CNC Router Recomondations for woodshop

[Troy Burritt]

I am looking for a CNC Router for my wood shop. I would like a 4x8 or 5x10 model with capabilities of doing 3D carving. Most of the material being shaped would be wood with occasional plastic or foam. Mostly door inlays and fireplace mantels. Torch-mate was one of the brands I was looking at but their are so many options/styles out there I want to be more educated or have others input with what the recommend or use. I would like to stay under 10G but believe I will need to spend more in the line of 15G. Any and all comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I also would like to know what software would be recommended as well. V CarvPro seams to be what a lot of other wood workers are using, but is that the best for the $?

I thank you all for your help in advance!
Troy

[Keith Outten]

Troy,

If you cruise this forum you will find that the majority own either ShopBot or CAMaster machines.

VCarve Pro or Aspire are hands down the two best software packages in my opinion, Aspire includes 3D machining.
.

[Bob Savage]

I haven't cut a single part yet, but as somebody with no CAD/CAM experience, I've found Aspire to be extremely intuitive both in the design side and the toolpathing.

[Steve knight]

since you want to do 3d you want aspire. I do 3d on my shopbot all the time. I cut a lot of solid wood too. it has paid for it's self a long time ago.

[james mcgrew]

as of about ten minutes ago bob savage is capable of cutting any thing!! tonight we set him up and turned on the machine for the first time so i will let him tell you about that.

i am obviously partial to my camaster machine (i have had more than one and have another on the way), the single largest reason i would consider either the shopbot or the camaster is the support community where other owners are concerned

jim

[Bob Savage]

Seeing this X3 run has triggered my impatience... If I had my dust collection system installed, after the training Jim gave me tonight, I'd be making chips!

For now though, I think I'll do a little 3D air carving.

[Michael Schwartz]

I am looking for a CNC Router for my wood shop. I would like a 4x8 or 5x10 model with capabilities of doing 3D carving. Most of the material being shaped would be wood with occasional plastic or foam. Mostly door inlays and fireplace mantels. Torch-mate was one of the brands I was looking at but their are so many options/styles out there I want to be more educated or have others input with what the recommend or use. I would like to stay under 10G but believe I will need to spend more in the line of 15G. Any and all comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I also would like to know what software would be recommended as well. V CarvPro seams to be what a lot of other wood workers are using, but is that the best for the $?

I thank you all for your help in advance!
Troy

I own a Shopbot PRS Standard 48x96. ShopBot makes a nice machine and you get allot for your money. I am very happy with my Shopbot, and while they have there pro's and con's they are good machines.

When I was shopping I also considered CamMaster and I very well might go with them someday for my next machine.

V-Carve and Aspire from Vectrics are very user friendly and quite easy to learn. I started working with the software right away and had my first cut file ready to go within about 15 minutes. My advice would be to download the trial versions of any software you would be interested in and start working with them now.

[Joey Jarrard]

My advice would be to download the trial versions of any software you would be interested in and start working with them now.

Michael is 100% on the money with this. If you get the software at the same time as your machine you get a wow factor about the machine. its new cool to look at I can make it go left ect.. ect... I have seen it many times the software is where your learning curve is get it out of the way first. get it and work with it as your machine is under construction this is by far the best thing you will do for your self in regards to CNC.

[james mcgrew]

i was pretty impressed with how far along bob savage was last night, it made the initial setup and run of the machine a cool procedure in the curve

jim

[Keith Outten]

I'll tell you a little story about purchasing my CNC router.

I bought my router at a time when I couldn't afford it, period. I had plenty of work and really needed the machine but nowhere near the funds. I took a leap of faith and contacted my credit card company to get the transaction approved in advance, that was the easy part I'm no stranger to taking risks but I knew somehow I could get the machine to pay for itself but I didn't know how long it would take.

In one week it was mine.......I admit that I was really lucky with a very large commercial job in my shop at the time, in fact I was a bit over my head for the capability I had. I doubt it is a record as others who have been doing CNC work for a living most likely have paid for their machines in a day or two but I was just amazed at the income potential of a real workhorse CNC machine

It's all about marketing the most profitable products............once your machine is paid for you can do whatever makes you happy
.

[james mcgrew]

i got my first used machine in nov of 07 (camaster) joey jarrard and bill came the first week of jan 08 and retrofited me to wincnc controller and showed me just about enough to get me in trouble with it, within 4 days a sign company found i had the cnc and asked for hdu signs for two apartment complexes ( i was lost at this point) bill glen wrote me those first files and by feb (aprox two weeks) that machine was paid for.

if anyone is curious why i like theses fellows, well lets just say they also sell a doggone excellent machine

jim mcgrew

[Ed Lang]

I am very happy with my ShopBot PRSalpha. I have also owned a ShopBot PRTalpha. I looked all summer trying to find the best CNC for my needs. I started looking with the mind set that I was going to buy something better than the ShopBot... After seeing machines and talking to others who own and or run other machines, I placed my order for the second ShopBot.

Aspire is the software I run.

Take your time and do a good job of looking and seeing machines cut what you want to make. Don't be afraid to pull or push on the machines and see what moves! That is what I did and it will tell you a LOT.

ed

[Bob Savage]

i was pretty impressed with how far along bob savage was last night, it made the initial setup and run of the machine a cool procedure in the curve

jim

Whew! I was worried I might be asking too many "dumb" questions (I know, there are no dumb questions, only dumb answers )...

After we got off the phone, I fired up Aspire and designed a basic 4'x6' sign, you know, to show off for the wife by cutting some air.

It's probably gross overconfidence, but after the lesson last night, I feel like I could start cutting already, albeit VERY slowly to avoid mistakes.

I'm hoping to get the cyclone and ducting in soon so I can actually make some chips.

How messy is cutting that insulation foam you mentioned?

[Hennie Helberg]

I went the long route and built a Mech Mate.It is now 8 months since the first cut and it paid for itself in the first 3 months mostly doing 2d cuts.

[Keith Outten]

An excellent machine is useless without good software. The combination of machine and software is where the rubber meets the road and dictates the performance and capability.

As tough as the decision is to select a CNC router it gets more complicated when you must decide which software you are going to use. Most new machines ship with software or the manufacturer provides a selection at the time of sale. Don't take this decision lightly or let the price be the primary consideration. If you are new to CNC routing you might get frustrated and quit quickly if the software you select proves to be too difficult to learn much less master.

The majority here seem to be using Vectric software, either Aspire or VCarve Pro. The vote on which one to purchase is based on 3D capability, other than that the decision is easy. There has been very little discussion here concerning other software options.

I started with PartWorks which shipped with my machine and moved to VCarve Pro quickly. When Aspire became available last year I decided it would be to my advantage to add 3D capability to my shop and it has paid off in ease of use in spite of its advanced features.

Last but not necessarily least is the control software you need to run the files you have designed and created tool paths for, this is the least of your problems normally but a little research will provide a lot of information from people who are frustrated because of bugs in control software, updates and incompatibility issues.

Its a chain where the weakest link can prevent you from cutting.
.