Your thoughts on the AR1200 from Machinery & Electrical

[Franco]

Hi all.

I'm looking to buy a new CNC router for home use and one of the ones I'm looking at is the [AR1200] from www.machineryandelectrical.com. There are some specs on the router in [this] PDF and there is also some more information on the machines further down [this] page.

I emailed the company and they responded quickly. I asked them if they could provide me with some contact details of previous customers so I can ask them for feedback on the machines and they duly gave me a list of people to contact.

I was wondering what your thoughts were on the specs of the machine. I'm planning on using it for cutting mainly wood and plastics with maybe the odd piece of light aluminum here and there.

Thanks!

[george uk]

Hi

Have seen better for the price, but its within reason.... maybe you could negoteate them down £ 500 to £ 1000, and you want at least a water cooled spindle, not air cooled... infact, i will post up some examples over the weekend, i have seen similar, with better spindles, vac beds and extras for just under 5K

[Franco]

Hi george, many thanks for your reply.

The one I linked to above does come with a PC and vacuum bed but I will ask them about the spindle.

If you do know of other examples I really would be grateful if you could post them,. thank you. I've been searching around for other machines but they're not always the easiest thing to find. Thanks again.

[JAZZCNC]

To be honest it's hard to say about this machine because the Spec is fague with very little info about electronics which is off putting and the electronics quality are big thing to consider and one area where short cuts are often made to save money as it's an expensive part of the machine.

Also I see a few design and component signs that throw up alarm bells.!! . . . Like ballscrew ends mounted in linear bearing housings.!! This isn't normal build practice I'd want to be seeing at this money. I've seen this type of money saving crap on other machines RE- Strike CNC and it never works out good in long run.!!

Also looks like single ballscrew down centre which at this width doesn't sit well.!!

Spindle isn't such a massive issue for most jobs unless your running it none stop for extended periods(4hrs+) then in which case I'd go with water cooled.

[Franco]

Thanks JAZZCNC, this is exactly the type of advice I need.

I would inquire about the electronics but from what you're saying, the other parts of the design make this a no go.

It sounds like there are better machines out there for my money, what would you suggest with a budget of ~£6k?

[JAZZCNC]

Thanks JAZZCNC, this is exactly the type of advice I need.

I would inquire about the electronics but from what you're saying, the other parts of the design make this a no go.

It sounds like there are better machines out there for my money, what would you suggest with a budget of ~£6k?

To be honest I can't advise anywhere to look.! . . . . To be honest I'd normaly offer to build a custom machine to someone like your self who is serious and with a realistic budget but at the moment there's no way I could this.!

Also don't get me wrong I'm not pulling this machine to pieces as that wouldn't be fair and the price is not unreasonable if things are correct. I don't know the machine and I'm only going of the visuals but experience makes some things jump out at me and when I see these along with sparse details or covers where covers are not needed I get a little twitchy.!
My way of thinking being a business man is that you make an advert of the stuff that matters and you highlight your best assets not forget to mention them unless they are not there or of a poor quality.?