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CNC Router Regrets?
- Thread starter noregrets
- Start date
iSign
New Member
ditto!
(I regret waiting until the moment before the recession I still hadn't seen coming yet...
would have been a huge benefit to have bought it a couple years earlier when cash flow was awesome, and a highly trained staff made my own time much more available for R&D etc...)
theskipman_98
New Member
We have a CLN 300 Router. We have had it a little over 3 years now, and use it nearly all the time ( I know; it's my job to run it.) We use it do everything from channel letter backs, acrylic and plastic faces, cutting down substrates as opposed to the ragged edges from our panel saw, HDU signs, and the occasional 1/4" thick, stud mounted aluminum lettering.
Our machine was purchased from a company getting into building router tables, even though they had been building channel letter benders and notchers. Since our's is an early sale, they consider it a beta model. Don't ever buy a beta model. Now even with that said, it has been a work horse and this company has gone on to produce much improved models.
Do your research. Find out about the different types of drives and the advantages/disadvantages of both. Make sure you have the right table for the materials you will be using on it and the materials you will come to use on it. Make sure it is equipped with a router spindle with enough speed/torque/frequency control for what you need. Demand real world demo before purchasing it (run files of your own doing, not their "demo" files). Determine your needs in a 2D (2.5 axis) or 3D router system. Make sure if you are planning to do 3D at a later date, make sure to ask and demo that it can do 3D.
Don't skimp on the routering software! My main limitation is we only have the basic version of our software. Now even though I can carry a design straight from Flexi into it, is is severely limited. Make sure to research the different softwares, or the one that comes with your potential table. If the "stock" software is a negative, see if it can be upgraded or if it can use another brand software.
Lastly, service and customer support. In our case, the company that built our table does not furnish a parts department. But, with that being said, our table was built with "off the shelf" parts. Any part that has fail, has simply been a few phone calls and a credit card number away.
Customer support is really where our table's company has shined. Have called anytime during business hours, someone always answers the phone. Have been on the phone for literally hours at a time to troubleshoot a problem. Did not cost us a dime, except our time and a phone call. If they can't answer the problem on the phone at that time, they call back when they have a suggestion or a solution.
Well that's all I can think of for advice, sure there is more. Happy researching!
Our machine was purchased from a company getting into building router tables, even though they had been building channel letter benders and notchers. Since our's is an early sale, they consider it a beta model. Don't ever buy a beta model. Now even with that said, it has been a work horse and this company has gone on to produce much improved models.
Do your research. Find out about the different types of drives and the advantages/disadvantages of both. Make sure you have the right table for the materials you will be using on it and the materials you will come to use on it. Make sure it is equipped with a router spindle with enough speed/torque/frequency control for what you need. Demand real world demo before purchasing it (run files of your own doing, not their "demo" files). Determine your needs in a 2D (2.5 axis) or 3D router system. Make sure if you are planning to do 3D at a later date, make sure to ask and demo that it can do 3D.
Don't skimp on the routering software! My main limitation is we only have the basic version of our software. Now even though I can carry a design straight from Flexi into it, is is severely limited. Make sure to research the different softwares, or the one that comes with your potential table. If the "stock" software is a negative, see if it can be upgraded or if it can use another brand software.
Lastly, service and customer support. In our case, the company that built our table does not furnish a parts department. But, with that being said, our table was built with "off the shelf" parts. Any part that has fail, has simply been a few phone calls and a credit card number away.
Customer support is really where our table's company has shined. Have called anytime during business hours, someone always answers the phone. Have been on the phone for literally hours at a time to troubleshoot a problem. Did not cost us a dime, except our time and a phone call. If they can't answer the problem on the phone at that time, they call back when they have a suggestion or a solution.
Well that's all I can think of for advice, sure there is more. Happy researching!
fixtureman
New Member
DO NOT use those vacs they don't have the second stage to cool them. There have been fires started by them. If you go the vac route use the Fein that has the cooling or you can buy some vac motors that are listed on the Shopbot forum.
Stagecraft
New Member
Feins are great, you can run 'em all day long! I recently installed vacuum systems on both my tables with the setup described on the Shopbot forum. I bouight mine from central vacuum http://www.centralvacuummotor.com/lighthouse.htm
I run four motors on my large table and 2 on my 4x8 with selective zoning. Amazing how well these systems hold!
One word of advice...if you go the vacuum motor route, make sure to spend a bit extra and purchase mufflers for them. - Boyd
artbot
New Member
i'm sorry if i gave some dangerous advice. i personally haven't encountered any issues in 25 years of using them other than them crapping out after about 3-4 years and it's loud. of course this was an ultra-low-budget solution for back with i was a kid and i've never had any urgency to upgrade.
thanks for the link to all the spec'd motors. that would be a great upgrade.
thanks for the link to all the spec'd motors. that would be a great upgrade.
HulkSmash
New Member
for that price get a multicam...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MultiCam-M-...ltDomain_0&hash=item3cc7aba7f3#ht_2006wt_1140
If I lived in the USA that would be an option. By the time I shipped that here and took into account the exchange rate, I would be paying the same 
ShinySignage
New Member
We have two. One is specially for cutting acrylic. We also bought one CNC bending machine for aluminum profile. Those machines bring efficiancy in channel letter making.
grampa dan
New Member
Six years ago I did a few months of research before purchasing a router. The specs were confusing at the time and the options were endless. Every manufacturer had the perfect machine or so they said. Talking to many owners of different machines helped some but most folks tend to recommend what they have. Some of the comments I heard were similar to what is written above.
My advice would be to buy the best possible machine you can possibly afford. Buy it with all the options you think you need.
We opted for a high end MultiCam 3000 series machine. we got a 4x8 machine as that was the size of the material I always used.It has full servo motors, vacuum table and auto tool changer. I bought the best because I didn't want to think about the machine or how to keep it running. Instead I wanted to think about the work we would do WITH the machine. We also opted for a top end software... EnRoute Pro.
I hoped it would pay for itself in four years... the reality is it paid for itself in six months.
Fast forward six years of great performance and support from my local dealer... No regrets. What would I do if I had to do it again?
We just traded in our machine on a new one because we wanted a FOUR AXIS machine. The old machine still ran perfectly fine. MultiCam asked me what I wanted on the new machine and I ordered it equipped exactly like the old one save for the four axis setup. I was that happy with it.
-grampa dan
My advice would be to buy the best possible machine you can possibly afford. Buy it with all the options you think you need.
We opted for a high end MultiCam 3000 series machine. we got a 4x8 machine as that was the size of the material I always used.It has full servo motors, vacuum table and auto tool changer. I bought the best because I didn't want to think about the machine or how to keep it running. Instead I wanted to think about the work we would do WITH the machine. We also opted for a top end software... EnRoute Pro.
I hoped it would pay for itself in four years... the reality is it paid for itself in six months.
Fast forward six years of great performance and support from my local dealer... No regrets. What would I do if I had to do it again?
We just traded in our machine on a new one because we wanted a FOUR AXIS machine. The old machine still ran perfectly fine. MultiCam asked me what I wanted on the new machine and I ordered it equipped exactly like the old one save for the four axis setup. I was that happy with it.
-grampa dan
MultiCam
New Member
It's definitely important to understand what you have and what you want. Some investments go wrong because the manufacturer doesn't understand what they're looking for. You should weigh your options and the factors that determine your choice. For example, when investing in a router, you could be looking at price, performance, flexibility, and automation.
You can read my post on my blog here where I talk about when you should invest in a router.
You can read my post on my blog here where I talk about when you should invest in a router.
O
onlinestar
Guest
with a multicam, what is the smallest size letter i can cut out off the substrate (if i wanted solid cherry wood substrate with cut through lettering in it) ? it can be slow, with the best bit available, I just want to see what's the limit really
synergy_jim
New Member
Bought a 1000 series multicam with 8 tool changer , vision system and 5x10 table. Have not looked back since then.
Aside from having a problem with one service tech, we have had no issues. Do yourself a favor and learn as much about the machine as you can. Troubleshooting your own problems saves a ton of $$$
I would not even consider a unit without an automatic tool changer.....
Aside from having a problem with one service tech, we have had no issues. Do yourself a favor and learn as much about the machine as you can. Troubleshooting your own problems saves a ton of $$$
I would not even consider a unit without an automatic tool changer.....
artbot
New Member
we knocked around this subject to death setting up this new shop... we went back and forth between multicam and axyz. a well known cnc tech suggested that we look at LIMAC. he discussed that of all the machines he services in the houston area, they are the most dependable. so my cnc guy went to go inspect a local 5x10 limac and was extremely impressed with the build quality. he's a multicam guy but had to admit that for our needs, the limac was the way to go. we've bought a 5x10 cnc with the quick change spindle and vacuum for $32k.
SignProPlus-Chip
New Member
We are just about done building ours....EXTREMELY inexpensive as compared to purchasing one.
It didn't take long at all, maybe a few hours here and there over the course of a couple of weeks. Doesn't hurt that my business partner can weld and that I am a machinist...it make fabricating some of the parts easier.
It didn't take long at all, maybe a few hours here and there over the course of a couple of weeks. Doesn't hurt that my business partner can weld and that I am a machinist...it make fabricating some of the parts easier.
