[jm82792]

I have a strange feeling that the deflection of these machines coupled with the unknown stepper motors drivers has made for some interesting results.
I think these things could work if you braced them with something or other, but I don't know.

[raintalk]

There's a new gantry rail upgrade to double the support
Gantry Rail Upgrade Kit 4ft « CNC Mogul

Anybody try it yet?

[berighteous]

I'm interested in the CNC mogul also. Can someone post some more info about the machine? Their website is frustratingly low on actual info, and their forums are down. I tried asking questions on their facebook page, but nada. I'd like to hear from people actually using the machine. I'm looking to cut 3/4" mdf parts and route signs and plaques etc. I build bartop arcade cabinets and I desperately need to automate the cutting to make everything consistent and square.

[jm82792]

I hate to be devil's advocate but if you want to make stuff with a CNC machine and don't wish to play games you will want to get something better. I'd check out other machines such as the Microcarve, romaxx, CNC router parts, and so forth before this.
Yes they are more money but if it's a business I'd spend more and cry less with issues that may/will arise.

[ctrhenry]

I got my 4x8 machine today. I am pretty happy with what i have seen so far. I did a trial assembly of rails and rollers in the living room and i like it.

[Built]

I got laid off my day job two months ago and really started using my machine. I've made a lot of money with it so far. I wish I would've started using it more when I purchased it almost a year ago.

[berighteous]

Awesome. I hope to get my mogul in a couple weeks. I'd love to see photos of finished projects cut with the mogul.

[raintalk]

I look forward to seeing some video's and projects from you owners

I ran across this site which doesn't look good
CNCmogul Sucks! | Review: $1,495 And It's Never Worked
I can only hope this person's experience is not typical and he will be fixed up by CNC Mogul soon.

[CNC_Mogul]

raintalk.. There will be some videos up on our YouTube page with-in a week. We have heard our customers speak and now we will be getting some more up. WE have finally gotten caught up on orders and now we can focus on some of the other important stuff. Sorry for the delay. As for the "CNC Mogul Sucks!" customer - Brian Graves; he has been causing a lot of waves in the water for us. CNC Mogul has tried to reach out to this customer but he has decided not to respond to our emails or phone calls. We are more than willing to help him with his machine problems but he has to help from his end. As for now, he will rant and rave to try and make a company look bad just like other disgruntled customers have done with other companies.

Best Regards,

Bryan
CNC Mogul - Multi-Media Manager

[jm82792]

For the price you can't expect something for $1400 performs like a $6000 machine.
With that in mind I think anybody who buys one would probably be satisfied.
When some videos are released of it cutting things with a good tolerance and reasonable rigidity I think more would go for it.

[FoxCNC1]

For the price you can't expect something for $1400 performs like a $6000 machine.
With that in mind I think anybody who buys one would probably be satisfied.
When some videos are released of it cutting things with a good tolerance and reasonable rigidity I think more would go for it.

I have been wanting to post since yesterday and same the same thing you are said.
I bought a mogul a while back (July 2013) as my first CNC machine. For the money, I have to say that it was a great investment and perfect to learn (crash) and experiment with how a machine works etc. I think that anyone with any experience would absolutely like this machine, and as I mentioned, its a great first time machine.

I have since sold mine since my needs require a machine of different design features and accuracy, but I have to say that the mogul will always have a special place.
Will people be satisfied with it? absolutely. It cut, carves etc quite well.

[berighteous]

This is a pretty good one someone I've been talking to put up a few days ago to show me how it cuts.

[mustbme]

resolved w/refund.

[FoxCNC1]

I have to say that yes you are right, the machine is not a precision machine...and I too did have some hick-ups here and there. Hence, since that is what I was looking for I moved on. good luck. But for 1400 bucks is not too bad if you just want to do signs and such.

[jm82792]

Most simple signs don't need that much precision but the reality is you need a decent amount of rigidity.

[hoova]

resolved w/refund.

Nice job at being a ball baby about your experience, it really doesn't help people make a decision about pursuing whether to buy the machine or not. Just makes you look like a moron.

Spending more money and time on a childish website cause you lacked any mechanical ingenuity to get you own machine running.......priceless.

[curiosity22]

Hey G'day people,

Just to add my two cents worth, I bought the Mogul as well, and I'm totally happy with it. One of the major reasons I'm satisfied is one the customer service, Mike doesn't like to email much but he picks up the phone every time I've called and I prefer speaking to someone rather than email anyways.

I got the 4x4 as well as the 8ft rails.

Took me a few months to get it all going and that's only because one I'm a bit lazy and had other real life things to do. Plus not having ever had a cnc before I had issues deciding how to approach the cutter, spindle - router or other.

I decided spindle, first attempt was water cooled 1.5 kw spindle but it was too heavy, the Z axis was having issues holding it in place. Not any ones fault but mine, shows my inexperience would never have thought to think about that. Anyways ended up with another spindle 1.5kw but 65mm and only 3kg in weight about 1.5 kg less than the other and have had no issues with it at all.

My humble opinion as a newbie and as off today a 57 year old person who needed something to do in their spare time, this is a great starting point. I've learnt a lot during the build process and with thanks from this forum as to what is what. What is a stepper motor control box etc etc etc.

I had the money to buy a much more expensive machine but then I wouldn't know what to buy anyway if did - I could have spent 10,000 and not bought the right thing as I had no clue what to look for that would suit my particular needs, and where I thought I would like to go.

I've dived into the deep end - a couple of small cuts to test things worked then dove straight into complex work, as per pic
Attachment 229126

For the experienced machine operators you may laugh and scoff at the quality finish, for me its great fun having to learn how to finish - how to rough, what type of bits to use, cheap asian imports from ebay better quality bits (made in asia anyways but with a shareholder margin built in) or finding bits of good quality from those that specialise in them - I wouldn't know but am learning to distinguish between good better best and stay away from.

I guess most people diving into the forum of CNC have expectations, and I'll be the first to admit your heart wants whatever your purchasing be it for $1000 or $5000 to be perfect and run at the press of the button, sensible thought the mind and reality take over and behold things don't quite work that way. There's a learning curve, nothing well rarely anything works to production on the first press of a button.

I've since learnt what linear rails are, ball screws, rack and pinion etc etc etc.. (I had no idea that the Mogul used rack and pinion - shows my inexperience and lack of research - Im much happier that it is rack and pinion) I have a good idea in mind if I ever want to build another machine as to what I would be looking for.. having said that I in no way am saying that I am dissatisfied with my cncmogul quite the contrary I'm exceptionally happy with it. Part of the reason is due to Mikes great customer service, I was in the service industry for many years as a GM - customers and sales staff/ managers and staff etc rarely see eye to eye, only because we all tend to want to hear what we want only and whenever there is an emotive situation, rarely will parties meet in the middle because it becomes a pissing contest. I just gave you my dollar there fore I must win. Each to their own as to how to move on from there, my experience and from my eyes history is built.

For anyone that is looking into their fist CNC and want to genuinely learn the craft without expectation of I'm going to buy an inexpensive machine go into commercial production and for my $2 investment make thousands of dollars, the CNC Mogul is a good start. As to what is better, if anything I wouldn't know as this is the first machine I've had.

Thanks to Google and forums, regardless of the type of machine you buy you will have issues, a very good friend of mine saw me building my Mogul and he thought it a great idea. He didn't want to build one so he went on to ebay and bought one paid $3000 which is a decent amount of money and returned it a week later - it was rubbish build quality was poor the ball screws etc not aligned properly, gantry was flexing the x,y were... lets just say he had issues... not to be deterred he got his money back and spent just under $4,000 and bought another machine, ball screws not rack and pinion, much sturdier machine, a few years old BUT a couple of months latter after much swearing and cursing he has finally got it going the way he wanted too. He had issues with his Y axis and his motors making a grinding noise, he ended up modifying the gantry fixing it to the table, and made a moving table instead, thinking that would resolve the problem.

It ended up being a simpler solution... I reformatted his hard drive installed only the operating system and the software he purchased. He had a simple comms issue between his pc and the controller. Its no longer hooked up to the web, no antivirus kaspersky installed as it was monitoring everything that was going on and interrupting the bits and bytes going to the controller. He unnecessarily spent money he didn't have too. His complain is now that the speed of the machine in comparison to mine is too slow - so he has prepared some linear rails, racks and pinions ready for the next upgrade... His machine will end up being over $5,000 - hes fortunate that he was able to get linear bearings and rails from where he works for nothing.

So would he have been more satisfied with a Mogul probably not as he's not the build from scratch type of person, more of a buy it complete modify and then complain person, hes an engineer by trade doesn't make him smarter but hes able to problem fix in someways mechanical moving bits better than I - unfortunately for him it was a PC issue and PC's is not his forte..

To end my rant, and I apologise for it, for the inexperienced like me don't try to blame someone else for your lack of knowledge, don't think you will make a fortune for a minimal investment, if you want to make a business from it then consider time effort and investment, have a plan... not may people start off a business with a $1 investment and go on the make Millions..

I'm yet to learn how to finish a job, stain, lacquer, sand - learn about speeds and feeds, bits, timber type/soft/hard/pine/mahogany/, raster cuts, offset, climb conventional etc etc etc etc... thanks to forums like this one my journey will be more and is more pleasant.

For those that are experienced and that absolutely know what they want from a machine well they are not going to buy an inexpensive machine or they will and will upgrade it to what they want.

Its so easy for us to be keyboards Hero's hiding behind a PC's spewing fire and brimstone - we are all trying to make a living - there is a market for inexpensive machines, and there will always be an expectation of those machines to make us a fortune.

Choose wisely, learn and be thankful for a forum like CNCZONE, where experienced operators freely give us their time with advice that we all can hopefully build on.

For my money nothing wrong with the Mogul...

[XYZ_dude]

i still think its a great entry level machine, more of the line of a hobbyist, the lack of adjustments for rail wheels and plastic gear rack still classifies it as a hobbyist or entry level of sort, i have since moved on from mine, btw will add mike had great customer service and seemed to take some of my advice for design application. the recent changed with upgrades should be standard and def well worth the money, goodluck to the people using it, it was a fun experience for me.

[berighteous]

Attachment 229130
I love mine. I cut a clock and several other things today. I have a craftsman 2 1/2hp digital 12amp router on it and it works nice. I have a 4'x4'. I just learning CNC but I'm having a ton of fun with it. I have the newest quad rail machine, and for $1200 delivered for a 4x4 it's an awesome deal for what it can do.

[curiosity22]

i still think its a great entry level machine, more of the line of a hobbyist, the lack of adjustments for rail wheels and plastic gear rack still classifies it as a hobbyist or entry level of sort, i have since moved on from mine, btw will add mike had great customer service and seemed to take some of my advice for design application. the recent changed with upgrades should be standard and def well worth the money, goodluck to the people using it, it was a fun experience for me.

Hey G'day,

I was actually speaking with Mike today, just to ask if anything new was coming up, apparently there is a new gantry happening in 6 weeks, I look forward to seeing what that's about..