Thread: 6040 CNC questions

Hi Fred,
The comments on the thread you pointed to are echoed here. The control curcuits let these machines down as does the wiring. The Chinese when they work to their own quality control do not conform to our standards. You have to expect that with these machines.

Put this aside you are still getting very good value for money. I spend about $6,500 on parts for a machine but that includes stand, console, computer. Just a T slot table will cost you $450 for the extrusion in Australia for this size machine. So add a spindle at $400 and we are nearly half way to their total machine price.
The Shark sells for $6k and I can point to some design flaws (sorry Wolfie) on that machine.

So to put this in perspective the $2k is very good value for money but be prepared to do work on the control side. Personally I would toss the control box and drive it with Geckos.

As for import duty a lot of Chinese sellers will under value the paper work so that GST is not paid. It happened to me when I imported a machine and I didn't ask them to do it. In fact most buyers I have talked to the same has happened with the exception being the larger machines that are sent to Ports. If consience is a problem then send a cheque to Hardly Normal.

Originally Posted by Big Shed

Decided to do some checking on CNCZone

This was the first thread that came up in my search, not an auspicious start:

Experience with carving-cnc.com 6040 router - CNCzone.com-The Largest Machinist Community on the net!

The internet is a wonderful thing, with so much information at our fingertips.

But you always have to take it with a grain of salt. Sometimes writers want to show how much they know.

In that thread he has not said "it does not work" just, "I would have done it much better".

Now I am not saying he is wrong, but don't let that influence you too much.

As a couple of writers above have said the electronics in the machine will be of a minimal standard but they will most likely work. And if they are a problem can easily be replaced with a BoB and some drivers or a G540.


Regarding getting the machine from China;

Check out this seller. I certainly seems like he has stock in Melbourne and can be picked up at no charge.

CNC Router Mill/Desktop Milling Machine 6040 | eBay

That particular machine has lesser spindle but maybe, if he is legit, he has other options.



Here is another that looks to have local stock;

CNC Router Mill/Desktop Milling Machine 6040 | eBay

Here is some of his ebay spiel;

• We import all products DIRECTLY from overseas manufactures, guaranty the best price, whole sale is welcome.
• We promise that items are shipped out within 8-16 working hours of payment received.
• Our price includes all stated accessories and handling costs. There are no additional hidden charges.
• All stocks are located in Australia.
• We promise that all customers’ enquiries will be responded within 8-16 working hours upon received.
• Any issue or problem pls email or msn[email protected]

Greg

Yes, agreed on the amount of info available on the internet, including on this forum.

Once you know what you are looking at you can sort out what is valid and what is not so. For instance I have a particular 9x20 metal lathe that I am very happy with and know of at least another 6 people that are also happy with that machine and its' supplier.

There is currently a thread running from someone that has not had a good experience with either the machine or the supplier. Now I know, from personal experience, that this is the exception rather than the rule. If however I was in the market for such a machine such a thread could easily influence me enough to either not buy that or at least not buy it from that supplier.

This is why I like to ask questions and put up links so that I can get a more balanced view of what is on offer and when I (finally) do make a decision I will do it so with my eyes wide open.

I appreciate that as with most things in life you get what you pay for.

Greg, in the case of the links to the Ebay seller you put up, they are actually the same machine and the same seller and I have one of those in my Ebay watch list.
I have communicated with that seller as to whether he can supply a 4th axis, but he has no stock and he wasn't too definite about whether the control box would handle the 4th axis or whether an additional control board would be needed and if so if he could supply it.

The other thing that you mention about the spindle is by now fairly obvious to me, but when I put it in my watch list that went straight over my head.

A definite plus for local stock and the ability to drive to Melbourne and pick it up.

Rod, yes I appreciate there are additional costs when importing a machine like this and I am budgeting for it. Just not sure on how much to budget for as most people that have PMed me tell me they didn't get stung for GST or import duty, so that would be a plus.

I might get back to the Melbourne seller and pursue the 4th axis and spindle questions further and see what that would bring the price up to.

At the moment I am looking at about $2200+GST(?)+Duty(?)+DH:/UPS fees($) for the Carving-CNC machine, so say $2600.

This would give me $900 to play with to upgrade the Melbourne unit.

Even if I buy it as is, I can add a VFD+Spindle at a later stage and have money left over for better controls and a 4th axis.

That way I can learn on the machine as is and be a more knowledeable buyer when the time comes to upgrade.

Sorry to be long winded, but posting like this does seem to focus the mind.

I really appreciate the input from all you guys (and gal) who have travelled this tortuous path before.

Another thing that might be worth considering.

You have a lathe and most likely a bit of nouse to go with it.

A 4th axis is a relatively simple project to construct yourself.

If you did not see the need for a rotary straight away, that might make the purchase easier, being just the base machine alone.

Greg

Originally Posted by Greolt

Another thing that might be worth considering.

You have a lathe and most likely a bit of nouse to go with it.

A 4th axis is a relatively simple project to construct yourself.

If you did not see the need for a rotary straight away, that might make the purchase easier, being just the base machine alone.

Greg

Perhaps Greg, but by the time I get all the bits it really wouldn't save much, if at all.

4th axis units complete with tailstock come to about $400 delivered, by the time you buy a chuck, a tailstock unit and the stepper motor/controller I wouldn't expect to save much.

I am at the moment putting together a spreadsheet of the various options and their costs and will upload that here when I have it set up.
Provisionally Carving-CNC is the cheapest and the Melbourne supplier the dearest, comparing similarly specced units. He supplies a .8kw spindle/VFD upgrade for $600, the Carving-CNC comes standard with a 1.5kw spindle/VFD and costs about $600 less.

A quick pricing on the 6040 from the eBay seller who sold me mine (tool-zoom), gives an all up cost of $1964 (+GST?). No DHL/UPS fees and delivery to your door by courier. This includes the spindle+VFD unlike the Melbourne sourced machine..
Assuming that the controller is crap , a 48V power supply and Gecko G540 will set you back about $320.

OK, here is my fairly simple price comparison of a few CNC6040 options, 1 from Melbourne, 3 from Ebay and one from Carving-CNC website (China)

Please note that to get as close a comparison as possible I have factored in a VFD/spindle and a 4th axis unit complete with tailstock for all units, as this is what I ultimately want to finish up with.

As you can see, Carving-CNC is cheapest and has the advantage of sourcing everything from the one supplier, which will be easier to ensure that all bits at least hook up and work (hopefully) together.

The thing that makes the Melbourne sourced unit expensive is the additional VDF/spindle, which even at that price is only a .8kw unit as against the Carving-CNC one at 1.5kw. The only other complete unit from one supplier is the eling-export one, which comes in at about $200 more than the Carving-CNC one but again has an .8kw spindle.

Edit:
Have uploaded an updated spreadsheet, adding potential costs/fees on landing in Oz, see post #26

Originally Posted by snowyskiesau

A quick pricing on the 6040 from the eBay seller who sold me mine (tool-zoom), gives an all up cost of $1964 (+GST?). No DHL/UPS fees and delivery to your door by courier. This includes the spindle+VFD unlike the Melbourne sourced machine..
Assuming that the controller is crap , a 48V power supply and Gecko G540 will set you back about $320.

Thanks Geoff, as you can see from the above I have included your unit/supplier in my cost comparison.

It comes in at about $220 above the Carving-CNC unit, but has an .8kw VFD/spindle and I have to source the 4th axis elsewhere.

What you''ve missed there is that the Carving-CNC unit is guaranteed to incur GST/duty/processing fees as it comes in via a courier such as DHL, and those fees come to around $350 extra. The Ebay machines mostly seem to be able to sneak in via post and avoid this extra cost (although perhaps not in all instances).

The other thing I'll add regarding that whinge by the Swiss fellow on CNC Zone is that despite the poor design of these units, *heaps* are in operation doing useful work and without necessarily having to replace the driver with Gekos.

Originally Posted by RustyArc

What you''ve missed there is that the Carving-CNC unit is guaranteed to incur GST/duty/processing fees as it comes in via a courier such as DHL, and those fees come to around $350 extra. The Ebay machines mostly seem to be able to sneak in via post and avoid this extra cost (although perhaps not in all instances).

The other thing I'll add regarding that whinge by the Swiss fellow on CNC Zone is that despite the poor design of these units, *heaps* are in operation doing useful work and without necessarily having to replace the driver with Gekos.

Sorry Russell, have to disagree on a few points here.

First of all none of the Ebay will be delivered by post, first of all they are all well above the 20kg limit and if you read their listings they all specify delivery by the likes of DHL, Fedex and UPS.
So all the Ebay units could be subject to the extra fees etc.

Secondly, several people have PMed me and stated that they did not incur GST/duty/processing fees.

In fact snowyskiesau states that also in a couple of posts further up.

As these costs, if any are incurred are not known at this stage, I cannot quantify them in my spreadsheet, but I am aware that they COULD be incurred.

If they are incurred, and if they add up to your guestimate of $350, then I am still better off pricewise compared to the Melbourne unit, and I have an integrated unit from a single supplier.

I have added ypur guestimated add-on costs/fees to my spreadsheet and uploaded a new version

Yes, I do agree that there seem to be a lot of these units in operation and they seem to work OK, I acknowledged that in an earlier post, however it also good to be aware of any limitations.

Having said all that, the Carving-CNC unit has some things going for it, lowest potential cost, 1.5kw spindle as standard not an add-on from another source, and a 4th axis designed to work with it and supplied by the same supplier, not a third party.

My point was that, as you've found, many Ebay buyers don't pay GST/duty. I don't believe that's the case with Carving-CNC - the $350 is an actual figure paid by an Australian customer of theirs.

Fair enough Russell, but you put the non-extra payment for Ebay buyers down to delivery through the mail, that was the point I was querying. All these sellers state they cannot deliver to a PO Box, only a physical address and they need a contact phone no, hence no AusPost involved.

I am sure that there would be some buyers caught in the GST/duty etc net on Ebay as well sometimes, it seems a bit of a lottery.

I have paid GST, no duty, on a couple of items from the US, but more have come in without me paying GST even though the amount was clearly stated to be over the GST limit.

Why not just ask the seller what value they'll write on the customs shipping forms?

From past experience most will write what you ask them to, especially the Chinese.

Originally Posted by Big Shed

All these sellers state they cannot deliver to a PO Box, only a physical address and they need a contact phone no, hence no AusPost involved.

Yup, point taken - I kind of assumed all these Ebay buyers had avoided GST due to it coming through the postal service, which seems a bit random when applying GST, whereas couriers are always more thorough and play it by the letter of the law.

I am sure that there would be some buyers caught in the GST/duty etc net on Ebay as well sometimes, it seems a bit of a lottery.

Indeed, and it probably comes down to Ebay sellers understating the value of goods.

I have paid GST, no duty, on a couple of items from the US, but more have come in without me paying GST even though the amount was clearly stated to be over the GST limit.

Am I right in thinking those "over the limit but not charged" goods came in via post?