Rockcliff first or Joe?

[bartp]

Hello, I'm really excited to start my first build soon. I've been meaning to get around to this project for years now, and finally the time has come (so I hope).

But now I'm in a pickle, I was intending to start building the Rockcliff machine, I purchased the plans and everything. Now I'm finding this wonderfull machine (joe2006) and it looks like it would serve me much better than Rockcliff (because Joe has bigger cutting surface) So, if you ware in my situation... would you just go ahead and go with Joe2006 as your first CNC or go simple and do Rockcliff? Would it be a good idea to go with Rockcliff and once that one is done, use Rockcliff to cut out parts for the Joe?

and how much more money would it cost to set up Joe2006?

Thanks in advance, I really enjoy your community.

[joecnc2006]

If money is an issue, then i would build the rockcliff, and gather the software and electronics needed (get contoloor and motors which will run both so you are ahead that far) then learn all you can by the 1st experiance, cut out dsome of the parts for my machine, and use templetes for the larger pieces, or you can mate cuts and slide the piece through the machine in a few different cuts.

Believe me no matter which machine you go with you will always want bigger... LOL

but use the rock cliff as a beginners learning curve if you have no experiance.

Joe

[bartp]

That sounds good Joe, thanks for your replay!

[bp092]

Joe said it right. The sky is the limit and you will never feel as though you have the best machine, you will always want more. If it's not about money build the joe06, I knew nothing of cnc routers when I started here; NOTHING. All I had was a little coin and some ambition. The rest is learned along the way and part of the fun in the adventure. If it is about money than joe's advice is best.

[bartp]

Originally Posted by bp092 Joe said it right. The sky is the limit and you will never feel as though you have the best machine, you will always want more. If it's not about money build the joe06, I knew nothing of cnc routers when I started here; NOTHING. All I had was a little coin and some ambition. The rest is learned along the way and part of the fun in the adventure. If it is about money than joe's advice is best.

yes, Joe is very wise. I don't know much about CNC (yet) so I'm in the same boat as everyone else in the beginning stages ... Money is always a factor, but hobbies usually turn into a bottomless money pits. I guess if you love something, you always find money to do it... so in that sense, money is not that big of a deciding factor for me. A deciding factor of what I would like to start with is a good set of plans for beginners, as a sort of 'introductory course to CNC building'. I gave it some thought and I think that I will go with the Rockcliff plan first, as per Joe's advice. I intend to modify it a bit to make the bed a little bit bigger, 24"x32" as that would satisfy most of my cutting needs. And of course, once you have a CNC, making another one is just that much simpler.