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Thread: Need To Buy a Decent Benchtop CNC Under $1000. Suggestions?

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
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    SE PA, Central Bucks County
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    323
    The Shapeoko HDZ has 150mm of travel. As I recall, the factory Z has half the HDZ's travel, but you should verify that with Carbide 3D. Also note that bit insertion points affect the true Z travel, along with how far in the mounting bracket you mount the router (aka spindle). BTW there's an XXL for sale in the Shapeoko forum (but it's near D.C.). If you go the Shapeoko route, don't forget a dust boot and some sort of a vac; CNC machines are messy.

  2. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Ramsey View Post
    The Shapeoko HDZ has 150mm of travel. As I recall, the factory Z has half the HDZ's travel, but you should verify that with Carbide 3D. Also note that bit insertion points affect the true Z travel, along with how far in the mounting bracket you mount the router (aka spindle). BTW there's an XXL for sale in the Shapeoko forum (but it's near D.C.). If you go the Shapeoko route, don't forget a dust boot and some sort of a vac; CNC machines are messy.
    Wow, Jeff, that what perfect, actually prob more than I need.

    Question: I assume with a longer bit (say 5-6"), the shape would begin travel out and become slightly larger?

    Thanks So Much,
    Scott

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
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    594
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Memmer View Post
    Wow, Jeff, that what perfect, actually prob more than I need.

    Question: I assume with a longer bit (say 5-6"), the shape would begin travel out and become slightly larger?

    Thanks So Much,
    Scott
    Carbide 3d ships all Shapeoko's with their "Z-plus" which has a bit more vertical than the older belt driven unit, about 3". The HDZ head offers nearly 6". Beyond height, the difference between Z-plus and HDZ is mostly in the rigidity of the unit and the HDZ's ability to shift a greater weight so it is better suited to spindles.

    Also the standard Shapeoko's come with dust boots now of their "Sweepy" design. You just have to tell them which size router you plan to use.

    The Shapeoko Pro offers a standard Z range of 4" and I don't know if it is compatible with the HDZ.

    There are a few examples on YouTube and in the Shapeoko forum of how some people maximize their Z travel by cutting a hole in the bed and mounting work pieces slightly below "ground".
    Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,688
    Just a word of caution...the more x-height you have available, the more valuable a heavier machine becomes, particularly for production work. There's a lot of force that gets generated as you move the tool through the material and that z-axis is effectively a lever. My point is set your expectations accordingly.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #35
    Howdy, All:

    I was at a Rockler store today and happened upon a Piranha CNC machine at $1599. What does the Shapeoko unit, for example, have that the Piranha doesn't?

    Please bear in mind that I don't need a large bed -- 12" x 12" suits me just fine. As I've mentioned, I've got a small shop, so smaller is better.

    Thank You,
    Scott

  6. #36
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Just a word of caution...the more x-height you have available, the more valuable a heavier machine becomes, particularly for production work. There's a lot of force that gets generated as you move the tool through the material and that z-axis is effectively a lever. My point is set your expectations accordingly.
    Good advice, Jim, thanks. Duly noted.

    sm,

  7. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Memmer View Post
    Howdy, All:

    I was at a Rockler store today and happened upon a Piranha CNC machine at $1599. What does the Shapeoko unit, for example, have that the Piranha doesn't?

    Please bear in mind that I don't need a large bed -- 12" x 12" suits me just fine. As I've mentioned, I've got a small shop, so smaller is better.

    Thank You,
    Scott
    It's not made of plastic. My first cnc was a shark and it was a huge mistake. Get a machine made of metal. You don't want movement or play in your gantry or the clamping area for your router. I'm not saying the Shapeoko is good or bad, I don't have any experience with it but the Shark is more of a toy than a real CNC IMO. Some people get them and like them and they have a following but I have to believe that most of them have never used a rigid cnc before.

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,688
    What Bobby said...including the T-word. Fine to play with, but not up to the job of producing things like you describe your need to be other than X-Y size.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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