Looking to take the plunge

[Phil Rose]

I want to buy my second machine first. I’d love a 4x4, but I think the shop only justifies a 2x4. I can live with that. I’m looking at the Avid Pro, but really only because the footprint is slightly smaller. I am a little confused on the extended gantry and the z height options. Any suggestions or references the peanut gallery can share?

[Jim Becker]

Phil, I will tell you that if you intend to make things like furniture parts, etc., that are thicker items, go for that higher Z-height. I have wished I would have done that a few times over the past two years with my machine. I'm not familiar with the AVID options for that, but it sounds like there are two, so I'd do the higher of the two.

[bobby milam]

Like Jim said, getting the taller gantry gives you the ability to do larger parts that need the extra height but it comes at a sacrifice of rigidity in the frame. So unless you are going to be making furniture or something that requires more than the 8", I would skip it. The extended gantry, sounds like it is just a wider gantry so if you want to add a 2nd spindle onto the machine and run 2, it allows one of the spindles to clear the table so that each gantry would have full access to the entire cutting width of the table. Most probably won't have a use for that either

[David Buchhauser]

From the Avid site. I've got one of the Avid Pro 2448 machines (and one of their Pro 4848 machines) and it is pretty nice. I have the standard gantry height and width.
David

Product Notes

• We provide separate options for Z-Axis Travel and Gantry Height. Increasing the gantry height will negatively impact machine stiffness. If you plan to cut mostly sheet goods or harder materials, we do not recommend increasing the gantry height. If you require increased Z-Axis Travel, this can be accomplished without raising the gantry with our 12" Ballscrew Z-axis and standard 8" Gantry Height by recessing your work-piece in the table, or off the front of your machine (select the 12" / 8" option below for this configuration).
• We offer an extended gantry width option for dual Z-Axis machine configurations. An extended gantry provides the ability to add a second Z-Axis (now or in the future) and maintain access to the full machine work-area for both tools.

[Richard Thompson]

From the Avid site. I've got one of the Avid Pro 2448 machines (and one of their Pro 4848 machines) and it is pretty nice.
David

David,
I've been looking at the Avid systems (and a number of others). One of my big concerns is buying then very soon wishing for a larger capacity. I wondered if you got the second model (4848) because you found out that 2448 was not big enough?

[Jim Becker]

If I recall from browsing the AVID site awhile back just for grins (I own a Camaster machine), some models have extension kits to increase capacity. If that's a concern, then it should be part of the research to insure that getting bigger is possible without a complete machine re-buy. There are very much days when I wish I would have gone 4x8 instead of 4x4...hindsight is golden. Extendibility isn't a feature of heavier machines like I have, however.

[David Buchhauser]

David,
I've been looking at the Avid systems (and a number of others). One of my big concerns is buying then very soon wishing for a larger capacity. I wondered if you got the second model (4848) because you found out that 2448 was not big enough?

I bought the 4848 first and use it for wood. It is big enough for me, but is expandable to 4 x 8 or 4 x 12 should the need arise. I am using the 24 x 48 specifically for machining aluminum, so different tooling and ATC spindle for this one.
David