[cncwhiz]

Dubliner,
I got that email yesterday. The guy that I am working with had some issues with them. I would have to say you get what you pay for. If you pay the big bucks, You would expect a machine on the floor making parts without having to put it together but if you pay a lower price and do some work then that is ok for some people too? I will be going to the guys shop this weekend and putting in a replacement drive the appears to be bad. They sent it free of charge after a year so I guess thats pretty good. I need to check it with an indicator after we get it running?

[pike88]

When I was shopping around a couple of years ago, I looked at the same routers. I've been running a Vortech for over a year and half. I have ordered my second one and I am awaiting delivery now. I talk daily with many people who own a vortech router.

I have never had a problem with my router and the guys there are great. They are very responsive and proactive. After my initial purchase when I didnt know much until now when I bought my second one (and I know a little), I continue to look at all the options out there. My Vortech runs trouble free every time I turn it on and has made me money everyday for over a year and half.

There are alot of routers out there under $30,000. I have met with people who own and let me personally run an ez router, a shop sabre, a Camaster and a Gerber sabre. They all have good things about them and they all have people on boards saying good and bad things.

From what I have experienced and for my money, Vortech offers the best router for under $30,000. You will find other people here who based on their experience or on whatever router they are being paid to push will have a different opinion.

The good thing is no matter what router you buy you will find alot of people here willing to help if (or when) you have questions.

[cncwhiz]

You posting is misleading? You talk like all you had to do is take it off of the truck, plug it in and start making parts? What did you have to do to get the machine up and running?

[ginotortelli]

After actually visiting several manufacturer's production facilities, I went with the ShopSabre. The EZ-Router guys were quite nice, but their machine just didn't seem as robust as the ShopSabre. My ShopSabre arrived ready-for-work right out of the box. All that I had to do was open the crate and bolt together the leg assemblies. Then I put the bed on the leg assemblies and added the gantry. All totalled, it took me less than an hour to start cutting my spoil board. The spindles (I have 2) were even mounted to the gantry when it arrived. I especially liked the fact that they tested and setup my machine with my computer that I took to them. I tested the accuracy and the machine required NO further calibration. I purchased all of the bells and whistles including the tool reset, digitizing probe, 4th axis unit, and a second Z-axis. I also had them give me an extra 3 inches of Z-axis travel for a total of 12 inches and a wheel kit so that I could move the machine as my shop needs changed. That was about 3 years ago and I haven't had one problem or failure to date. My total cost was just over $20,000 for the model 4896. I considered that a bargain for all that I got.
ShopBot gives you the "warm fuzzies" with their "Community" of users much like Saturn did with their Saturn Buyers Club, but I found that ShopSabre's personal service was all that I needed. Besides, there's always CNCzone for other questions.
My ShopSabre is a solid, robust machine. No aluminum here. It's all welded steel and solid as a rock. I have a friend who's son-in-law does metal fabricating. He purchased a TorchMate CNC cutter and has had nothing but problems. The thing showed up as a "Do-It-Yourself" assembly nightmare. With its bolt-together aluminum extrusion framework and belt-drive axes, it seems to be a constant non-precision maintenance headache.

[cabnet636]

welcome are you aware that shopsabre has a forum here

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=215

[WayneHill]

Ez rout vs. Shopsabre vs. Shopbot vs. Digirout vs. Warthog vs. Vortech

Sounds like the battle of the Routers Royal. I have looked at the EZrouter and would be the router design best to me. The others have their strong points as well.

[cabnet636]

wayne, ez did themselves right with the new router, i am not such a fan of the spring loaded motors on the sides of the gantry, but i saw it run and it works well, i will be curious as to the dust on the motors and gearing, i did like dealing with those guys and have since learned what it really takes to not only own a cnc but to build and support them as well so i have a lot of respect for them, i have recently recieved my new camaster x3 and for under 30 this cannot be beat!!!!

jim

[ginotortelli]

You posting is misleading? You talk like all you had to do is take it off of the truck, plug it in and start making parts? What did you have to do to get the machine up and running?

Nothing misleading in my post. What I wrote is EXACTLY what I had to do. I kid you not. I had this thing cutting my spoil board in just about 1 hour. Everything came pre-calibrated and all software was already loaded on my computer at the factory.
ShopSabre has you buy your own computer and have it shipped to them. They load the software and calibrate everything at the factory and then ship the unit out complete and ready to go. All cables are clearly marked and everything just plugs together.
This was easier to get going than the table top unit that I purchased so that I could learn something about CNC before I made a major purchase.
This is precisely why I went with the ShopSabre. I actually visited three manufacturer's production facilities BEFORE I made my purchase. I spent about $1,500.00 in travel expenses, but felt it was worth it before I laid down $20,000.00 for a machine.

[cncwhiz]

I appears that you bought much more than most people I talk to bought. The people that I am working with, got the machine in boxes and had to put the gantry and cables etc... together. There was no "pre-configured" computer. They had to supply their own? We are talking about "Vortec"?

[ginotortelli]

I got the posts out of order and thought that you were addressing my former post. I, actually, bought a ShopSabre. They won't ship a machine without first setting it up and testing it with YOUR computer.
They suggest a Dell, but I built my own custom computer and took it to them.
I've got to tell you...They were very thorough and everything has worked perfectly. Unfortunately, I don't use the machine much. I wish I had more time to work with it. The only problem that I had was with the bundled software. They originally supplied RAMS 3D software, but the company (RAMS) pretty much shut down. The guys at ShopSabre tried to straighten things out with no success. They ended up sending me a FREE copy of VisualMill to make things right. I couldn't believe it when they sent it to me free. It has been very easy to learn and use.
Sorry for the confusion on my part.

[cabnet636]

really diggin it!!!

jim

[jcoats]

SB prices just went up. ... Bummer. If you had the DIY desire and time, MechMate is in the same class and appears to be a great rig. ( www.mechmate.com ) - Plans and support are free online.

[pearlinlay]

Here is a body I knocked out the other night on my EZ router. Should have some neck pictures and inlay pics soon.

[cabnet636]

looks nice, is it burl or textured ( photo only blew up so far)

i have always said the best woodworkers are those that can make wood sing!!

jim

[pearlinlay]

Thanks. It's a quilted maple top on a padauk body.

[trunkhaus]

hello, although i am new to this forum i have had my router since Aug. of 08.
the company i bought my router from is on your list in the poll question. since buying this machine i have not cut a single thing yet and am about to loose my company and my house over all of this, the company is a complete sham, they know nothing about the product that they sell. they swore up and down that thier machine was not built in CHINA yet there is not a single part on it that does not have chinese writing on it. after more than 6 months of trying to get them to come out and see what is wrong with my machine i finnaly sent them my computor. ( because they have been insisting it is a computor issue, even though my computor is brand new and works with every other thing it is used with except thier machine) i sent them my computor, they called and said it arrived ok and was TOP PRIORITY then today...2 days after telling me that it arrived ok they informed me that it mysteriously was damaged beyond repair??? smashed in side panel and damaged front panel!!
take it from me do NOT BUY FROM THESE GUYS!!!
you will only be sorry you did, they are nothing more than a middle guy for CHINESE CRAP they have NO tech support and refuse to stand behind thier product and fix it in a timely fashion.
i will not name them here but if you want to know who they are you can email me at [email protected]
do yourself a favor if you are buying a cnc machine or are about to buy one use a company that is reputable not one that is a middle man for chinese crap with no tech support and no morals.

[cabnet636]

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=215

there is only one company on that list above that sells chinese routers!, here is the commercial woodworking section of the forum, if you go there and search the name of the router you will find others who may have the same problem, if it is the router most have a problem with, there are some others who can fix it. we get bogus post here often, my hope is you will get some help as there are others who have found recourse and resolution with thier cnc problems here on cnc zone. i would not want to think your post is not on the up and up!! my particular router (CAMaster) has many owners who are willing to help and we have good contact with each other and the company

we are at www.camheads.org

jim mcgrew
mcgrew636 - at - msn.com

[cabnet636]

here is a site for the parts to the chinese routers, that one of the posters says he is having trouble with, CAMaster sold some of these routers prior to 2006 and has helped people fix thier problems with them even though they did not sell them, all of thier routers are made in georgia ever since. i tried to contact the poster but have not recieved a reply, so before you loose your house please speak up

http://driver-motor.com/About.asp

keling also sells drivers and motors for these

this thread is devoted to dissasembling and reassembling the same routers,

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56099

and this entire forum is deveted to these routers!!!

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=413

there are people in the US, who can help with these routers, i have recieved two request for help with the ones that are sold in north carolina and now those are operating properly, there have been some misrepresentations of these routers on the net, make sure you check all info out from all sources!!

jim

[cncwhiz]

"there is only one company on that list above that sells chinese routers"
Have you ever looked at "Vortech"? Everything on that machine is made in China?

[cabnet636]

i emailed him (trunkhaus) but got no response, who knows what his real needs are ?

maybe you will have better luck, have you got the router working?

jim