for your insurance company not to pay. Hope this information helps.

[wulfheir]

lgr,
Thanks for the links, good stuff. We are going to have a CSA guy inspect and sticker it for us.
Blair

[priestwood]

this is my first time in the forum. i am based in nigeria and never had a cnc in our factory. i am making final arrangements to visit china to buy a vacuum/membrane press and an SHMS1224D from Jinan Singhui CNC Technology Co., Ltd. please can any one tell me how effective and reliable this machine is. every one on the forum seems to be interested in the lower capacity machines from this manufacturer or is it that this particular model is not reliable. we make cabinets and doors in our factory.

[rocket67]

G`day priestwood, Greetings from OZ and welcome.

Unfortunately no-one on this thread has any experience with this particular machine. But if it operates as good as it looks then i bet that it is a ball-tearer!
I have just had a look at the sh-cnc.com website and had a look at it and the specs. 8kw HSD spindle, ATC, and working speed of 25 metres/ minute. Sure appears to be a great worker.

Most of the contributors on this thread are new to the world of cnc routers and as such we have all bought the entry level machines and are most impressed with them. In our case we bought the SHM1530B machine without ATC which cost under $20,000 landed in our factory. We are learning all about cnc routers with our machine. We will upgrade to an ATC machine later this year. Our machine is already making us money and is easy to operate. When we upgrade we will get the similar machine to our current one as it is the perfect size for us as we router large panels for our wardrobe doors.

I believe that the SHMS1224D is much more expensive to buy but is almost certainly a heavy duty machine and would compare very favorably to European and USA made machines costing in excess of $100,000.
Of course this is supposition on my part but as you are going to China you can check this out.
So good luck with your intended purchase and please keep us informed of your progress with it.

Rocket.

[rocket67]

Hi jubee, You sure did put your thinking cap on!
Those modifications are superb. There was obviously a lot of cutting and welding involved.
The benefits of having the control box mounted underneath the machine make it well worth the effort.
The conversion to mach3 sounds interesting. Is it easier to operate the machine compared to the DSP controller? And do you now have control of the spindle speed?

Rockette.

[mhkwd]

I have been lurking for a couple of months and have learned much from all contributors. I am about ready to purchase the SHMS 1325C with tool changer and Syntec controller. I seems like most people use the DSP system. Has anyone bought a router with the syntec system? If so, is there any issues with using programs cabinetparts pro or Vcurve pro?

Thanks, Mitch