Small CNC routers

[Phully]

Hi All
It has been a long time since I fell in here.
Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts/experience of using small footprint CNC routers ?

I see them on the net - and was curious if it was worth trying one for sign making/chair components etc.
My main work is solid Jarrah and Marri furniture .

Thanks
Phil
www.nannupfurnituregallery.com.au

[Pearo]

I bought once recently. The X6-1500 from CNC Carving, which is just an updated version of the typical 6040 versions you see on ebay.

I cant comment on furniture making, but I can comment from a sign making perspective. Let me say this, if you want to use a cheap ebay model for a commercial environment then forget it. They are not cut out for it. I have done signwriting and have played with a chinese vinyl cutter and it was rubbish. Perfectly fine for home use but no good for production work. Why? Servo motor v stepper motor. I have a large format mimaki machine as well. I have a mate who is a sign-writer by trade and I toyed with the idea of making a full time business out of it with him.

WRT to the CNC machine, I am an instrument fitter by trade so have spent plenty of time around large scale CNC machinery. With my chinese CNC machine, I can tinker with it and make it work for me, but I am not making money from it. If you want to make money from it it has to work out of the box, and with minimal investment. With the ebay CNC, if I have to knock out a job by COB tomorrow then forget it. To many variables. If you have time to tinker then turn it into a commercial machine, then go for it. At least then when it breaks down you can fix it and wont need a rep to come out and fix it for you.

TO be honest, I think if you want a commercial CNC suitable for business then I reckon you are looking at the $10k plus market. If you want to make a cheap CNC suitable for commercial use then allocate a couple of years before you commission it.

[Phully]

Thanks for that
Your information and advice is just what I needed - and suspected.
Many thanks

Phully

I bought once recently. The X6-1500 from CNC Carving, which is just an updated version of the typical 6040 versions you see on ebay.

I cant comment on furniture making, but I can comment from a sign making perspective. Let me say this, if you want to use a cheap ebay model for a commercial environment then forget it. They are not cut out for it. I have done signwriting and have played with a chinese vinyl cutter and it was rubbish. Perfectly fine for home use but no good for production work. Why? Servo motor v stepper motor. I have a large format mimaki machine as well. I have a mate who is a sign-writer by trade and I toyed with the idea of making a full time business out of it with him.

WRT to the CNC machine, I am an instrument fitter by trade so have spent plenty of time around large scale CNC machinery. With my chinese CNC machine, I can tinker with it and make it work for me, but I am not making money from it. If you want to make money from it it has to work out of the box, and with minimal investment. With the ebay CNC, if I have to knock out a job by COB tomorrow then forget it. To many variables. If you have time to tinker then turn it into a commercial machine, then go for it. At least then when it breaks down you can fix it and wont need a rep to come out and fix it for you.

TO be honest, I think if you want a commercial CNC suitable for business then I reckon you are looking at the $10k plus market. If you want to make a cheap CNC suitable for commercial use then allocate a couple of years before you commission it.