Router for CNC machine

[sploo]

I know that the workbee is only a hobby machine but would be interested on people's thoughts about it.

Also are there any plans out there on building one yourself. I should add that I do not intend to make very large items, mainly signs and small gift items.

I have even thought about just making a two axis machine to draw out the design and making templates, then cutting by hand.

If you were only using one to draw templates it would likely be better to just buy a printer and tape the printed sheets of paper together.

I don't know the Workbee, but it's probably fine for light stuff. As far as I can see it's steppers running leadscrews (slow and steady, better than belt-driven as some of the budget machines do, but not as good as servos and ball screws). Roller wheels instead of proper linear slides; so not great (but linear slides can be expensive).

Physically it looks to be about 1/3 of the mass (for the equivalent work area) as my K2 3925; which itself was considered a "small" budget machine; so it's not going to be particularly sturdy, or be able to take deep cuts.

The fact it's listed with the Mafell FM 1000 and Katsu router means it wouldn't really be suitable for one of the bigger spindles (as they're too large and heavy).

For sign making I can't see any reason why it wouldn't be perfectly fine though. It's unlikely to be a machine that you'd want to run 8 hours a day / 5 days a week, but I don't really think my K2 is either.

 

[Dave the woodworker]

Could I see some photos of a k2 and are these available as used machines anywhere?

 

[Dave the woodworker]

If you were only using one to draw templates it would likely be better to just buy a printer and tape the printed sheets of paper together.

I don't know the Workbee, but it's probably fine for light stuff. As far as I can see it's steppers running leadscrews (slow and steady, better than belt-driven as some of the budget machines do, but not as good as servos and ball screws). Roller wheels instead of proper linear slides; so not great (but linear slides can be expensive).

Physically it looks to be about 1/3 of the mass (for the equivalent work area) as my K2 3925; which itself was considered a "small" budget machine; so it's not going to be particularly sturdy, or be able to take deep cuts.

The fact it's listed with the Mafell FM 1000 and Katsu router means it wouldn't really be suitable for one of the bigger spindles (as they're too large and heavy).

For sign making I can't see any reason why it wouldn't be perfectly fine though. It's unlikely to be a machine that you'd want to run 8 hours a day / 5 days a week, but I don't really think my K2 is either.

I most likely will only be running it for about two to three hours a day. I am semi retired.

 

[martin.pearson]

I know that the workbee is only a hobby machine but would be interested on people's thoughts about it.

Also are there any plans out there on building one yourself. I should add that I do not intend to make very large items, mainly signs and small gift items.

I have even thought about just making a two axis machine to draw out the design and making templates, then cutting by hand.

It really depends what you want to be able to do with it, best to think hard about this because there are so many possibilities & people can change their mind or find something else they would like to do very quickly lol Hobby machines will do a lot of the things an expensive industrial machine will do only slower. So they wouldn't suit a production environment where it is all about getting the work out the door quickly but if time isn't so much of a factor then they can come in handy. Lots of machines about very similar to the workbee but don't really know whats available in the UK, If you are thinking about building your own then you would be best finding a build forum like mycncuk where there are other people building their own machines & a few experts that will help with how to go about it.
If you just want a 2 axis machine to draw out templates then you can pick up a vinyl plotter pretty cheaply these days, I have a graphtec plotter which is over 20 years old now, I just load a paper roll & use a pen if I want to do templates. You would still need software & dedicated signmaking software can be expensive but I would guess there is probably a plug in for something like inkscape (which is free) to allow you to use it with a plotter.

 

[martin.pearson]

Could I see some photos of a k2 and are these available as used machines anywhere?

I don't know about specific machines or what is available on the second user market but I would think that machines do come up if your happy to go down that road, there seem to be quite a lot of people who start off with a more cost effective, smaller machine & then upgrade at some point if things work out well for them, forums I use seem to have a lot of American people on them so it's difficult to know what the UK market is doing lol

 

[sploo]

Could I see some photos of a k2 and are these available as used machines anywhere?

I found a shot (below) from November 2006; just after I first got it.

As Martin says; they were US made. Reasonably "popular" (as far as CNC was popular back then), so there are a few in the UK, but not something that'll come up often.

Unfortunately they went out of business a few years ago, so my advice would probably be to find something from a company that still exists, as support on a CNC machine is a very good idea (unless you're buying something with lots of prior knowledge).

 

[rwillett]

I know that the workbee is only a hobby machine but would be interested on people's thoughts about it.

Also are there any plans out there on building one yourself. I should add that I do not intend to make very large items, mainly signs and small gift items.

I have even thought about just making a two axis machine to draw out the design and making templates, then cutting by hand.

I printed and built my own CNC from V1 Engineering. Here’s my thread documenting all my stupid mistakes I made.

https://forum.v1engineering.com/t/new-build-in-clapham-north-yorkshire-uk/16519
I use a Katsu router. Works well for me. I don’t cut metal though.
Rob

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

I found a shot (below) from November 2006; just after I first got it.

View attachment 121549

Mine looks like that but encrusted with filth!

 

[sploo]

Mine's the same now too

 

[Dave the woodworker]

Thank you to all for an interesting discussion.

Can anyone recommend a CNC machine that I could learn on that would not break the bank account. Most if not all the items I want to make will fit into 600 X 600 mm.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

What’s the budget? Do you need to do 3D stuff or just flat? What materials do you want to work with?

 

[Dave the woodworker]

What’s the budget? Do you need to do 3D stuff or just flat? What materials do you want to work with?

Just working with wood, mainly flat but in due course I may experiment with some 3D. Not to sure about the cost as this is my first machine.

 

[Dave the woodworker]

I think I may have found the answer to my question, the killerbee made in Portugal and based on the workbee but improved.

 

[Ollie78]

@Dave the woodworker
That killerbee looks an improvement over the workbee in some areas. But is 2k by the time you have specced it out.
Don't be scared of older machines on ebay.
An Isel, Boxford, Roland, pacer or Denford will likely be a better machine than a brand new workbee or ox.
The problem can be that they sometimes have proprietary software.
This can be overcome by using a different motion controller like a cnc drive uc300eth and UCCNC for example.
I would certainly avoid anything with rubber wheels running on aluminium track.
Something like this could be a bargain to get you going Routout Z 90 Large Ball Screw British engineered CNC operated milling machine | eBay
Comes with vcarve as well as ballscrews.

Ollie

 

[Dave the woodworker]

@Dave the woodworker
That killerbee looks an improvement over the workbee in some areas. But is 2k by the time you have specced it out.
Don't be scared of older machines on ebay.
An Isel, Boxford, Roland, pacer or Denford will likely be a better machine than a brand new workbee or ox.
The problem can be that they sometimes have proprietary software.
This can be overcome by using a different motion controller like a cnc drive uc300eth and UCCNC for example.
I would certainly avoid anything with rubber wheels running on aluminium track.
Something like this could be a bargain to get you going Routout Z 90 Large Ball Screw British engineered CNC operated milling machine | eBay
Comes with vcarve as well as ballscrews.

Ollie

Thanks, I did look at that earlier, but it is only 38 cm wide (working). I am after something in the order of 60cm wide.

You do not have to buy the workbee +upgrade as Rat Rig do their own calling it the killerbee. The issue might be the extra taxes involved due to Brexit.

 

[Ollie78]

Thanks, I did look at that earlier, but it is only 38 cm wide (working). I am after something in the order of 60cm wide.

You do not have to buy the workbee +upgrade as Rat Rig do their own calling it the killerbee. The issue might be the extra taxes involved due to Brexit.

I was just putting it as an example of what you can find for the money second hand, can be fantastic value.
I looked at many of the same types of machines as you a few years ago and was about to build my own. I bought a second hand one from ebay as it was an absolute bargain.
I got 1150mm by 900 cutting area, proper ballscrews and 20mm hiwin rails, 45mm by 90mm extrusion, 20mm side plates, 2.2kw spindle etc. All for the price of a Shapeoko 3. You couldn`t buy the aluminium for the frame alone for that money so I figured even for parts it was worth it.
I had to do a bit of work but it teaches you how everything works.

PS. don`t forget software as a real cost factor.

Ollie

 

[martin.pearson]

If you are not in a hurry then the second user market is something to keep an eye on, as Ollie78 says the cost of that machine you are looking at starts to escalate once you start looking at what else you need to buy, often the software that comes with them is very basic & a lot of people find themselves investing in more usable software so budgeting for software upfront is worth thinking about.
Not sure what software others here are using but would imagine some if not all have either upgraded to a better software either when they purchased there machine or at some point after they purchased it unless it was a second user machine that already had a more usable software included like the V90 that has been mentioned.

 

[Dave the woodworker]

Other than the z90 I cannot see anything else on eBay at the moment that would fit in with my budget. Are there any other websites that may have used CNC machines.

 

[Ollie78]

Other than the z90 I cannot see anything else on eBay at the moment that would fit in with my budget. Are there any other websites that may have used CNC machines.

Try the mycncuk forum and cnczone sales sections, gumtree and local marketplaces like free ads and Facebook marketplace.
You just have to keep your eye on ebay.
New stuff will pop up. When I found mine it was quite random as I was just in the habit of checking every evening what was newly listed.
Also check for misspelled ads and other sections like milling machines and stuff.

Ollie

 

[sploo]

Contrary opinion: but unless you have prior CNC machine knowledge I wouldn't go used for a first machine.

Having used one (from new) for 15+ years I'd have some idea of what to look for in a used machine, but it would still be pretty daunting if there were a need to do significant rewiring/fixing or configuring of ports and pins without vendor support.