# I know you get what you pay for, but...



## jasonallen

Ok, I am interested in CNC. But I'm not $5,000 - $8,000 worth of interested. I just want to do simple small inlays and interesting joinery. I know you get what you pay for, and for the most part I haven't been shy about spending the extra cash to get quality shop equipment. But I just can't justify a high dollar CNC. I have looked at the Piranha on Rockler for $1,600. I'm wondering if it would do what I want to do or if I would just be throwing away money on junk. It uses Vectric software and a Bosch Colt router. It also interests me because it can take other attachments to do different things. I admit I haven't done a huge amount of CNC research and I don't know much. I just thought I'd start here. I always prefer to ask real people over doing online research.


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## SuperCubber

How about the Shapeoko? A few YouTube woodworkers recently reviewed the Shapeoko 2, and for the most part, had good things to say. It sounds just about right for what you mentioned. If you haven't seen the videos, a few of the guys that's got them are:
Jay Bates (also an LJ member)
Izzy Swan (not very active LJ member)
Bob Claggett (I Like to Make Stuff)


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## ChuckC

Check out cnczone.com. There is a lot of information there on buying and making a CNC router. If you are up for it consider making one. If you check out my projects you will see the one I made. They are easy to make and very accurate.


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## jasonallen

How computer savvy do I need to be to operate these things? Lets see…. I took a keyboarding class in 1998.


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## JAAune

You'll need to know some sort of CAD or drawing software for starters. Then comes CAM. CAM isn't as hard to learn as CAD but expect to make a lot of mistakes when working on your first cutting programs.

If you go the do-it-yourself route and cobble together a package of cheap/free software like I did, you'll need a lot of computer skills. I'd recommend looking into a compatible software/machine package if you aren't good at computers or you'll need to find friends to help you with initial setup.


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## wormil

Best video on the Shapeoko, IMO





After giving away a bunch of Shapeoko's, Inventables came out with the Xcarve
https://www.inventables.com/technologies/x-carve


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## KarenW

I can't speak directly about the Piranha but I do have the Shark Pro Plus.
The only thing I can tell you for sure is don't skimp on size. The more you learn and the more you get into what a cnc can do, the more you'll wish you had the larger bed.

The Vectric software is very good but you'll have to spend some time learning it if a keyboarding class is your only background. It's a brand new language to learn with vectors and nodes and toolpaths and G-code and offsets and endmills and feedrates. And you'll have to adjust your thinking. I've been working with computers since 1982 and have been a woodworker for 34 years and it still took me a good 3 months to learn and understand what I was doing.

The machine itself is relatively simple - a bed/table, a gantry with a spindle or router mounted to it, stepper motors that move the router left/right/back/forward/up/down. It's the software that takes the time. It's designing, planning and creating the file and understanding the expected results of each step. 
The machine is a machine, just like any other in your shop but the real work is before you ever touch a piece of wood.

JMO of course.


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## cootcraig

I would like to get a CNC mill some day. My current choice is the
Gryphon V-2


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## Gixxerjoe04

I have the shapeoko 2, nice small machine I had to put together completely, but for $550 it's worth the time compared to other machines price wise. They came out with the X-carve which is a little bit more expensive but it's suppose to take half the time with assembly and suppose to be better. Problem I'm having is figuring out the software side, but I'd say depends how in depth you want to go with it and what you want to do. The good thing about the inventables products like shapeoko and xcarve is you can upgrade what you want. It comes with everything you need to make stuff but you can put a better spindle if you want and make it bigger. The work area is around 12"x12" but if you want you can buy the longer rails, forget how big you can go though.


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## MikeGager

the basic setup is 500mmx500mm with about a 300×300 cutting area or about 12×12 like mentioned. the typical upgrade size is 1000×1000 which is 800×800 cutting size or about 31×31

for about $1250 you can get a 1000×1000 Xcarve with all the upgrades or if you dont need everything they let you pick what you need. you can get a running 500×500 machine (after assembly) for less than $800. only bad thing at this point is it doesnt come out til april!

https://www.inventables.com/


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## gad5264

Waiting patiently for the X-care by inventables to start shipping to see how peoplelike it after assembly. Its supposed to start shipping 4/30. I'm thinking my wife should buy me one for my birthday in May.


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## MikeGager

i ordered an X carve last week. i got mine without the waste board because they wanted $120 to ship it! yikes ill just go to home depot and get mine, thanks.


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## oldnovice

*jasonallen*,
Have you seen the new Shopbot Desktop MAX looks like a desk top on steroids!


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## KarnWoodworks

Gryphon V-2 is a good one!


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## MadMark

AutoCAD - .DXF file with geometry
"DXF2GCODE": http://screwballsrc.com/cnc/ - .DXF ==> .TXT GCODE commands for CNC
GCODE is arcane and has been in use since CNC was born.


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## ste6168

> *jasonallen*,
> Have you seen the new Shopbot Desktop MAX looks like a desk top on steroids!
> 
> - oldnovice


Looks nice, but 9k. I'm out.


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## runswithscissors

There's a CarveWright on the Bellingham (WA) CL right now for $1250. Says it has a lot of optional add-ons, including router.


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## Amoc

I purchased the Shapeoko 3 in mid-December, built it, and now going through the learning curve how to use it.

The machine is not that hard to build, but the they leave a lot desired about setup and software. Another issue that I am finding is a pain is their is an EMI issue. You are starting a project, you either finish the first piece or you need to change a bit, the minute you turn the router off, the software crashes requiring to have to reboot the computer and set up the software. The good side to this is they are working on it and have the best customer support I have seen. But I cannot complain, I bought a CNC for a 3rd of what they normally cost new!

The plus is I am getting the hang of it and I have already started making some projects, small and simple, as I learn more and settle on the CAD/CAM package I will be doing more to include 3D relief.


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