[Enrico_Palazzo]

Hello,

I am seriously considering purchasing my first CNC. I'm looking for a 5'x8' machine primarily to cut plywood sheet goods. I make various forms of cabinetry and most recently have been working with a design firm and started to make store displays, trade show booths and signage. The quantities are getting higher and it seems like a CNC is the next logical step.

I am looking for advice on which brands of machines I should be checking out and what features I should be looking for. I have been gravitating toward the Shopbot PRSalpha 96-60. But also wanted to see if there were any other suggestions.

Any information would be most appreciated!

THX

[jcoats]

If you are a DIYer, look at MechMate CNC Router - Build your own with our detailed plans .. plans cost about $100, cost is $5K to $8K and a great forum for support.

A Mechmate is normally a metal build, great for wood and sheet goods (ok, light metals like Aluminum and brass,
not heavy steel). Many build it and use a router, but many use 2 to 4kw spindles as well.

It can be built wider and longer for minimal additional cost. Time is a factor, and if you 'go for it' full time, it should take
about 80 to 200 hours (100 hours nominal). Many people build it part time, 3mo to 18 months. To much smaller doesn't
make sense. There have been over 100 built world wide.

It is not a 'kit' and there is no one 'materials list'. Once you decide the size you want, you go through the plans and build
your own materials list. There is some welding, but rookies do it easily. There are kits of some laser cut and bent parts
available from various sources. It is normally run with 4 NEMA 34 stepper motors.

You must register to view the forums, but it is well worth it. You will spend many hours reviewing builds, questions, etc.
If you purchase the plans, you will need to print them out. They are well done 'blue print' like sheets (ok for letter or A3 size paper)



If you look at www.buildyourcnc.com they have many CNC machines, routers, laser, 3D, etc. Some have very
innovative features. The larger kits have a 2 week lead time. Most are kits but everything (for the most part) is
included. Their site is worth spending some time perusing. I am not sure of the prices, but depending on size,
in the $2K to $6K or so range.



There is also several DIY designs like Joes CNC and JGRO in different sections of this forum site. Lots of builders
of these, but they don't tend to go as large as you suggest you want to. Still, good designs for beginners.



There are plenty of manufactured ones out there too. The ShopBot is a great machine, good forums and customer support.
MechMate was initially a 'rebuild' of an old version of an early ShopBot model, but no ShopBot parts or 'copy' of designs are
included in the current plans. The drive is rack and pinion like ShopBot. ShopBotTools CNC Routers if I remember right is their site.
Early designs were wood and metal, these days all designs are full metal. Shopbot is a bit odd as they use their own proprietary
encoding (SBC, not g-code) in their controller naively. They do accept g-code, but nothing else seems to accept SBC (shopbot code).


www.buildyourcnc.com is basically MDO construction (not MDF - the very early ones were MDF). The drive is either lead screw
or chain drive on most. Some may have other drive methods.

[Ajancnc]

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