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Thread: I want a CNC router setup.....

  1. #16
    I’m actually looking to eventually upgrade my Makita RT-0701 to a spindle, probably a Kress — the reason I didn’t start w/ the latter is the price — it’s several times more expensive.

    For a lot of people, having the “spindle” be an affordable, easily sourced trim router (or even rotary tool) makes the difference between an affordable option, and a too-expensive impossibility.

    Is it the “best”? No. Is it the best value? Yes (if one wants a more affordable machine and ~$1,000 is one's budget)
    Last edited by William Adams; 05-10-2015 at 8:54 PM.

  2. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by William Adams View Post
    I’m actually looking to eventually upgrade my Makita RT-0701 to a spindle, probably a Kress — the reason I didn’t start w/ the latter is the price — it’s several times more expensive.

    For a lot of people, having the “spindle” be an affordable, easily sourced trim router (or even rotary tool) makes the difference between an affordable option, and a too-expensive impossibility.

    Is it the “best”? No. Is it the best value? Yes.

    Can't agree. A shopbot with a 24x18 envelope and a router is $5K. And it weighs only 100 lbs. A Stinger I, comparably sized to the IQ, but with a 2.25 HP router, is $6.5K. My 450 lb 24x36 IQ with a 3HP liquid cooled ER20 spindle, VFD and controller (untethered to Windows) was $5500. How is the sub-optimal solution the best value?

  3. #18
    Fair enough.

    It's a value which people can access w/ a reasonable initial investment.

    The O.P. has stated that the options suggested thus far are too expensive --- I dunno if the SO3 is also too expensive, but it's a lot more affordable, and a lot less than $5,000 --- scarcely a fourth that --- 16" x 16" work envelope, reasonable precision, not as rigid or fast, but w/ patience and reasonable settings and expectation will provide a decent return.

    I believe the Shapeoko is the best value for machines around $1,000 or so in price --- naturally physics are inexorable, and one gets a completely different class of machine at different price levels.
    Last edited by William Adams; 05-10-2015 at 8:53 PM.

  4. #19
    Just stumbled across this in doing a search. FWIW, I just ordered the X-Carve from Inventables and it now comes in 1000x1000 mm form factor (or, usable work area of ~31" square). So, there's no longer the limitation that William mentions on the X axis of the 500 mm (which after overhead, translates to about 12" of usable width on the smaller X-Carve model). I think with the 31" of width and the ability to reposition a long workpiece, in the middle of a carving job, that (for me) the big model will be plenty.

  5. #20
    Please go back and read what I wrote, then look up the various ways people have reinforced the gantry rails on the SO2 and X-Carve. Inventables selling a 1000mm X-axis upgrade doesn't change the laws of physics.

    If you use 1000mm rails for the X-axis, you'll probably find yourself reinforcing and/or fastening those rails together. Similarly for the Y-axis, get side supports.
    Last edited by William Adams; 07-13-2015 at 8:36 PM.

  6. #21
    I didn't need to re-read what you wrote, William, but I went ahead and did that anyway. Quite simply, in your message on 04/27, by typing "...if one wants to go beyond the stock 500mm extrusions..." you implied that the only x-axis rail option was 500mm. I was mainly making a comment that they offer a bigger model.


    FWIW, though, the X-Carve is an entry-level machine in both of its form factors. I'm well aware that some people have been "beefing up" the stock unit, but I'm not planning on pushing the machine at a production level so I'll trust that the mechanical engineers who designed this machine know more than I do about rigidity, etc., to suit the needs of a hobbyist. Otherwise I'd be spending a lot more on a production unit.

  7. #22
    Don't trim, obscuring the meaning of what I wrote:

    I wrote:

    >- better options for expandability --- a Shapeoko 2 (or X-Carve) can reasonably be
    >expanded along the Y-axis by adding side supports up to a pretty much arbitrary length ---
    >but the X-axis pretty much has to be re-built if one wants to go beyond the stock 500mm extrusions
    >(and even at the stock length, one should go to the effort to fasten them together)

    There's a link on the Shapeoko wiki which discusses Scaling Up and includes information about the various upgrade options. (which was trimmed from my post by a moderator)

    and the context was contrasting the expandability to that of the SO3. Noting that reinforcement is necessary in that context does not imply that the un-reinforced upgrade is not available.
    Last edited by William Adams; 07-14-2015 at 2:28 PM.

  8. #23
    I started my CNC journey with a Shapeoko 2 kit that was 1 meter by 1 meter. By the time I had figured out how to used, I realized that it was not going to be strong enough for my needs. I want to stress "My Needs".

    If you're cutting balsawood for RC planes, go for it, and it will do ok cutting softwoods at a reasonable rate, but if you are going to tackle harder wood species you are going to need to do some work to one. I added a steel plate between the gantry extrusions and bolted the assembly together and added 1/4" thick 2" angle to support the entire length of the side rails. After all this I could hang a 1.5kw water cooled spindle (way overkill for this frame BTW) and not see it deflect 1/4" from tool loading.

    I quickly pulled the big spindle off and replaced it with the 300 watt quiet spindle Inventables sells. This worked like a champ - except it couldn't use bigger than 1/4" shank router bits (the majority of mine are 1/2" shank) and it really bogged down at higher tool loads - it is only a 1/3 horse motor (I'm being generous here).

    What ended up happening is that I sat the Shapeoko aside and started from scratch building a CNC router around the spindle I wanted to use. As soon as I figure out how to post a couple pics, I'll let you have a look. The key numbers are 20mm fully supported linear rails in all axis, gantry made of two 30mmx30mm square 15 series extrusions, movement by nema 23 425 ozin steppers driving 5 start acme screws XY & Z. Finished size is one meter square.

  9. #24
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    Sounds like a nice build Larry. Welcome to SMC.
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