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Thread: Considering CNC Router

  1. #16
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    I spent my entire life in either HVAC/R work or as an Electrician. I know about belts thank you. The OP stated he wanted to cut out speaker enclosures, that is some serious cutting, unless you want to spend 1/2 a day on just one. I sold off my big machine with rack and pinion and screw drive, welded frame I could cut 3/4 inch ply in one pass. My hobby built one with screws and aluminum extrusions is fine for signs and small projects but I would never consider it for heavy duty work.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  2. #17
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    I've got the Shapeoko XXL. Added the HDZ soon after. It is an OK machine, but it IS most assuredly a hobby machine. It uses just a router. It works well, but I've got $3500 in it and stuff to make it work. Don't forget a computer. And a dedicated dust collector if you are running it much. (or upgrade your DC to take care of increased use). $2500 won't get it done. If that is your top budget, I'd spend the next couple of months looking for a USED machine. You can find a Shapeoko for under it retail used and not too difficult. OR save your money and get a better machine for more. I'd NOT buy this again as it is too much for the $.
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  3. #18
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    The people at ShopBot have a saying, "If you purchase a CNC Router you will ultimately be a sign maker" meaning that you will at least make signs on occasion. Even if you never intend to make a sign you will at some point in time. Dosen't mean that you will be a full time sign maker it just means that signs are everywhere and CNC Routers are the ultimate sign making machines. I suggest that you plan with this in mind simply because signs are very profitable work, even for hobby operators. Honestly, if you step up to a low end commercial quality machine just a few jobs will pay for your new CNC Router in a short period of time.

    Just a suggestion.

  4. #19
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    I'm sure when I get a CNC router I'll make a sign or two since they look like an easy project to get your feet wet. But selling isn't something that appeals to most hobbyists. If the opportunity comes along that's fine but to go and actively look takes from the limited time available work with wood. If sign making was quick then I could see (not that a larger CNC would be practical for this) taking a CNC to a craft fair and letting people pick out a sign they want and then watch as the CNC routs it out. But I would think anything longer than 10 or 15 minutes and it would be too slow. That kind of leaves word of mouth bringing work to you. That's why hobbyist likely lean towards the less expensive CNC routers. If the work shows up they then either start upgrading what they have or replace it.

  5. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill George View Post
    I spent my entire life in either HVAC/R work or as an Electrician. I know about belts thank you. The OP stated he wanted to cut out speaker enclosures, that is some serious cutting, unless you want to spend 1/2 a day on just one. I sold off my big machine with rack and pinion and screw drive, welded frame I could cut 3/4 inch ply in one pass. My hobby built one with screws and aluminum extrusions is fine for signs and small projects but I would never consider it for heavy duty work.
    CAMaster uses planetary gear reduction. The stress is small on the belt. Hard to imagine how a machine that is as well built and as highly regarded as a CAMaster would do everything so well and then cut corners on an unreliable drive system. Ball screws mean nothing if the machine is so lightly built you can't take aggressive cuts. I haven't tried going 3/4" deep but I'm confident I could if needed. It's never hesitated on anything I've done with it yet. 2700 lbs is a lot of rigidity and quality components.

    camaster.com/cnc-routers/stinger-series/stinger-iii/

    As for the timing style drive belts I deal with in my work I checked and it's handling over 1500 lbs of input torque. The only belt failures I've encountered were the result of a bearing failure on the shaft that goes undetected and causes the belt to be damaged, or it was not tensioned correctly and was ran to loose. I know you will correct me if I'm wrong but I'm not familiar with belts of this type being used in any HVAC applications. If the horsepower reaches that level (750-1000) I would expect direct drive blowers. We also use a timing belt to run the hoist gear boxes on the locomotive cranes. 100 ton capacity cranes that accumulate thousands of hours. They replaced what used to be a timing chain style drive because they are much more trouble free. The chains were messy because they ran in oil and they were noisy. In over 20 years of working on heavy equipment I only recall one belt failure on a crane. We are both entitled to our opinions. Painting every machine using belts as inferior is wrong unless you have personal experience with all of them.

  6. #21
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    There is a big difference in the commercial/ industrial heavy duty timing belts Vs the tiny belts used on those small hobby CNC machines we are talking about. Have you ever seen one? What machine do you have? Here is a Link to the machine we were talking about above, I think the belt is either 3/8 or 1/2 inch wide.

    https://carbide3d.com/shapeoko/


    I worked on commercial HVAC/R not the residential your thinking about. Most of the larger units used direct drive flex couplings they would never stand up to using a belt, on 50 HP on up to 300 or so.
    Last edited by Bill George; 01-28-2021 at 8:55 PM.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill George View Post
    There is a big difference in the commercial/ industrial heavy duty timing belts Vs the tiny belts used on those small hobby CNC machines we are talking about. Have you ever seen one? What machine do you have?

    I worked on commercial HVAC/R not the residential your thinking about. Most of the larger units used direct drive flex couplings they would never stand up to using a belt, on 50 HP on up to 300 or so.
    My basic machine.

    camaster.com/cnc-routers/stinger-series/stinger-iii/

    I haven't been around the light duty CNC's so I can't give any insight whatsoever. We were obviously talking about different classes of machines. I have an acquaintance who has a Shapeoko but I've never saw it. I know nothing of the drive system. I don't even know what model he has. I'm sure I will sometime soon. Maybe when things become a little more normal. As I said the industrial setting I have experience in these belts handle high torque and or high horsepower. I'm sure we could swap "war stories" for hours.

  8. #23
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    FYI I made a comment on the X & Y drive systems for CNC and you jumped in with the statements about how much better belts were. I researched the Shapeoko when I was replacing my larger machine. The first improvement users made was replacing the belts with a screw drive conversion.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  9. #24
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    I have a Shapeoko 3 XXL - If you like tinkering....it's the way to go.
    I've spent $700 on VCarve Pro because I hated Carbide Create
    I've spent $400 on upgrading from the standard Z axis to the HDZ (huge improvement)
    I've spent $415 on moving from a trim router to a 2.2KW spindle (liquid cooled) with a VFD.
    I've spent.....I've spent....I've spent..........

    Learn from my mistakes.....Go buy a CaMaster Stinger I or Stinger II and be happy....I know I would!!!!

    Oh....here's my setup before upgrading to the spindel:
    76661756_152614562761285_6766371398869843968_n.jpg
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
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  10. #25
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    Looks pretty nice. Frankly looking back, I would have been better off with a CAMaster than going the route I did. I had almost that price in it, well close anyway and when I needed to downsize it would have held the resale value. I did try to buy a used one or two but by the time I responded to the ad they were gone!!
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis Peacock View Post
    I have a Shapeoko 3 XXL - If you like tinkering....it's the way to go.
    I've spent $700 on VCarve Pro because I hated Carbide Create
    I've spent $400 on upgrading from the standard Z axis to the HDZ (huge improvement)
    I've spent $415 on moving from a trim router to a 2.2KW spindle (liquid cooled) with a VFD.
    I've spent.....I've spent....I've spent..........

    Learn from my mistakes.....Go buy a CaMaster Stinger I or Stinger II and be happy....I know I would!!!!

    Oh....here's my setup before upgrading to the spindel:
    76661756_152614562761285_6766371398869843968_n.jpg
    i bought american made cnc and think within first year had 3000 in upgrades to make work wright.

  12. #27
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    I did and I am Happy Dennis.
    Can't believe it's been ten years and I can't imagine how many hours are on this little machine today.
    Just finished machining two 10.5" by 54" corian panels to upgrade an exterior sign at a dentist's office for 900 bucks.
    Better then printing your own money
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 01-30-2021 at 10:58 AM.

  13. #28
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    Keith that shop is way to clean!
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  14. #29
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    Goodness, that picture was taken ten years ago. Today it looks more like this:
    Air Lift Table.jpg

    this is the same area from a different angle. The panel saw in the first picture is just to the left behind the goat

    Another pic taken just before Christmas when I was working on Ornaments for friends and family.

    Air Lift Table 2.jpg

    I wouldn't want anyone to see the rest of my shop today, its so crowded there is no room to work and I have two 4 by 8 foot signs to build starting today to deliver Friday, a hundred business cards to engrave and a custom business card holder to make and deliver tomorrow.
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 01-31-2021 at 12:03 PM.

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