Need to read up before even considering...

[Michael Schwartz]

The closest I've come to CNC is watching one run at a local industrial shop. I've begun to consider investing in a small, simple machine to create some repeatable projects. Then, I'll upgrade over time. So, what I need to do right now is learn about this technology. I don't know anything about machines, terminology, software, manufacturers, pricing, used vs. new, capabilities... or much of anything else. Direction to any introductory reference material would be greatly appreciated... unless there's a "CNC for Dummies" or the like.

Thanks!

Take a look at allot of the recent threads here and you will see a number of people getting into CNC for the first time.

For me it all started when I was watching youtube videos of the Carvewright and thought it would be nice to get one as an intro to CNC. I fell asleep and woke up a few hours later with the gut feeling that I had to get a CNC router. Now about two months later I have a Shopbot PrsStandard 48x96 that should be cutting shortly after I get an electrician here.

I started out by thinking big but looking for a small machine. I would strongly consider a 4x8 machine if you have the room and budget for one. A smaller machine is fine, but make sure you get something that will cut what you need.

I started out looking at a carvewright, then a CNCShark, and then I settled on the idea of a 2x4, or 4x4 machine. At some point I gave in after countless people told me to go 4x8 and I saw how affordable the ShopBot was to go for it.

The bottom line is that CNC is not rocket science and while there is a learning curve, don't let that limit your dreams and creativity. All the Vectrics softwre is very easy to learn, and the rest is just a big table, with a router or spindle, gantry, and some motors.

Just make sure you buy a product with good support. The two machines you will see people talking about allot here are ShopBot and Camaster, which are both known for there support. There are other machines out there as well, but make sure the manufacturer will stand behind it. Be careful about certain Ebay, or imported machines, that might look like a good deal but are not.