Deciding on the finer points of a budget Router table, possibly a WorkBee

[Smiffy]

from the business perspective, there are other considerations, some of the panels I need to cut, need to be trial fitted and in some cases modified. With my own table, I can cut a dummy in a cheap material, take it to the work site, offer it up and adjust. Then re-cut, revisit, until it is correct. I can't do that with a subcontractor, I have to get it right first time, which due to the environment I'm installing in, doesn't always happen. I have a small pile of failed panels here already, all of which have cost!

Sub contractor leadtimes, whilst I manage to push urgent jobs through, sometimes urgent has two meanings. With my own table, If I need one finished in a hurry, I can work through the night.

The subcontractor I've been using, won't accept my drawing files, they re-draw them to suit their system. More time, cost and problems if either of us make an error.

Having a pre-built all welded table would be great, but It still has to pass through 4 x 27" door ways, and a narrow corridor with a 90° turn into one of the doors to get it to the workshop. I need something that can be assembled in situ.

I'm aware of the time involved in running stuff like this, I helped a business I worked with source a pre-owned table some years back. That arrived on a lorry, and needed a crane to offload it, it happy chomped through full 2mtr x 4mtr sheets all day long. I don't have that need or budget, but I do have a good idea what is involved.

Having read a number of the threads on here, it seems that if you mention workbee or ooznest on here, the idea just gets shredded. But other than having a commercial one built, and that blows the budget for the size I need, nobody ever suggests an alternative DIY kit that can be built by the user, without it becoming a major R&D exercise. If the workbees are so lacking, why hasn't anyone just fixed the problems, beefed it up and offered a better solution that gets to the bigger sizes at budget prices?. There appears to be a gap in the market, unless I'm missing something.

[JAZZCNC]

There appears to be a gap in the market, unless I'm missing something.

Yes but it's not an easy Gap to fill because building a suitably strong machine that works correctly costs a certain amount of money and this doesn't leave a lot left when trying to hit a Budget market for that thing called Profit that every Business requires.

However, I am currently working on trying to do just this but it's a fine line.

Regards the WorkBee Ooznest etc, then it's not that they don't do the job of cutting woods etc, they do obviously because they are selling them and you can see them doing it in Videos, etc. However, what you don't see and very few will admit to is that they are slow and limited, If you try to push them to cut at correct feed rates and Depth's of Cut Etc then they can't handle the stress and your constantly adjusting or battling with the machine to achieve accuracy or repeatability, with repeatabilty being a very important detail in a Cnc machine. And that's at Hobby levels and workloads.!

In terms of Business use then they would more of liability than an asset which is the last thing any business requires small or large, whether Low volume or large.

It's your choice what you buy obviously and it's also your choice to Ignore or listen to the advice that's being given. But let me just say this.!
Many of those who praise the WorkBee's, etc on dedicated forums are often First-time users and the truth is they know no different because this is the only machine they have experienced.
Many users on Forum like this one are on there 2nd or 3rd generation machines so know what makes a good machine or people like me who have a lot of experience building machines and dealing with EX WorkBee, Shepoko Etc users now from speaking with them and watching them realize just how bad those machines were. So we are just passing this on, We are Not haters of WorkBee's.!! . . . .We just know the difference and what makes a good machine.

[eci22]

Having read a number of the threads on here, it seems that if you mention workbee or ooznest on here, the idea just gets shredded. But other than having a commercial one built, and that blows the budget for the size I need, nobody ever suggests an alternative DIY kit that can be built by the user, without it becoming a major R&D exercise. If the workbees are so lacking, why hasn't anyone just fixed the problems, beefed it up and offered a better solution that gets to the bigger sizes at budget prices?. There appears to be a gap in the market, unless I'm missing something.

Shapeoko ?
https://coolcomponents.co.uk/product...cnc-router-kit

Can't speak for the quality of the machine but their community is really helpful and knowledgeable, as is their wiki page