CNC for kitchen cabinets

[timbra]

I believe Trend will run demos of the smart bench machines. I just did a lot of research (there’s a YouTube video showing a tolerance test resulting in much tighter than 0.5mm) spoke to people who have built successful businesses (such as display making) using them. For me the size of 8x4 was essential, yes it’s never going to be as robust as a big steel framed machine (I didn’t have 40k +vat for an Axys) but in terms of quality (the spindle and collet is Maffell) I think it’s probably above a smaller rigid framed Chinese machine.

 

[JimSmith1969]

I am in the process of making a kitchen right now and have a CNC (Steel Frame so rigid) and a Panel saw with scoring blade.

I started out thinking I would use the CNC for most of the cutting drilling etc but ran into the problem of size, my CNC has a work area of 700mm wide by 1500 long so to use it:

1. I first have to cut down the sheet material to fit on the CNC.
2. I then have to devise a way of holding the panel down while I cut it out.
3. I can not cut right through the panel without using tabs to hold it in place otherwise the panel moves all over the place on the final cut and the bit destroys the panel.
4. Using tabs and hold downs means I have to oversize the material in the first place so I can hold it in place while machining so wasting material.

After I cut the smaller top units out on the CNC I decided to move over to the panel saw for cutting the sheets to size which worked out a lot better. Then once cut to size I put them on the CNC to do the drilling and grooving which seemed a better way to use my CNC. If I had a ridgid 8' x 4' CNC I would probably use that for the cutting too as they produce a very clean cut when using the right cutter.

I would say 0.5 mm is way off for a CNC especially if you are drilling holes that need to be in the correct position and correct size. I had to upgrade my collets from standard chinese ones to AA and AAA grade collets because to holes were just not accurate enough for my kitchen with standard collets (The standard collets produced holes about 0.1 to 0.2mm too large which gave a sloppy fit to shelf pins etc). If you don't have good quality collets then the bits you use will spin eccentrically. I have had my CNC for about three years and only noticed the problem with the collets when I needed to be really accurate. For V carving and other stuff I never noticed the problem with my chepo chinese collets but I did when drilling holes for my kitchen.

From what TIMBRA has said 8'x4' is brill but I'd want to test one out first by cutting melamine panels and drilling holes in a few offcuts first, it's something to think about.

Mark

I hear you on the challenges with CNC limitations, especially when it comes to handling larger panels. I've run into similar issues before, and it's a tricky balance between maximizing CNC precision and practicality for larger pieces. Your approach of using the panel saw for cutting to size and then switching to the CNC for drilling and grooving makes a lot of sense, especially with the workspace constraints.

For me, having good quality collets is a game-changer as well, particularly when drilling for precision fittings like shelf pins. The tiny inaccuracies in hole sizes can make a big difference in cabinet construction. I also agree with your point about testing machines like the 8'x4'—there's nothing quite like running a few cuts and drills on melamine to see if it meets your standards before committing. That rigid frame on your CNC is definitely a plus, though, and upgrading those collets must have made a noticeable difference for you.

It's all about finding that sweet spot between tools. For larger projects, I often favor the panel saw for speed and clean cuts, and I save the CNC for where precision really matters, like intricate joinery or custom designs.

 

[meccarroll]

It's all about finding that sweet spot between tools. For larger projects, I often favor the panel saw for speed and clean cuts, and I save the CNC for where precision really matters, like intricate joinery or custom designs.

I agree with the above too!

My CNC has a ridgig steel frame with a 2.2Kw spindle and produces very clean cuts in melamine but the 2.2Kw spindle can't manage full depth cuts in 18mm Melamine so it's slower to use when sizing panels than my panel saw. If I had a larger 8'x4' (Steel framed CNC) with a 4Kw or more spindle I think the CNC would be able to do full depth cuts in sheet material so would then be the machine use for sizing the panels. The problem is space, the larger you go with a CNC the more space it will take up. The upgraded collets for the CNC have made a big difference in presision so well worth paying a little extra for them. Mark