Newbie- Is this a good deal for my intro to CNC woodcarving?

[UWyoPoker]

Hey everyone, I've been lurking the community when I have the spare time for the past few months and I was hoping you guys could help me out with my (potential) opportunity. (Please feel free to move this if there is a more appropriate forum!)

Long story short, I have been wanting to get into hobby CNC woodworking for some time but the cost has just been prohibitive. I looked at but cant afford commercial setups, and the DIY build is appealing but this alternative might be better.

I found a guy on craigslist in a town about 200 miles away selling a "Complete CNC ready to go." I inquired, and he was asking $1,500 for it. He says he purchased it on ebay a year or two back (I can't remember) for $3k and never got a chance to use it. It's just sitting in his garage and he wants to get it to someone who will get some use out of it.

After some time talking he mentioned he would take something for trade plus some cash. I have built and shipped custom poker tables in my spare time for a few years and after a few emails he said he would take a table (similar to one pictured) for trade straight-up (I would sell that table for $1,500-$2,000; a cost of about $600 materials).

So, I am appealing to everyone here's authority on the subject. Unfortunately he doesn't have a lot of the details about the machine, but perhaps it's enough to make an informed decision.

Name on machine: "Masters CNC" (No relation to the CNC Masters corp.)
In am email from him:
"The disk has lots programs to get from cad to the cnc. They are, turbocnc, Kcam, DFXtoGcode, Mach3 and some other free cad programs. Let me know if you have any other questions. I don't know the model for the unit other than I'm pretty sure the working area is like 18" X 16". I never got the time to get into the programs and play with the cnc so I don't know much at all about it. It does come with a book called Easy CNC. I'd like someone to enjoy it because it is just sitting here torturing me because I know I don't have the time or I would be playing with it. "

Do you guys think this is a good machine to learn on, especially considering the price? It looks like it comes with the necessary software to get it going. I also have Adobe CS4, and am pretty fluent in computers and have a basic understanding of some programming languages. I think I can learn just about anything, so will this machine do what I need to have some fun in CNC woodworking?

I am interested in making some signs, 3d carvings, etc.

Thanks in advance everyone, this forum is a great resource and I plan on picking it clean once I get involved in this hobby.

[Pplug]

I bet you would get frustrated pretty quickly with a machine like that. Just from my simple observations on these forums, people that build or acquire systems like that one tend to look for an upgrade shortly after experiencing the limitations of that type of build.

I would try and fire it up before making the purchase just to make sure things are in working order.

[o1dakota440]

for under a grand and if it comes ready to run? i would take it. in a heart beat

[2slaps]

Look around more...ebay...etc for $1500 I think you can get yourself a better one. Check out the ZENBOT CNC ROUTER, CNC 4060 (on ebay) and the fireball v90.

[mactec54]

UWyoPoker

I would say NO, If you can build a poker table you could make this your self & a lot better, than what has been made in the photos

Look were the Z axes is mounted how it slides up & down this is very badly done, it only has 1 lot of bearings for support, there should be 2 spaced apart with this design, there will be other problems with it as well that we can't see in the photos

Save your money, & do it your self

[2slaps]

@mactec54

Can you look at these cnc kits from this post and tell me which one you think will be worth the money? I'm looking at engraving and maybe making some RC alum parts.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/genera...tml#post882506

[mactec54]

2slaps
To things on the Bot zinc plated steel rails & it's made from HDPE, There control looks ok

If you want a machine like this, Get one from microcarve, His machines are much better than these, You can see his builds here http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...p_machine.html

As for the Chinese You get a lot for your money, but are also very poorly built, & very little support, Support US made were you can

It's just amazing how much junk is out there, for sale in these small CNC routers, study the structure/components used, & how they are put together before you spend your dollars

[harryn]

It's not a bad machine to learn from, but I think, esp. used, its worth about $300.

It isn't a bad machine, just not something for the long haul. It is good enough to get you started so that you can build something better, and know more about cnc.

The software demo versions don't have much value, IMHO.

He isn't going to get that many offers, so don't feel bad to make an offer, and wait him out.

[UWyoPoker]

thanks for the advice everyone, it was really helpful. The biggest appeal was IF it was worth $1,500, it would be worth it for me to spend $600 and build a table to trade for it. It appears that isn't the case, I'll pass on it. I've thought about building my own and it sounds like an awesome project, but I am not sure if I have the time. In a perfect world I would have a CNC with a workhorse of a router and a 4'x8' cutting area so I could actually fab my poker tables in addition to the hobbyist woodworking I was hoping to, something like this (http://buildyourcnc.com/blackFoot48v40.aspx) but I cant swing that cost right now.

Otherwise, the Fireball V90 seems like a good option...

[mactec54]

UWyoPoker

Please look very close at the construction of these machines, the 48x40 you have the link to is not good as well, they are using aluminum for the V rollers to run on this is worse than what the first one had

This is the most important part of a machine, What kind of rails they are using

You have round linear rails supported & unsupported, supported should be used for anything over 18"

Here are some photos of the different types of rail, there are other systems that work quite well as well but ask about them before you buy