[brainy19]

Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping to get a desktop CNC router that can cut plastic sheets as thick as 4mm, while using a wood base as a sacrificial piece, for my projects. I understand this thread is about wood but I didn't see any forums that focuses on plastic and since I plan to mount my plastic sheets on a wood piece, I figured this thread is the most relevant.

The cutting area I need is about 12" (x-axis) x 8" (y-axis). Can you guys recommend any cheap CNC routers? I saw desktop routers on Amazon for just ~$300, but I don't know how reliable they are. I'm not sure how precise such cheap cnc routers are either.

[philba]

Stay away from those little 3018 <$300 routers. The X rails on those are terrible - tons of flex. And the spindle is truly pathetic, even in the "Pro" version. I'd use a trim router before one of those. I'd also look for a larger bed. If you are trying to actually cut a 12x8 object, you need a little more clearance for clamping and such. I'd look at a small Workbee or even Queenbee (500mmx500mm). Check out Bulkman's kits. Still not super rigid but will do ok with the kind of material you are talking about. Go for as large a bed as you can afford because you will NEVER have a big enough one - there's always another job that just won't fit on what you have. As to budget - I think you might be able to get by for around $1000 on the very low end.

For a really solid router, take a look at the AvidCNC desktop models. There is a 2'x4' model worth considering. It will cost 10X the cheapo chinese one you mentioned but will still be running long after that one is landfill.

[brainy19]

Ooooo, thank you for the feedback! I checked out the Bulkman kit and that looks like a good first one for me. Thank you!