View source for Talk:Equipment/CNC Router

== Original Requirements Notes ==

* CNC Controlled
* Minimum 4' x 4' cutting bed
** It was generally concluded whilst 8' x 4' would be attractive, it may have limits in terms of floor space and also materials storage and handling - storing and moving 8' x 4' sheets on to a flatbed machine is a pretty impractical task in a full workshop, and certainly not a 1 man job. 
** We concluded we could store a lot of sheet material in 4' x 4' and 600 x 900 for the router and laser respectively (and for general use), making storage much more tractable and avoiding the need to cut down such large sheets.
* decent software

Maybe a Vacuum bed
* Would make jobs quicker to setup (except vacuum beds sometimes require a custom 'mask' cutting to cover all the unused holes)
* avoids risk of hitting clamps/bolts
* Will be more expensive  (new mask needed for each job?)
* Unsure how "magical" a solution it is

== Options ==

Shopbot
* The defacto FabLab CNC router
* Would be from the [[http://www.shopbottools.com/mProducts/prSstandard.htm PRS Standard Range]]
* Prices are roughly $11500 and $13000 for the 4x4 and 8x4 models
* Ship from US (no distributors), by air or sea, and import duties etc payable
* Quote from Shopbot: approx $15k/£10k + shipping/taxes for 4x4, 8x8 would be approx £2k more

Piranha
* Look like imports, sold by radecal 
* Include internal vacuum bed
* Available in 4x4 and 4x8. 4x4 and 4x8 both listed as weighing 800kg.
* 4x8: http://www.radecalmachinesales.com/product.asp?cid=2&scid=&pid=18
* 4x4: http://www.radecalmachinesales.com/product.asp?cid=2&scid=&pid=70
* Quote from radecal: TBC (guessing about £13k and £18k)

HPC Laser CNC
* Not clear what is available or specs; assume it is china import again, but could be interesting to go with HPC given great service
* 1200x1200 looks like it might be: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HPC-CNC-router-1200-x1200-engraver-CNC-Machine-sign-making-UK-stock-/150966295622


Others
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| Machine	
|URL	
|Price (UKP)	
|Size - X	
|Size - Y	
|Size - Z
|Weight
|Notes
|-
|Heiz S400	
|[http://www.prototools.co.uk/shop/customer/product.php?productid=18501&cat=0 link]
|£1595	
|400	
|300	
|110
|31kg
|
|-
|Heiz S720	
|[http://www.prototools.co.uk/shop/customer/product.php?productid=18502&cat=0 link]	
|£1995	
|720	
|420	
|110
|41kg
|Videos - [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SRSObYk_W0 Making PCB][http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjPLXCr1g5E Machining metal][http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3snGuqixEg Engraving in wood]
|-
|Heiz S1000
|[http://www.prototools.co.uk/shop/customer/product.php?productid=18503&cat=521&page=1 link]	
|£2395	
|1000	
|600	
|110
|51kg
|£4012 including all options and VAT
|-
|HPCLaser RC6090
|[http://www.lasermachinemaker.com/5-2-advertising-cnc-router.html link]
|£3750+VAT
|600
|900
|65
|200kg
|Up to 24000rpm, 30mm cutting thickness. From same supplier as Laser cutter. Upgraded spindle from one listed. Claimed accuracy of 10 micron.
|-
|}
Weight gives an indication of stiffness and quality for a given size of machine. Shopbots weight is not listed