Holla,

I would like to get a small cnc machine (or a 2d cutter) to help me while building my airplane, something in the 14 inches and more.

Thanks,

Not sure on prices, but these units seem well built from having seen them at various rc shows.

marcs

[link]http://www.step-four.at/e_index.html[/link]

How much you want to spend ,,there are several makers of these machines ,,Okmua,Hardinge,Haas
man oh man forgot to use lower caps..LOL,
good luck

I bought a Zenbot 1216 with a Bosch Colt spindle controlled with Mach 3.

It is a solid low cost 3 axis machine with a footprint (12' x 16") that is perfect for model size projects.

www.zenbotcnc.com

Phil

Price doesn't really matter ;-), I mean something under 3500$... would be ok, but the less I paid, the better it is if the quality is there...

Zenbot web site doesn't work for me (at least a my office), I will check it later...

For Step-four it's look nice, but no price are displayed, so I will have to contact them...

Thanks, any other suggestions ?

Is there a reason to go CNC rather than a laser cutter?

Mike

Why not build your own ? I did !

Not sure what you are going to be using it for, wood or metal but if you are going the wood route then I would build your own. Its cheaper in the long run and you end up knowing your machine inside and out. Wood also allows more forgiveness on tolerances but metal needs to be precise to something like .002 at least. When I pool some cash I am highly considering one of these:

[link]http://buildyourcnc.com/blackToe2x4v40.aspx[/link]

They are relatively inexpensive for the precision they offer and it will cut up to 2' x 4'. More than enough room.

Well I want one to save time, so building it will take me time... lol...

I finally got acces to the zenbot website, and that the best price so far...

I think I will buy one (the 1216 or the 1624)...

Thanks

Phil, do you have a video of it ? (Zenbot)

How do you like it ?

Can it cut balsa, is it compatible with autocad or Solid Edge ?

Thanks

I am positive it will cut balsa, not sure if there is a CNC machine out there that cant.

Robin, AutoCAD and SolidEdge are design programs, you will need a CAM program that will be able to translate the design into GCode and then you will need controller software, most likely Mach3, thats what I use. Your biggest hurdle to overcome will be finding the right CAD/CAM combination that works with your machine and machine software, trust me, I know!

You can build your own much cheaper than what they show, I built mine for under €500, my table is 300x600, cutting balsa, ply & MDF is easy, I also cut a lot of polycarbonate upto about 6mm.

I have cut alum plate upto 3mm but it is very slow, I do intend to build another much more rigid and a smaller table specifically for cutting alum, for making retracts, etc.

I am just getting used to it, I bought it for light ply but the colt is 1hp and very solid so it should be able to do think ply and thin aluminum. The only issue I have had was the XY belt was a little loose and needed some adjustment.

So far I have been using ilUstrator to make simple outlines which can be ported to Mach 3..

The znbot is An inexpensive way to start and see if cnc fits into your workshop.

Phil

Buy a StepFour 540 Basic.
It's not only the machine what counts, but much more important how user friendly the software is.
When you're making and trying bulkheads you want to make small adjustments as easy and fast as possible.
All the rest is just discouraging your creativity. And the result clearly shows the difference.
It's maybe not the cheapest choice but definitely one you will not regret.
I have mine now for some 12 years, spent already thousands of hours on it, it never let me down and also their after sales service is prompt and first class.
I had also CNC Sherline tools (metal parts), CNC Haase (foam cutter), StepFour CNC Foam Cutter... but StepFour always is a class on its own.

Nicolas.

I have a home made unit, they are fairly easy to build. Currently run it on Mach 3 and use Bobcad to translate the files to G-Code. Quick, easy and within .002.

lov2flyrc

What are you using for your rails that the gantry moves on

Looks like Todd is using pipe or drill rod like many other designs. Roller bearings in a "V" configuration, not a bad setup Todd.

My Machine is built from extruded aluminum box rails with aluminum plates for the gantry and steel tubing for the slide rails. Aluminum angle and roller bearings where used to create the slides. Although this system works perfectly, If I where to build another I would probably go with linear slides for the gantry just to add additional precision. I can cut 1/4" ply at about 20-25in/min, balsa can be cut as fast as I desire. I have cut aluminum with this machine but it is hard on the router.

Todd, upgrade that rotozip to something a little more manly!!

LOL.... Well, I would if I needed too; but that rotozip has cut literally thousands of parts and cuts just fine for my needs. If I was cutting some real heavy material I would change it out to a router with more grunt but the cheapo rotozip does just fine for me

I will try again, is there such a thing as an inexpensive Laser cutter?

Mike

You can get some cheapo China laser cutters for about 4-6K on eBay. Not sure I would trust them though.

I will have a look, thanks for the reply.

Mike

Not really.... the laser is the expensive part. The "Cheap" ones just dont last; they are half the cost of a quality one but burn out in about 1/8 the usage. Expect to spend a min of 10K for a decent, reliable laser unit.
For basic hobby usage, CNC router is far more economical.

Agreed Todd, lasers are super cool but only for BIG budgets!