Hi everyone,

I'm just starting my CNC journey and want to produce shapes from double-wall (5mm/0.2") cardboard. From fairly lengthy research, I believe my best option to do this in a clean, repeatable, accurate way is with an oscillating tangential knife. The only show in town on this seems to be the EcoCam EOT-3.

As a beginner in the UK, I'm drawn towards the Ooznest Workbee Z1+ as a starting point for a machine. This uses the Duet2 controller. What I'm not clear on is how realistic it is, as a genuine beginner without a technical background, to buy an Openbuilds-type machine and an EOT-3 and make them work together. There seems to be a genuine dearth of information on the EOT-3 online. I gather it needs use of a 4th axis to turn the knife blade, and I understand the Duet2 can support this, but I'm concerned about getting stuck early on and left with a £1400/$€1600 cutting block which I can't make work.

I've reached out to Ooznest for guidance, but understandably been told they have no experience with the EOT-3 so can't help out.

The only alternative to the EOT-3 seems to be a dragknife. This looks to have quite a few disadvantages vs the tangential knife in terms of accuracy, flexibility and quality of cut. But I'm not experienced here either, so perhaps there's an option here.

Glad to be here!