Does anyone own a EZ Router Machine? I have seen Camasters Cobra/CR408 and Warthogs UB/SLE/SXL machines in person and just wonder how a machine like EZ Router compairs with them. I'm looking at both Plasma and Routers (2 different machines not a combo fire starter) so if you have either sound off and advise.

i bought camaster, several reasons!! but i did give ez a good look, great price

spoke to thier suppliers they were well liked and have a respected machine

did not like the gantry and recessed table like shopbot. i had several cabinetmakers tell me i would regret the recessed table when it came to removing parts and generally working around machine now i know why!!
(i went to shopbots plant as well.)
i have ordered another machine from bill at camaster for delivery after IWF with 4rth axis lathe

what are you going to use your machine for?

jim mcgrew
www.mcgrewwoodwork.com

We will be subcontracted to cut a wide variety of parts including cabinets, signs and ornamentals for gates.
You know the hardest part of not getting a machine(s) built at Camaster is Bill himself. He’s just a nice guy. When I went to visit he took me out in the field to see some equipment in action and spent the better part of the day with me. I left with a much better idea of what makes a good machine. I get the felling that after all the years he’s still excited about what he does.
I will say though that one of the guys we went to see had both styles of tables and he preferred the one he had to lift over while his employees preferred the other. Note he had a gantry lift to load materials. I can see how bending over to reach well into the cutting area could get old.
My biggest concern on the E Z Router machine is the lack of linier rails as their cam rollers are riding right on the angle iron. They are supposed to have a couple of new machines coming out but don’t know the specifics.
I think I will just have drive down to Texas and take a look. My daughter lives in Dallas and I get to see the grandbaby as well.
I haven’t given much thought to shopbot for some reason.

Greg

I just received a note from EZ Router giving a few of the details on their new machine. It will have the open face/bed design, servos, linier rails and ball screw z-axis

I will definitely drive down and take a look and report back in the next 2 weeks.

i

i did check out seven cnc machine company's and the top two for me (here in SC) were bill at camaster and brandon at ez-router neither one "oversold" their machines, i cannot tell you that about the others, i am extremly happy with my camaster, bill and the network of owners who have worked with me through the learning curve of software and machine. i have no reason to believe i would not have gotten that from brandon. i can see you are doing real home work on your purchase through your observations, i will say i absolutly prefer wincnc controller over mach3 for one major reason, if any thing goes wrong, josh (bill's son) can "call" my machine on the web and straighten it out. as a commercial concern i absolutly needed this!!!

jim mcgrew
www.mcgrewwoodwork.com

i will say i absolutly prefer wincnc controller over mach3 for one major reason, if any thing goes wrong, josh (bill's son) can "call" my machine on the web and straighten it out. as a commercial concern i absolutly needed this!!!

jim mcgrew
www.mcgrewwoodwork.com

Bill told me about the remote computer access and I thought it was a good idea; good to know it really does come in handy.


I have received a little more information from Brandon and the new EZ Router machine will be available in about 2 weeks, which will work out just right for me to take a look while in the area.

A few more details also from them, the servos will be 1200 OZ, 1000 IPM cutting/1500 IPM Rapid, Hiwin rails (I think that’s what Bill at Camaster uses as well).

I have a quote on the machine and it’s very much in line especially when you consider it’s got servos on it and a good bit of software included.

I guess one thing I just don’t get is the servo vs. stepper thing (stop right there I know the difference and don’t want to start a debate or some explanation rant). Do the benefits really out way the cost in the average shop. I noticed on a poll in this forum that a majority of users are using steppers.

servos do not out weigh in most cabinetry or cutting operations, al though i am having servos on my new machine as i intend to do some 4rth avis carving. i too thought i would be at a loss without servos and i was absolutly wrong. if you are ever in cola sc, wilmington nc or camden sc.
there are three of us here with various applications of the machine in opperation jim
feel free to call
www.mcgrewwoodwork.com

Do you have a separate drill head on your machine or are you getting one on the new machine? The usable options is another area I think makes initial purchasing difficult. I like my cars and trucks loaded but do I need a cnc machine that has cup holders?

you oughta see my fishin chairs at the end of mine, flat screen full theater

oh oh i gotta wake up:):):)

i wanted second head, kieth g of camden has it. bill showed me how it was not neccesary on cabinet parts machine, my second machine will have 5 station tool changer as carving and mdf doors are cryin to me (already doin sign jobs and bill and joey are teaching me and wrighting files for me) will post photos of apartment signs soon look at video of camaster on you tube kieths machine is on there with second head.

i have not missed it yet

jim

ANYONE?

I ordered ez-router 5x10 router with plasma the end of november 07 recieved it 3 weeks late last week of Jan. 08 to get it damaged in shipment. Took them 3 weeks to come, one guy to train and one for repair. It took both to try to repair it (bad boards, bad drivers, damaged plug from where they drilled it out to far and broke. They flew in on sunday night and out tuesday morning. And 2 weeks I still dont know how to run it.
This was the bigest mistake of my life.

is it a router or a plasma or both?

what type of controller does it have

got any photos
jim

We bought the grid for the plasma. They have no way to remove there vacuum bed. So I made a frame to remove the grid in one piece and have not made a vacuum bed yet.
We bought down draft and nothing was sealed and most of the screws had fell out when it arived. Bought a dust collector kit for the router neither one is hocked up. Still tring to run a first piece on the plasma. Can try to send pictures tomorrow.

get you going do you know what type of controller you have

photos will be helpful, jim

Mach3.
I am new to the sight and I dont know how to post a picture.
When in figure it out what would you like to see? I have a lot of pictures.

at the bottom of your reply screen is a section called "attach files"

click "manage attachments", then pick file and upload photo, when upload is finished close screen and post

post any thing you feel is of value to us, i hope we can help you get to using your router plasma, there are several ez router owners on some sign web type forums but not here i just hope to see the machine it's spindles xyz bearings etc.

mach three has a very good forum on its own and also here at cnczone

http://machsupport.com/forum/index.php

video showing mach three setup

http://www.youtube.com/user/FACTORYNEW

I thought I had a picture of some sheeting in it but I guess not. I have not made a vacuum bed yet but I have a copeland compresser I hope to use the intake side.
Can I use the spindle to drill thur 1 inch thin wall tube?

and metal is new to me we cut aluminum and only 1/4 inch, i do know a guy who may be can help us with this i see if i can get him over here, there will be others as well, you are definantly on your way, does the machine work or can you make it move with the arrow keys on your key board??

Yes,
They did a router sample after they got it going then we changed over to the plasma, and I was going to use my Hypertherm hand torch and they said it would not work that we needed a machanized torch so we did not get to see the plasma run why they were here. I can home it, move it ect. but I am having trouble getting files over to cut complete, ez-router said it might be a license problem. I have a friend across town coming in tonight to help with bobcad. Will let you know. Thanks

as the aussies say, there is a lot of support on these forums and i am sure mor people will chime in to help, there are other forums in cnc zone dedicated to metal we used to could click on "cnczone-the ultimate machinist community" at the top of this screen and go to the other forums now it's a little trickier!! try the search engine at top left there is a lot here

i have bobcad cam and have never used it,, you'll be cuttin in no time. i use vcarve pro and i know little about plasma however it was seeing my welders machine that got me lit into this
video on torch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHUs_u27IpE

jim

www.mcgrewwoodwork.com

its working again

here

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1

We have vcarve pro but dont know how to use it either.
Did cut a few little pieces on the plasma. We have one sheet of steel before changing over to the router.

check out vectric forum to see who uses it for torch work

http://vectric.com/forum/index.php?sid=2bd0eda2ae294d4def6646f59e6a51b1

i was looking at the videos of torch cutting on you tube


YouTube - Cutting a Sprocket with CNC plasma - PlasmaCAM

1" thinwall

what would you like to cut maybe i can show you in vcarve

YouTube - VIBRA-FREE High Speed Aluminum Machining

I looked at EZ-Router shop twice last early year. I thought thier workmanship was average at best and ended up purchasing an LC4896 Techo-Isel that was delivered in July 07. After I compared item for item to have an EZ router built, the cost was not much different and would not compare to Techo machine. This is one of those companies that you get what you pay for (or a little less).

how you comming with your machine jim

was going to to see the ezrouter factory, wonder what he saw??

he started this thread!!

:withstupi

Ok, so the more research I do the more confused I get. It would seem the arc voltage hieght control is a must, and servos aren't necessarily worth the extra expense for a small shop. (please don't start the debate again)

Did anyone else have input on an EZrouter table?
Anyone using a Precison Cutting System EasyLoader?

I'm new to CNC stuff and could use any and all input all of your expterise is very welcome!