[Pete in Arizona]

Hi all,

I'm looking at this router company on eBay and contacted them about the tables. They said that the company used to be Vortech Routers and one of the owner of the marketing company that is advertising for them, purchased the router company and is now building and selling them.
The prices are amazing for what you get. I got a price on the 4x4 table delivered from the east coast of the USA to Flagstaff Arizona. Here's a little about the table.

2007 4' X 4' Integrated Router System

Active Transit /Cutting speeds 900/700 IPM.
Mechanical home switches
Rack & Pinion on X and Y Drives, Ball Screw on z axis
Power 220V
Easy to use G-code controller
64 MB part program storage
Anti Backlash
Plug and play
Item Specification
Table Size 56" x 54"
X,Y,Z working area 49" x 49" x 6"
X,Y,Z Traveling Positioning Accuracy .0001"
X,Y,Z Repositioning Accuracy .002"
Frame Structure Steel
X.Y Structure Anti backlash Rack and Pinion
Z Structure Orbital Ball Screw

Max Speed 0-900 IPM
Max Working Speed 0-700 IPM
Spindle Power Motor High Frequency Conversion Water Cooled Motor
Working Mode 24000r/min

Working Voltage AC220V
Command G Code, hpgl, plt

Interface PC
Flash Memory 64MB

XY Working Tolerance < 0.02mm
Software Mach3, Type3 full function 3d
Packing Size 72" x 76" x 44"
Net Weight 720 lbs


The 4x4 System including Software, High Frequency Spindle and Inverter, T-Slotted Hold Down, Dust Collector Attachment and Bit Set is currently available for only $7,500. The regular retail price is $12k. Easy Financing is available for only $160 per month.

Available accesories: Spindle upgrade to 6HP $800, Table Vac Hold Down System with 10 HP Pump is $1700.

The routers carry a one year warranty with an extended warranty available. Most parts if ever needed can be sent next day. Free Lifetime Technical Support is available and onsite installation and training is available though the router arrives assembled and plug and play ready.

What do you guys think? That's a crazy good price for this right?

Here's the link to the 4x8 table, same specs for $9,995.00

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=130145937825


The shipping for the 750lb 4x4 table to Arizona was $388.00 total.

The 4x4 table is exactly the same constuction, just a shorter table.

Let me know, Thanks

Pete

[elogicca]

Looks like a Chinese router, if you read the guys feedback, not 1 router is sold, mainly small items. Thats a lot of promises from an ebayer.....

[Pete in Arizona]

Here is his reply. Still sounds great to me. We're talking less than $8K for an industrial strength router shipped across the country to my door. I still think it's a great deal.

Pete,
Vortech is an American Company. The routers are made with parts from Germany, Italy, China, US and Japan. Depending upon the model the final assembly either takes place here or our factory overseas. All manufacturing will take place over seas in the near future.

Thanks, Keith

[drmosh]

If the router really does what it says, for that money, it's not a bad deal. But i would NEVER buy it without seeing it run. End of story - no discussion. Fly out to his shop and see it cut with your own eyes. There are COUNTLESS stories of people buying "good deal" cnc routers only to find they arent even close to delivering a decent cut. You are going to spend $8k+ for this machine to do only one thing - cut stuff. Until you actually see it perform then you're living in dreamland.

cuts not square? - worthless
loses steps? - worthless
controllers lock up? - worthless
communication faults? - worthless
circles out of round? - worthless
gantry chatters? - worthless
backlash in pinions? - worthless
z out of square? - worthless
table surface uneven? - worthless

and the list goes on and on...

An $8k machine with any of those problems is worthless to you. It will not matter how much money you saved over a $15k machine if yours won't work exactly as you need it. A round trip ticket out there is less than $500 - if you're serious then it's the best $500 you will EVER spend. If he can't accomodate you then he's just a middleman drop-shipping them in as imports and then you should under NO circumstances buy from him.

My two cents, but trust me that I've talked to many people burned by the promise of a router that doesn't deliver.

[Pete in Arizona]

drmosh,

Thanks for the input. I would hate to finance something that doesn't work properly.

I have to give it a lot of thought.

Pete

[pike88]

Pete, I bought one of these machines (4x8) from the marketing company. I had no router experience at all and didnt want to spend the money they were charging for onsite installation and training. I am a very small business and I figured I could teach myself. Boy was I wrong.. There is alot to learn!

I actually posted here for an experienced "guru" to come by and teach me how to route. After running the machine he did not believe how little I paid for it and said I got a great deal. He pointed out some reasons (which at the time meant little to me). He said it was as good as his gerber which he paid 40k for. I have since learned alot about cnc and learned that there is alot I still don't know. But everybody I know who knows cnc says it is a great machine.
I'm running it almost everyday and starting to learn some of the 3d design stuff.
Now that I have had it a little while and am learning, now I look a round a bit and have since seen a few different routers: shop bot, dyna, and a shop sabre and they have nothing on my router and I think they cost more.

As for the company I never visited the factory. They told me the same thing they told you. My understanding is one of the owners of the marketing company owns the router manufacturing company. I have spoke with people from the manufacturer and they say the same thing. I dont agree with the last poster, I could care less if they are a "middle man" or a "distributor" or "dealer" or marketing company. Give it a name. I got a very good router at great price. Every time I have called them for help somebody got right back to me and when I snapped a shaft in my spindle, I called them and a replacement was delivered the next day.
I would advise that you get some training. Whether from them or somebody that routing. I've spoke with a couple other people who own the same router and they have been helpful also. If I can help at all email me [email protected] and let me know if you get one.

[sngatlanta]

Could you post some pictures of your machine to compare with the touched up web site pictures?

Who did you get yours from?

I have followed another thread on this forum with both good and bad reviews of the Chinese made machines (if it’s what these are).

[sngatlanta]

Did you buy one of these machines or get any further information?

[cabnet636]

kieth and i have spoken on the phone and another member from another part of the us and i asked for quotes, and info we were given different names and some real bs names etc only to recieve same phone numbers etc.

jim mcgrew

[tai]

Hi,

I am a corporate buyer from Malaysia. I actually have been following these thread as well as some other threads in this Zone for Vortech Router for quite a while. I thought I am going to give them a try. So as the result, I paid a 50% down to give them a try for a custom made 4' x 8' x 4 axis machine to Vortech Router begining of this year. Made this decision also because I found the sales is quite sincere (at least at the begining) who even discuss the machine with me on weekend and told me that this machine is not a difficult machine to built.

Well...After almost 2 months of waiting, I am still waiting for my machine. They told me in the begining of February when I visited their office to understand the machine status that the machines will arrive in US in Mid February. Obviously...there might be a delay and I was not informed timely. Called them up but all answering machine. Anyone has the same experience?
Because this is a different machine with 4 axis, they told me they will send testing video to me to make sure everything is working before set ship the machine to US. But, the next thing I heard from them is that this machine is on its way to US. Everything has been boxed and can no easy way to test the machine in US and it will have to be shipped to Malaysia immediately due to a pending project. It makes a customer like me very difficult if this machine arrive dead in Malaysia. Well...Hope that this is not going to happened...I believe this can be avoided if they manage their orders effectively. I will get you posted for the rest.

So...After the long story, I am going to place another order of a 4' x 8' 4 axis CNC Router soon and a 5'x8' 4 axis in 6 months later. Can someone recommend a reliable manufacturer who has strong customer service and has experience in corporate account?

Thanks

[cabnet636]

i ended up buying camasters and since i went on the search for routers in 07 i have now owned three (keep upgrading) here is a pic of my 4rth axis i took yesterday

jim mcgrew

www.camaster.com 706 602 2500

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uigIWptYOpQ"]YouTube- grapes on a CAMaster[/ame]

here is another video of a machine in pa.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtd-xFukZQ4&feature=related"]YouTube- Laser Scanned Hooter's Carved on a CNC Router[/ame]

[Popeye]

Any thing new on these machines?

[cabnet636]

Any thing new on these machines?

ohh i doubt it !!

[jbarkercc@gmail]

VORTECH?
i have one.(OMG)
ITS A BAD DEAL.
J

[casmak]

I bought one and financed it. I got it in the day after my daughter was born so I was in the hospital. It was crated with ⅛" wood and arrived damaged (the crate was destroyed and large dents all over the machine). The wiring and components were terrible. It wasn't just "hook up and go". The table (I bought the 5x10 with vacuum hold down) was off over a ¼" in some places and he told me it needed to be "leveled". I bought a large bit and ran it over the whole surface but there were times when even though the router was tightened as much as it could, the router would slip and shove down into the table!

In the first 5-6 hours of use, about 10-12 bolts and screws had shaken loose and fallen out in various places. I was told it would come with software and it didn't, I had to purchase that. I was not given any reimbursement for the damages. When I hooked up the vacuum motor, i could literally put my hand over the opening and it had little more suction than a shop vac and was wired three phase and electrician certified.

I would set the origin over and over but it would just forget it. I finally had it picked up. I lost a ton of money on this machine and a lot of time.