The ideal CNC machine for my (basic)needs?

Hi Guys,
been lurking a while now reading about CNC Routers, so great to finally post here!
I'm wanting a small CNC router, perhaps what you'd call a hobbyist machine rather than an industrial one.
I only want it to do fairly simple tasks, nothing more complex than cutting out a circle of wood or carving (shallow) legible letters into birch plywood (I'm planning on making my own short run board game as a side line to a business I own, I wouldn't want to outsource).

Here's a quick list of my needs:
-to be able to engrave a mm or two into 9mm birch plywood (incidentally I assume I'm best getting 'laser' plywood right?)
-a cut area of at least 280mmx280mm
-be able to cut right through the 9mm ply on occasion and frequently through 3 or 6mm (for a few little counters).
-My max budget is £2000(not including mach 3 or equivalent)
-speed, or the ability to make very complex 3d shapes isn't a big deal
- to be reliable, I'm not experienced in electronics and wouldn't want to build my own or spend lots of time upgrading a machine.

Although I've no experience with CNC routers I am very experienced using sign cutters and designing vectors, and I have had about a years experience using 3d software (autodesk 3ds max) for basic design and animation so I'm hoping that counts a little bit for something!

I found this, which on the face of it seems suitable, the Click N Carve by ToolTec..link but any better suggestions or advice would be more than welcome.
Thanks for your help and happy 2014!
Mark.

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Originally Posted by mark84

I found this, which on the face of it seems suitable, the Click N Carve by ToolTec..link but any better suggestions or advice would be more than welcome.
Thanks for your help and happy 2014!
Mark.

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Well on the face it does look resonable but if you look deeper then there are a few things that show signs it's not all that.?

Spindle is a poxy 150W Dc spindle with small tool size capacity and relatively low spindle speeds for engraving at 17000rpm.

It's Max feed is quite slow so this tells me it's either using fine pitch lead screws or it has weak motors and drives, possibly both because the 24V output suggests it's using low spec drives. Even worse I rear it could be using TB based all in one 3 axis board.
Also it doesn't mention Ballscrews any where and I'm sure it would if it had them has thats a nice selling point and in this day n age it's must have requirement for a good accurate machine.

Then we have the Net weight of 32.50Kgs and covers over everything.? Covers always make me wonder why and the relatively light weight suggests to me it's not very substancially built.!
This suggests to me it uses unsupported linear rails which are the least prefered and something I'd always advise to avoid.

Then we have the what looks like custom software which can sometimes be restrictive and ties you to the company and there backup.!

Just my observasions and haven't actually seen the machines before but I'd have a small wager I'm very close on all accounts.?

Unfortunatly I can't offer a decent alternative from any other company. Thou I will say avoid the cheaper 6040 types machines you see on Ebay has they have most of the same with rubbish electrics.

Thanks for the detailed reply Jazz! I'm sure its not perfect and very basic compared to some machines. Considering its price and the fairly simple demands I have for it would you think it a reasonable buy (assuming no one suggests a better 2k machine)?

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Originally Posted by mark84

Thanks for the detailed reply Jazz! I'm sure its not perfect and very basic compared to some machines. Considering its price and the fairly simple demands I have for it would you think it a reasonable buy (assuming no one suggests a better 2k machine)?

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Honestly No because while you think your demands are relatively small or simple now they will increase when you realise all the things you can do with CNC and then you will be very dissapointed when you can't do what you'd like or do it well.

Well, notwithstanding Jazz's caveats, you could buy a 3040 (300 x 400mm cutting area) of a similar low spec (i.e. unsupported rails, all-in-one controller, etc.) with a more powerful spindle on eBay for 1/2 the price if you insist on spending money... at least that way you'd be wasting less money once you'd discovered the limitations of such a machine....

Just trying to keep the price down.

What about the bottom one on badgerman's post

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/items-...-unimatic.html

or

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-AXIS-CNC...item20dd782f1f

Hey mark,
If you are looking for CNC machines then I also I like to suggest trusted company
Click here:

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Originally Posted by navins

Hey mark,
If you are looking for CNC machines then I also I like to suggest trusted company
Click here:

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That link is to a company with location - plot no d-182-1 ttc industrial area midc behind london pilsner shirvane near Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Dude.
This is only suggestion. Because mark84 need some suggestions to buy Machines.
So this is one of example.
nd nothing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by navins

Dude.
This is only suggestion. Because mark84 need some suggestions to buy Machines.
So this is one of example.
nd nothing.

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That's cool, I couldn't see their "Hobbyist" stuff and that's what the OP requested, which page is their Hobbyist/small scale equipment on?