Best Under $2500 CNC

[Thomas Hyatt]

I am in the market for a new CNC to replace my Probotix X-90. I am looking to increase the XY size to about 24x24. The X-90 has been a good machine but it balks at running much over 20 ipm for 3D machining and the cutting dimensions are 18 x 18. I have been thinking about a Zenbot 24x24 with a Gecko controller. I did look at the X-Carve which has a 30 x 30 bed but it seems like there has been a lot of talk at their forum of issues arising from the newness of the machine. Does anyone have any recommendations or comments regarding these machines or others that might fit the low cost, medium bed category.

Thanks for your help

Tom Hyatt

[William Adams]

The ShapeOko 3 is to get a size upgrade in the near future, 4'x4' working area is one option, 2'x4' may be another.

The hobbycnc subreddit has a wiki page listing machines: https://www.reddit.com/r/hobbycnc/wiki/index

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

If you can spend a little more, an XZero raptor 24x24 starts at $2600 with no motors. Add another $500 for a Gecko G540 motor kit, and you're around $3100. http://www.xzerocnc.com/raptor.htm
This machine is easily 10x the machine that the X Carve or ShapeOko is.

A friend of mine has two Raptors that he uses in his guitar components business. He 3D carves acoustic guitar necks at around 400ipm.

[William Adams]

How many Xzero machines have been sold? I found it off- putting and worrisome that the forums are barren save for presale announcement posts by the admin, and people w/ problems / questions which go unanswered as far back as August.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

The owner posts almost daily at CNC Zone, and there are quite a few members there that have them.

[ed vitanovec]

Check out these machines.
http://www.bulldogcncrouters.com/

http://gr3.us/