[eddiegnz1]

Please, if you would recommend a desktop CNC router for my first one, that would be awesome. I've been looking at kits that I can use a Kress spindle on (or a spindle under $400USD not a wood router). I will work almost exclusively with aluminum plates to mill them into parts for prototypes. The plates are 6" x 6" square and 5/16 inches thick.

I know the Shapeoko and the Stepcraft are in the "toy" category and not professional grade but if I don't stay close to $1,200USD then I will have zero CNC routers due to my budget.

Below are the links to the CNC kits I'm considering. I can assemble a kit myself but I prefer to not print the parts my self nor build my own.

https://carbide3d.com/shapeoko

https://www.stepcraft.us

https://mctinfo.net/amb-spindle

Kind thanks,
Eddie

[peteeng]

Hello Eddie - I build kit routers. I have some benchtop kits for sale at present. If you send me a cad file or dwg of what you want I shall cut a demo part for you and video it. Look at https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/murw...ter/1211245640

I have two built Brevis machines and one mechanical kit available at the moment. . But if you can tell me what accuracy you need I can tell you if my machines are good for the job. I can also write a comparison sheet of these machines for your information.

Happy to discuss your needs further. I'm developing a large machine at present. Have a look at the Maximus thread in this forum, will give you an indication of what goes into designing my machines. Peter

also turn on your private messaging maybe better for this sort of thing. Peter

for aluminium ballscrew drives are best and your machine size will be tiny so perhaps I can put together a proposal using some existing parts and new ballscrews for you. I think a fixed gantry, moving table design is best for you. see image attached. Not sure about the budget but we can work on the puzzle if you like. Peter

[fretman_2]

Toy...no...they're not toys. They're capable of doing the job if you machine within their 'abilities'. Many folks use the Shapeoko machine for sign production for example. You can mill aluminum plates with the Shapeoko. The Shapeoko machine is going to mill an aluminum plate much slower than a machine built with more powerful motors and heavier-thicker (stiffer) parts. If you're machining one off aluminum parts, the Shapeoko may suffice. If you're in a production environment, probably not. If you can accept the extra time it'll take the Shapeoko to machine out a prototype from a 6X6 5/16 inch square of aluminum, then the Shapeoko (or the other machine) may do the trick.

[peteeng]

Hi Eddie - Do your parts need to fit together accurately? These sorts of machines can do signage and lettering etc but may not do work thats has to fit together such as a milled engineering part would. Cheers Peter s

[FoxCNC1]

Hi Eddie - Do your parts need to fit together accurately? These sorts of machines can do signage and lettering etc but may not do work thats has to fit together such as a milled engineering part would. Cheers Peter s

Old thread, but why? If you have the right know how, why not? I think you would need a spindle w lottle runoud and the right feeds as to no make the machine flex. I think it is certainly doable.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
its very tempting to believe that if you take small enough cuts slowly enough your machine could cut a much tougher material
than its really capable of. I used to believe that it could be done....until I tried it.

The reality is that at sufficiently light cuts your tool does little more than 'give the work surface a good rub' which work hardens the work surface
thereby making successive cuts even harder. All that happens is you overheat the tool and wreck it.

If you assume a rigidity adequate to machine wood, and give that a figure of merit 'stiffness rating' of 1 unit...then:

3D printer: Stiffness required 0.1-0.5 units
Wood Router: Stiffness required 1 unit
Aluminum; Stiffness required 2-5 units
Steel: Stiffness required 10-20 units
Stainless/Titanium: Stiffness required 20-100 units.

In short any metal capable machine NEEDS to be much stiffer than any woodworking/sign making machine, and this assumes hobbyists speeds,
high speed comercial machines are a factor of ten stiffer again.

The only real way for a hobbyist to obtain adequate stiffness to machine metals, other than hugely expensive castings or other similar methods,
and contain the budget is to make the machine smaller. Generally speaking if you double the size of the machine then the material thickness/sectional
areas need to increase by a factor of four just to retain rigidity.

When I made my first CNC project my main desire was to make PCBs. What I decided however is that I wanted to be able to machine steel,
albeit at modest removal rates with the same machine. This decision had major consequences in the design and material choice and thereby
the cost of the project.

My advice is to think VERY VERY carefully about what you want and what you need BEFORE you buy a single part. All of the design
choices and costs associated with them are interrelated. For example you might find some really great servos at a bargain price only to find that
the optimum ballscrews to accomodate that power are $2000 each!! What matter if the servos are cheap if everything else is over the top?
Another is size, you might decide you absolutely want 'half sheet' capacity, say 1200mm wide AND you want machine Aluminum as well
so the gantry has to be made of steel and weighs 75kg.....therefore the servos....therefore the ....and so on.

Craig

[garymkrieg]

Please, if you would recommend a desktop CNC router for my first one, that would be awesome. I've been looking at kits that I can use a Kress spindle on (or a spindle under $400USD not a wood router). I will work almost exclusively with aluminum plates to mill them into parts for prototypes. The plates are 6" x 6" square and 5/16 inches thick.

I know the Shapeoko and the Stepcraft are in the "toy" category and not professional grade but if I don't stay close to $1,200USD then I will have zero CNC routers due to my budget.

Below are the links to the CNC kits I'm considering. I can assemble a kit myself but I prefer to not print the parts my self nor build my own.

https://carbide3d.com/shapeoko

https://www.stepcraft.us

https://mctinfo.net/amb-spindle

Kind thanks,
Eddie

Eddie, add Millright's new Mega V to your list. It is much more robust than the others.