[Paul in OK]

Anyone familiar with these guys? www.cncmasters.com

[Ron111]

They offer a couple of cnc machines, one of which is the cnc jr ( and since this is in the benchtop forum, I'll address that model). At one time I looked at the cnc jr. seriously and as I started learning about machines in respect to a machine being rigid (square column vs. round column), and what I discovered through the other guys, is that the round columns (RF-31) are not the best choice for cnc'ing(not very ridgid).

CNC masters write their own control software, this also is a limitingfactor, as well as they build their own drivers.

My opinion is that if you spend an extra $1000 and get the Tormach, which is a square column mill and is very percise using ground ball screws (far more accurate than rolled ball screws), you will have a machine that you can do good work with, and you will be very prould of.

Take a little time and read some of the post where someone is speaking of cnc'ing a round column and you will read some of the same things that I'm speaking of.

Don't get me wrong, if you already have a RF-31 and like it and are going to cnc it, do it.( you can do it for maybe a little over a grand with ballscrews and ballnuts, so you will have less than $2500 in it and that about what it will be worth) But it you buy it for just under $6,000 or above, if you add their $500 pendent, you will end up with a machine worth maybe $2500 to $3000.

That just my opinion, but since the first of the year, Both the IH (Industrial Hobbies) and the Tormach mills enter in to the picture and you have two good choices to look at and both use an now industry standard (at least for the pc based control system) Mach 2 for the control software.

So, am I trying to steer you away from CNC Masters, probelly, or at least to the point where you can choose from the better machines (my opinion and I sure shared by many on the forum) in the approximate price range.

Hope it helps,

Ron

[Paul in OK]

Thanks, Ron. I have a HF model m/d now, and was thinking about converting. If I can do it for around a grand, I will look at that. I have liiked at the Tormach, and at IH. I agree for a complete machine they would be the way to go.
Thanks.

[Ron111]

Just look around the forum, and ask a couple of questions and you can roll your own and save a lot of money. I, as well as a lot of the guys are willing to get you started and point you in the right direction.

Ron

[Paul in OK]

Thanks. I am a machinist by trade, so doing any of that work is not an issue, just will need some direction. The electronics however, give me the hebie-jebies =8^).
Paul

[lostpinky]

I have a CNC Jr. from CNC Masters for sale. Paid $6000, sell for $3500. It was the first CNC machine I bought. I now have two more machines and have out grown this machine. Email for more [email protected]

[Dan Mauch]

You can email this guy and he can tell you what he thinks about cncmasters
[email protected]

Dan Mauch
Camtronics Inc
www.camtronics-cnc.com

[Paul in OK]

lostpinky, email sent.