584,817 active members*
4,742 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
IndustryArena Forum > WoodWorking Machines > Commercial CNC Wood Routers > Chinese Machines > What is the best chinese machine for the money??
Page 1 of 2 12
Results 1 to 20 of 27
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    78

    Question What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    I am looking to get a 3040 or a little bigger for my shop and was curious what the best of the cheap machines where?

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2134

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    I think in that sort of class the 6040's by far offer the best value for money, not withstanding the fact the controller they come with will need to be replaced by a G540 as the blue box controllers are just plain garbage. The machines themselves though are just great.

    I'd go for one with ballscrews instead of ACME threaded screws, and a VFD/spindle instead of the crappy DC brushed spindle some come with. The VFD/spindles tend to be around 800w, for most smaller type machining jobs this is more than adequate, and probably about the heaviest amount that's practical for the Z axis.

    Ebay is your friend, I use Amonstar a lot, but just go for the cheapest you can find that has good feedback, despite their being hundreds of sellers with these, most of these sellers are all part of a small number of umbrella companies, so there's not really that much seller diversity.

    If you want a turnkey solution, then look at Carving CNC's stuff's, their machines work out of the box, and generally have very favourable reviews.

    cheers, Ian
    It's rumoured that everytime someone buys a TB6560 based board, an engineer cries!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    1422

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Carving CNC now call themselves OmioCNC. There's a review thread kicking around which has captured quite a lot of info from a fair few purchasers of these things.

    As with any Chinese supplier they have their off days, so it's a bit of a dice roll as to whether your machine will be fantastic or a dud. But it seems that the majority of people on here getting them are pretty happy with what turns up in the box. Their 2200 unit has hywin linear rails, ballscrews, a 2.2kw motor and the electronics, whilst they're not the best in the universe, actually seem to behave themselves pretty well after a few mods.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2134

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Everything I've seen and read indicates their gear is quite a notch above the standard offerings in not only mechanics, but also the important fact that their controllers, which they claim use genuine YOOCNC drivers, actually work, and work well.

    Unlike pretty much all the garbage blue box controllers offered with the machines on ebay. As a comparison, I'm yet to see a single case of a 6040 or variant sold via ebay that came with a controller that worked properly, let alone the ones that come with ACME and/or trapezoidal screws, and rubbish DC spindles.

    cheers, Ian
    It's rumoured that everytime someone buys a TB6560 based board, an engineer cries!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    1422

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    YOOCNC is certainly what's printed on the PCBs. Whether that means they're genuine or not is anybody's guess but they do seem to work ok.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2134

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Quote Originally Posted by dharmic View Post
    YOOCNC is certainly what's printed on the PCBs. Whether that means they're genuine or not is anybody's guess but they do seem to work ok.
    I think the fact that for all practical purposes you have pretty much only two camps regarding YOOCNC drivers, one camp with Omio/Carving in with YOOCNC's that not only work, but by all reports seem to work very well, and in the other camp you have all the machines from ebay, that don't work, or have serious issues at the very least, kinda gives some assurance.

    cheers, Ian
    It's rumoured that everytime someone buys a TB6560 based board, an engineer cries!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    78

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    So it looks like the X6-2200L is the one to get? I really like the guides. Is there anybody that sales them in the US? Shipping was like almost $500. Is there any other comparable machines even smaller?

    Thanks

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1795

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    you need to choose one, as others described..

    with good rails, ballscrews and spindle..

    the problem is, when you choose these, with a good control, then regardless size it will start over 1000..

    unfortunately the only way to getting for lower price, considering cheaper spindle or controller..

    you also can try to buy a barebone machine with motors, and add yourself the spindle and control..

    something like this
    US Free SHIP Promotion 3Axis Nema23 270oz 3A 6LEAD Driver DQ542MA CNC Engrave | eBay

    but again, it will be well over 1000 if you don't compromising with brushed spindle or cheap tb board..

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    78

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    I have not found many machines with true linear guides like I want. Doe anyone have a list of other reasonable machines with a supported linear guides?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2134

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Quote Originally Posted by mt92 View Post
    I have not found many machines with true linear guides like I want. Doe anyone have a list of other reasonable machines with a supported linear guides?
    Very few of these machines come with Hiwin style linear rails, but for these machines so long as you get the round supported rails, and not the unsupported round rails like some of the 6040's and most of the 30xx's have, that will do you fine. Round unsupported rails are just crap and will allow flex.

    I would see no point in worrying about or retrofitting linear rails on these machines unless you got them very, very cheap.

    cheers, Ian
    It's rumoured that everytime someone buys a TB6560 based board, an engineer cries!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    78

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    I agree that I need supported rails, I just have not found hardly any machines that have them. It looks like shipping will be 1/4 of the cost of the machine. Is there a better option?

    Thanks

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    1422

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Considering that buying a machine from the US with equivalent specs (if you can find one) will cost nearer $10k, to cover the importer's costs and risks and put something on their dinner table, the $500 shipping might be just a reasonable part of the overall cost of the thing. That was the way I looked at it when I finally decided to buy the machine.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    1899

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Quote Originally Posted by mt92 View Post
    I agree that I need supported rails, I just have not found hardly any machines that have them. It looks like shipping will be 1/4 of the cost of the machine. Is there a better option?

    Thanks
    X4-800L (3-axis) Metalworking CNC Router --OMIOCNC(Carving-CNC) -omiocnc.com

    Less than 2k. This is what I would buy if I wanted to buy one which looks good and seems to have good quality.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    1422

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Still curtain rods, even if they do have a few posts. With one of those you're kinda in the ball park of the X6-2200 money wise, I had the same decision to make and don't regret the few hundred bucks extra for the hywin rails one little bit.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    1899

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Quote Originally Posted by dharmic View Post
    Still curtain rods, even if they do have a few posts. With one of those you're kinda in the ball park of the X6-2200 money wise, I had the same decision to make and don't regret the few hundred bucks extra for the hywin rails one little bit.
    The X4-800L-USB does NOT use curtain rods. Read the specifications and have a look at the pictures. It is pretty clear. The X6-2200 is 30% more expensive, so that is VERY far from the ball park of the X4-800L, apart from the fact that you have less spindel options and the X6 is also considerably larger.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    1422

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Well grab a brush and a tin of "dickhead" coloured paint (or two, I'm not small).

    I should have read the link a bit more before I mouthed off

    I'd dismissed the 800L for size, not the hardware. For someone who didn't need the torque or size, might be a perfect solution!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    78

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Any opinions on the machine in the link below, they are within driving distance for me??

    http://www.automationtechnologiesinc...top-cnc-router

    Thanks

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1795

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    he has with 4th axis as well..
    you don't get wrong with this machine..

    I think all of them has ballscrew and linear rails

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2134

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    Quote Originally Posted by mt92 View Post
    Any opinions on the machine in the link below, they are within driving distance for me??

    http://www.automationtechnologiesinc...top-cnc-router

    Thanks
    I've seen several of these light weight 6090's on the market and although they're far better than the usual fare, I actually think they're very over priced for the construction and materials. Allowing for the dollar changes and inflation, I bought one of these solid frame 6090's for considerably less than the light weight version:

    China Metal Engraving Machine (JCUT-6090) - China Cnc Router, Cnc Engraver

    I'd think if your prepared to pay that much, a beefier machine may be better long term value possibly?

    It's horses for courses anyway, only you can decide what your prepared to pay for the specs you want.

    cheers, Ian
    It's rumoured that everytime someone buys a TB6560 based board, an engineer cries!

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    78

    Re: What is the best chinese machine for the money??

    If I am going to be in the 3k range I would rather have a machine like the Jcut 6090 in your link. I could not find a price for that machine. Does it have true linear guides like the X6-2200? I also found this machine that appeares to have good linear guides. Thanks for the input!! Does your 6090 outperform the X6-2200?

    Thanks

    KL 6090 Desktop CNC Router Desktop 24 x 36 x 6 inch Mach3 USB Connection | eBay

Page 1 of 2 12

Similar Threads

  1. Good machine for the money? help
    By Haeusser in forum Uncategorised MetalWorking Machines
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 07-18-2023, 07:40 AM
  2. What is the best machine of the money
    By jparks in forum DIY CNC Router Table Machines
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 08-05-2014, 07:56 AM
  3. Best machine for the money?
    By Swhite9478 in forum Benchtop Machines
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 01-06-2009, 08:50 PM
  4. Put money in or buy new machine?
    By PinnacleMachine in forum Uncategorised MetalWorking Machines
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 07-10-2008, 07:40 PM
  5. is this machine worth the money??
    By hillco148 in forum Uncategorised MetalWorking Machines
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 05-02-2008, 10:56 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •