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Thread: Next Wave advice

  1. #1

    Next Wave advice

    I am brand new to the CNC world and am looking at buying my first machine. I am leaning to the Shark 510 by Next Wave and would like to get your opinions for that machine. Its space is a fit for me and the price is good and they have a promotion that they will include the water cooled spindle at no charge, an $800.00 item. I have also downloaded a free version or their software and found it fairly easy to learn. Any advice or other information you might pass on is appreciated.

    Thank You

  2. #2
    I bought shark as first cnc and wasn't impressed with the material it was constructed out of as I found it was not very rigid and while it did the job it just too much work cleaning up the work piece by hand afterwards. A water cooled spindle is nice but you can buy one with a VFD for maybe $200. Just do your research on the brand before you make a decision. You can also look at their forum and usually find a used one for sale when people move up to a better machine.

  3. #3
    I understand that they have made some changes to their machines to make them more rigid. The new 500 series is their newest, which one did you have? Also I would be interested in hearing your recommendations on any other machine. I believe I want a machine that can be run with a pendant and that is one thing that attracted me to the Shark. I am still so new to this would you tell me what what the VFD refers to? Thanks

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    I do not know of anywhere you can purchase a water cooled spindle and VFD for $200? Even the cheap ones are at least $400 for ones that work.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  5. #5
    It was an older one but I looked at them last time I was in Rocklers and grabbed the spindle and it still was moving. Maybe they fixed it on that model. I can't personally recommend any other smaller machines but you will find a lot of info on here about different ones.
    VFD is a variable frequency drive.

    Bill, I just looked at Amazon and saw several around $250, I should have said under$300. I'm not saying they are good ones or bad ones but spindles have come way down lately. I didn't bother looking at ebay. I did look at Rocklers and saw the spindle setup they sell for the shark at $800. It is $358 on Amazon so a bit more than $200 but closer to $200 than 800

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    Iowa USA
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    You have to wonder if those $249 and $300 spindles with VFD and mounts that LOOK the same as the $800 ones are the real thing or just another Chinese knock off?? When I purchased mine I looked for a good seller in the USA and a made in Japan VFD as I heard all about those horror stories. Who wants to be in the middle of say a 4 or 5 hour job and have it stop working?
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  7. #7
    Not sure. I have heard of people saying they bought and used some and had no issue. I know I swapped mine for a no name ATC spindle out of Vietnam seller on ebay at a really cheap price for an ATC and it has been running strong for a long time. I am just guessing that it is a Chinese made but it could have been made anywhere but it is probably the best purchase I have made for my cnc. If I was looking for a small spindle like those I might give one a try at that price to just see but that's taking into consideration that it goes on a hobby machine not a money maker.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Nolensville, Tennessee
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    42
    Quote Originally Posted by ken fountain View Post
    I am brand new to the CNC world and am looking at buying my first machine. I am leaning to the Shark 510 by Next Wave and would like to get your opinions for that machine. Its space is a fit for me and the price is good and they have a promotion that they will include the water cooled spindle at no charge, an $800.00 item. I have also downloaded a free version or their software and found it fairly easy to learn. Any advice or other information you might pass on is appreciated.

    Thank You
    Ken, I purchased an HD520 back in October. New Wave had the same deal going then with the spindle, so I have that as well. I had read a lot of negatives about the earlier models of the Shark, but the latest HD510/520 models have a lot of upgrades that address the problems. Specifically, they have added steel plates on the sides of the plastic legs of the gantry, aluminum mounting brackets for the router/spindle instead of plastic, and precision "THK"-style rails/bearings on the X and Z axis instead of rods/bushings. It is definitely a hobbyist level machine, but I consider this my 1st machine to learn the software and process and will upgrade if/when I'm ready to move to the next level. I was able to pick up on the software quickly, but I have been using AutoCAD for years. Happy with it so far, and I learn something new everything I do a project on it. If you want to talk further about it, please let me know.

  9. Lewis, Glad to hear your positive comments on the HD520. Mine just arrived and I am assembling now. Was wondering, where did you mount the control box for the spindle? It has mounting holes on the back plate, but the assembly directions are silent as to where to mount it.

    Thanks
    Michael

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,645
    Ken, I looked at what must be every hobby level machine available before buying a OneFinity Journeyman. It is far, far beefier than the Shark. The machine I bought has a 48" X axis x 32" Y axis, which allows 4 x 8 sheet of plywood to be tiled through it. OneFinity offers smaller machines, too. I paid $4200 for mine, with V-Carve Pro software, including taxes and shipping to my door. You could buy a OneFinity with a cut area closer to the Shark you are looking at for less money AND have a much beefier machine AND great customer service.

    OneFinity does not supply a spindle with their machines, but they do offer a mount for one. I'm using a Makita palm router in mine and have no complaints or issues. At some point I may upgrade to a spindle but that's likely far down the road. Unless you plan to run all day every day I don't see much need.

    Good luck with whatever you chose. But do check out OneFinity before you decide. There is a great users group on Facebook, too, that you may want to check out. Several folks there had other CNC's before switching to 1F.

    John

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Nolensville, Tennessee
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    42
    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Philippi View Post
    Lewis, Glad to hear your positive comments on the HD520. Mine just arrived and I am assembling now. Was wondering, where did you mount the control box for the spindle? It has mounting holes on the back plate, but the assembly directions are silent as to where to mount it.

    Thanks
    Michael
    Michael, I built a cabinet for the machine to sit on. It has drawers for bit and clamp storage, an open bay in the cabinet for the cooling water system, and an open bay in the cabinet for the machine controller and the spindle VFD. I cut a piece of plywood about 12" tall and 8"wide and pocket screwed it to the cabinet floor near the front of the open bay. I mounted the VFD to the plywood at the top so there would be plenty of room for the cables dropping out of the bottom.

  12. Michael,
    I have a Shark HD510. I have it resting on a Husky table (Home Depot) that is both Mobil and height adjustable with a crank. I mounted my controller vertically under the table by using large zip ties that run between the wood table top and metal mounting bracket. It is very secure and still has easy access to rhe emergency stop button.

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