Hi there

[shoes]

Hi everyone, joined the forum having been reading up on CNC and just getting more and more lost. Do I buy a ready made machine from the bay? Or do I build?? I am pretty handy with tools so am tempted to start by building a simple 3 axis and see how I get on. Would like to use this to engrave brass plates and mild steel, create small items in brass and stainless and perspex. Budget of course is limited as always, I am thinking to try to keep below 1k.. One thing that really frustrates me is the need to use a parallel port as I got rid of those old PCs years ago. Very annoying

[Blackrat]

welcome :D

i thought i had to use a parallel port on a pc too ... recently my pc died , so i bought a new one with a parallel port only to find that win7 64 doesnt support P ports anymore. great ! fortunately i had already ordered a smooth stepper board and i gotta say this is the best thing since sliced bread !

build if you got the time and tools , its way more rewarding and you learn alot during the build

[mekanik]

Hi Shoes
Welcome to the forum, I would not even consider the cheap Chinese machines for the type of work you have in mind they are no where near rigid enough.
One of the guys on the forum is making a start on a small machine that might be suitable for your type of work (Desktop size Steel Welded Router) so keep an eye on that thread.
Hope that helps
Mike

[njhussey]

Hi and welcome to the forum. As Blackrat says you don't need the PP anymore, im using a CS Labs CSMIO IP/M which used ether net connection.

I think you'll struggle to make a DIY machine for under a grad that'll cut stainless steel, for that you need a milling machine which is probably the way you might bed to go...buy a small mill and cnc it. You'll be able to engrave on it and cut brass, steel and stainless.

[JAZZCNC]

Agree with neil buy a mill and convert it to cnc. Cutting steels and Esp Stainless is completely different ball game to router, even a Fixed Gantry machine unless heavily built and then fitted with correct spindle will struggle.!! . . . 1k won't do it.!!

[shoes]

Thank you all for the great comments and responses. Will have a long think about what I want a machine/machines to do and then come back and ask proper questions.