CheapCNC Owners - Need more Comments and Pics!

[samualt]

I'm thinking about getting one of the CheapCNC units. The Mid-range unit ( Item # KIT12-18P-145). It would only be around $1500 US in the end.

I mean, with 145 oz. Stepper Motors, 18" X 12" X 4" work area, and .00025" resolution on all three axis....How could I go wrong?

I'm also thinking about building one from scratch. But I think I would end up spending as much/more OR it wouldn't be as good as the above unit. I also like the idea of being up-and-running in a couple of weeks rather than many months.

So, if you have one of the CheapCNC units please lease us a message and feel free to ramble-on as much as you like!

[WOODKNACK]

I dont have one but have emailed him. He said the top rapid speed is only 9 inches per minute. I have been tracing out pcboards with my Taig cnc mill and It takes awhile even at 30 IPM. One board I am doing is very complex and it take over an hour to do. At 9 ipm It would take quite awhile.

oh course this is just something you should think about.

[ullbergm]

I thought long and hard about building a cnc (checked prices, sketched plans, etc.) but eventually i decided to go ahead and get a CheapCNC (the plastic 24" x 12" x 6" one, $1748 after shipping and everything. That's not counting the steppers, spindle or controller, i already had those)

The ultimate reason that i decided on buying one was that i dont have any cnc experience and i didnt want to spend a month building something and then not have it work as good as i'd want it to.

I'm hoping that the machine will arrive in a couple of weeks and then i'll post some pictures and stuff.

[marvinstov]

Hi there,
I have been lurking and learning the past few months. I just ordered a "CS12-24 P (P)" last week. The new plastic one. Can't wait till it gets here. I am also building a machine while waiting on it to arrive. Will finish it tomorrow (been working on it about two weeks after work). I will have about $500.00 in my scratch built machine but I am sure it wont be as accurate as the "Cheap" one. Now I have to learn the rest, software, G-Code, drawing , converting etc. I have been experimenting with a Xylotex board and steppers with TurboCNC software trying to learn something. I really like the Xylotex (Jeff has been a great help) and the TurboCNC software. Easy to set up and use. I haven't cut anything yet, just have them on the kitchen table running them till tonight. Got the Z axis completed and working. Will complete the X and Y axis tomorrow. I am using some high quality drawer slides and a lot of hardware store stuff. Built a 30-12-5 volt power supply/control box (30 volt is completely separate circuitry) and bought a cheap ($15.00) computer on E-Bay to run it with. I have figured out that you can spend as much or as little as you want, depending on the accuracy and repeatability you want. All of it is a lot of fun. Most of the stuff I used to put it together was CAWS and eyeball engineering. I think it is going to work fine for what it is. I have some pictures of the power supply already posted and will post some pics of the machine soon. Thanks to everyone for all your comments and information. This forum is the greatest!
Good luck,
Marv

[samualt]

ullbergm:
By providing your own motors, controller, and spindle are you thinking it will go faster? That is, more inches per minute?

I'm having a bit of a concern about speed and gantry clearance. I would have already bought one if not for those two things.

The gantry clearance on the Mid-range model is only 2". Even with the top-model it's only 3". That means you can't have parts in it that are very high. I was hoping for at least a 4" clearance. Four inches just sounds better some how. You wouldn't be relegated to just making plaques.

And the Speed of only 9 inches per minute scares me. I was hoping to do some artsy fartsy stuff and that would probably mean complicated designs. Anyone know what would be needed to speed it up? Or, more precisely, what is slowing it down? Would changing out the steppers, controller, or something else make it faster?

Hmm....

[ullbergm]

Originally posted by samualt
ullbergm:
By providing your own motors, controller, and spindle are you thinking it will go faster? That is, more inches per minute?

That was not the intent, i believe my motors are very similar to the ones cheapcnc supplies, mine are 150 oz and the ones that the kit i got normally comes with 145 oz motors. So i dont think there will be much difference, it was just that i had already purchased some motors and a controller.

I'm having a bit of a concern about speed and gantry clearance. I would have already bought one if not for those two things.

The gantry clearance on the Mid-range model is only 2". Even with the top-model it's only 3". That means you can't have parts in it that are very high. I was hoping for at least a 4" clearance. Four inches just sounds better some how. You wouldn't be relegated to just making plaques.

That was another thing that nearly made me construct my own cnc, but in the end i believe that for what i'll be doing 3" will be sufficient. Whenever i actually build a machine it will have more clearance, but for now i think this will be fine for me.

And the Speed of only 9 inches per minute scares me. I was hoping to do some artsy fartsy stuff and that would probably mean complicated designs. Anyone know what would be needed to speed it up? Or, more precisely, what is slowing it down? Would changing out the steppers, controller, or something else make it faster?

Looks like Paul in this thread -> http://www.cnczone.com/showthread.php?threadid=832
Ran it at 12 IPM when he did the crest piece

It probably depends on the materials/depth of cut..
If anyone out there that is currently using a CheapCNC could post the speeds, depth of cut and materials they are currently cutting, it'd apreciate it.

[paulried]

As most of you know from past threads, I have one and love it. Unfortunately it is currently packed back in it's crate and about to be loaded on a moving van! Look out Toronto, here I come...

I had a few problems with the machine at the beginning which all boiled down to my homebuilt computer's parallel port not generating a consistent signal. As soon as I switched over to my 9year old's laptop (long story on how she got it....) my problems were solved! Support from the company through all of it was great.

Cheers,

[ullbergm]

Originally posted by paulried
[B]As most of you know from past threads, I have one and love it. Unfortunately it is currently packed back in it's crate and about to be loaded on a moving van! Look out Toronto, here I come...

Paul,
What kind of speeds/depth of cut do you ususally run it at when you are cutting wood?
Ever tried to do any aluminum on it?

Thanks,
Magnus

[paulried]

Cutting depth has not been a problem. I usually go at 3/16-1/4", but have gone up to 3/8". This was during roughing passes. I do mostly name plates and engraving.

Speed is slow. I would guess at 8-10" per minute. However, the joy of CNC is start it, and walk away. It will be done, when it is done. If you look at a thread of about 2 months ago in this forum, I did a crest that took 4 tool changes and about 18 hrs if I remember correctly. There were pictures in the thread.

[paulried]

Originally posted by ullbergm
Paul,
What kind of speeds/depth of cut do you ususally run it at when you are cutting wood?
Ever tried to do any aluminum on it?

Thanks,
Magnus

Nope to aluminum cutting, but I am sure it will be no problem. I have seen many routers cut aluminum. The cutter is the key.

[ullbergm]

Originally posted by paulried
Cutting depth has not been a problem. I usually go at 3/16-1/4", but have gone up to 3/8". This was during roughing passes. I do mostly name plates and engraving.

Speed is slow. I would guess at 8-10" per minute. However, the joy of CNC is start it, and walk away. It will be done, when it is done. If you look at a thread of about 2 months ago in this forum, I did a crest that took 4 tool changes and about 18 hrs if I remember correctly. There were pictures in the thread.

Thanks, now i have some idea of how deep to go for each cut.

[keithorr]

Originally posted by paulried
Nope to aluminum cutting, but I am sure it will be no problem. I have seen many routers cut aluminum. The cutter is the key.

I've seen some routers cut aluminum poorly. If the machine deflects too much, everything starts vibrating and the machine doesn't cut as much as it chips. A short Z axis will help keep things a little tighter.