looking for 3 axis small router

[Greg VN]

I would like to get another cnc so that I can increase my production by not having to use the 5 axis Anderson for small 3 axis jobs and focus it more on handrails.

 

I started looking Friday for a small machine on the web. I ran across ShopBot. It looks like it

could do the job and it is available in the 20k range. Before I make a decision on that machine I want to check out some others. I want to keep the price down in the 20k area. For that I realize that it will be a simple lower end macine. A 48 x 48 bed will be big enough for most of these projects that I am talking about and I don't have a lot of room where to put it without a major remodel. Most of my projects are a one time totally custom part in small runs.

 

Does anybody have any experience with ShopBot or any other machines in that price range?

Thanks

[Bryan Johnson]

http://www.multicam.com/eng/

 

http://www.dmsrouters.com/

 

both made local. DMS may be in a different price range, but makes a very nice machine.

[kunfuzed]

It's nice to buy American, but I ran a Multicam, and they're primitive. They get the job done, and they're cheap, but the entire control fits in the palm of your hand, and is nothing close to Fanuc compatable. Don't know about DMS. I might also be a little hard on the Multicam since it's the only router I've run, and that was after years of runing machining centers.

[kunfuzed]

Actually, reading what your going to be doing with it, a Multicam really wouldn't be a bad way to go.

[Roger Peterson]

multicam routers are fairly popular around here, as are techno, shopbot, shopsabre's. Even some of these "value" machines are built better than others, which is which I'm not sure, I get them "kunfuzed" ha-ha.

[Westgate Hardwoods]

Greg,

 

Here's another company that can custom build just about anything you need. We have one of their dual head 5x10 units (TR510). It's a very stout workhorse. They're good people to deal with also.

 

Home Page

[Greg VN]

Craig,

Thanks for that lead to CNC Auto-Motion. They have about the best built 3 axis I have seen so far. I have talked with a lot of manufacturers in the last few days and looked at several machines through the web. We have decided to try to look for a used 3 axis machine with a 4 x 8 bed in the 30k range but it is almost impossible to find much. Most of the machines that I have found new are around 65k and the used ones are mostly in the 40's and up.

I will keep looking. We are wanting to get a machine sitting in our shop before Dec 31.

It might be better to hold off and get a good new one later.

Thanks

[Greg VN]

I found a 3 axis machine with a 5 x 10 bed that is set up & running made by a company called Auto Rout in the low 20k ange. I have not heard of that company before. Does anybody know anything about them? I have pictures of the machine and am curious enough to want to do some further investigation.

Thanks

[Ron]

One option to stay away from is the rack and pinion drive system. I have had to replace the one on my table and we do not use it that much. It also gets jumpy around the quadrant points when cutting arcs and circles. By the way, it is a LA Enterprise Warthog machine.