Chinese 6040 CNC Router Advise Needed

[Bob Hepple]

Hi There All

I am new to this forum and was pointed to it by John S. I have been watching these cnc routers for over a year now and although I think I know the pitfalls you can never be too prepared for what come through the post. I have seen these Machine in the last few months

LOCAL SHIP!!! UPDATE 4 AXIS CNC 6040 ROUTER ENGRAVER DRILLING & MILLING MACHINE | eBay

this I think this is a break from the usual 6040 machines I wanted to know the thoughts I was plumbing for the more usual (see Below)

220V 4-axis CNC 6040 ROUTER ENGRAVER DRILLING AND MILLING MACHINE CNC 6040 4axis | eBay

this advert states linear bearing and it is a YoCNC controller it was in Portsmouth (LoL) but now in Chine (no surprise there). am I kidding myself or do we think it will be Fair Machine (what do we think import charges will be???)

I have been in touch with Yocnc but the cost of there machines is well over the £2,0000. (excluding any import duties)

I do not want to build one I don't want a project from scratch i'm prepared to sort small problems but just want a decent machine todo Plastics Wood Brass Engraving ext. I have a cnc mill to do the heavy work for my size of jobs.

ON A cynical note - after buying a chines Mill I have seen the quality of some of there equipment and its not good? the trick i think is to minimise the aggravation and buy something half decent to start with..

HELP ADVISE WELCOMED

[JAZZCNC]

Hi Bob,

Understand why folks are attracted to these machines has the price makes it seem good value but in reality they are not in my experience.
Best way to explain this is to ask you to look at it in another way other than price.? Start with the machine use.!

You state Wood, plastics and engraving. So first look at machine movement and CORRECT feed rates for these materials and you'll find the machine can't actually reach them.!!
Now your probably thinking well I'm in no rush I'll just cut slower.? But it's not all about how long you have to do the Job there's other considerations like Finish quality and cutter life.!
Now it gets worse if you throw Depth of cut into the mix in an attempt to balance cutter life, they are not strong enough to cut deeper and lower the Feed rate. They can't reach feeds to cut shallow and increase feeds either so in most soft materials like Plastics and soft woods you'll be cutting wrong giving lesser finish and cutter life.
Then consider the impact of this on the machine.? To get anywhere near the correct cutting conditions then it will be working at it's maximum capability's pretty much all the time.!! . . . Any machine working at it's Max all the time will feel the strain sooner or later but these machines are very poorly designed and built with cheap components so they feel it very very quickly.

Then we have Engraving and Accuracy.? For V-carving in wood etc then yes they'll probably be fine but finer engraving on material like Brass or Glass etc then they will struggle has the poor components like cheap round Linear rails along with weak Z axis design will greatly restrict in this department. And that's without factoring in wear from constantly working overtime.!!

Now throw the fact the Electronics are mostly Junk and will die well before you have chance to wear the cheap poorly designed and built frame out and you may start to see what I'm meaning.!

So here's my honest feelings from experience of working on these machines.
If your just wanting to learn CNC then buy the cheapest version of these machines you can find and learn on it then sell it on. . . .BUT. . . If your wanting a serious machine that will last and Give repeatable quality finish for years then save your money and either build or add to it and buy a better machine.

Hope this helps.

[Bob Hepple]

Hi Bob,

Understand why folks are attracted to these machines has the price makes it seem good value but in reality they are not in my experience.
Best way to explain this is to ask you to look at it in another way other than price.? Start with the machine use.!

You state Wood, plastics and engraving. So first look at machine movement and CORRECT feed rates for these materials and you'll find the machine can't actually reach them.!!
Now your probably thinking well I'm in no rush I'll just cut slower.? But it's not all about how long you have to do the Job there's other considerations like Finish quality and cutter life.!
Now it gets worse if you throw Depth of cut into the mix in an attempt to balance cutter life, they are not strong enough to cut deeper and lower the Feed rate. They can't reach feeds to cut shallow and increase feeds either so in most soft materials like Plastics and soft woods you'll be cutting wrong giving lesser finish and cutter life.
Then consider the impact of this on the machine.? To get anywhere near the correct cutting conditions then it will be working at it's maximum capability's pretty much all the time.!! . . . Any machine working at it's Max all the time will feel the strain sooner or later but these machines are very poorly designed and built with cheap components so they feel it very very quickly.

Then we have Engraving and Accuracy.? For V-carving in wood etc then yes they'll probably be fine but finer engraving on material like Brass or Glass etc then they will struggle has the poor components like cheap round Linear rails along with weak Z axis design will greatly restrict in this department. And that's without factoring in wear from constantly working overtime.!!

Now throw the fact the Electronics are mostly Junk and will die well before you have chance to wear the cheap poorly designed and built frame out and you may start to see what I'm meaning.!

So here's my honest feelings from experience of working on these machines.
If your just wanting to learn CNC then buy the cheapest version of these machines you can find and learn on it then sell it on. . . .BUT. . . If your wanting a serious machine that will last and Give repeatable quality finish for years then save your money and either build or add to it and buy a better machine.

Hope this helps.

Jazz Thanks for the reply and your honest opinion, I can see the logic of what your saying and indeed if I could find a machine would prefer to buy British, I found a company Marchant Dice Ltd, Linear Bearings items in worldofcnc store on eBay!

I had contacted them. But the machines look!! well shall we say light..

Bob

[EddyCurrent]

Jazz - don't go there !

[EddyCurrent]

Bob,

If it's any use these are some machines I came across when first looking

UK manufacturer of CNC routers and accessories | EXEL CNC Automation
Prototools Prototype in House - Home
:: BZT Onlineshop :: CNC Fräsmaschinen und Graviermaschinen
Maxicam - Professional CNC Routers
CNC Router Machine | Computer Numerical Control Retrofit Systems

[JAZZCNC]

Jazz - don't go there !

Can't think what you mean Eddy.?? . . . Hope your not insinuating I would Call the Merchant dice machine the Biggest Pile of over priced Crap since some other well known Rout-out-er machine.!! . . . . Nar surely not, Would I ever do such a thing.

[EddyCurrent]

Release the Kraken

[John S]

Looks like I'll have to throw this Techno - Isel router away then as it's on unsupported rails

[JAZZCNC]

Looks like I'll have to throw this Techno - Isel router away then as it's on unsupported rails

Yes and that's probably why they went bust.!! . . . But more likely because they where Stupidly Over priced.

[HankMcSpank]

fwiw I have a Chinese derived 3020 machine ...it's superb for my needs (acrylic, pcb work) - it's made by Redsail who seem to be churning out far better stuff than the typical chinese fayre (for example the electronics are proper m542 derived drivers vs. yoocnc all in one board), comes fitted with ballscrews/nuts, limit switches, the motors are very good ...the frame is very solid (moving table design)...it has unsupported rails, the mere hint of this round these parts, sees folks projectile vomiting while spinning their head 360 degrees :-) , but for my needs (& the size of my machine) I don't need supported rails.

I got the machine for just over 500 quid secondhand on Ebay....at this price level, frankly nothing can touch it that I've seen (unless you want to waste a few months of your life learning how to spec/build one....even then I doubt you'd get it under that budget ...and what price your time? When I first figured I'd need a CNC machine I made my own - it was terrible, wasted so much of my time & frankly I still carry the mental scars at the end result - great if you've got the knowledge, a workshop & the time, but for me ....never again!).

My theory is this...Ebay isn't a place to buy stuff...it's simply a long/short term rental shop - i.e. buy something, use it ...if it suits you great, if not flog it on ...cost of rental = price paid - price sold minus Ebay/Paypal fees, divided by length of time owned!

There's a roaring market on Ebay for used CNC machines so losses (even for lemons) is typically minimal.