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

[Andrewg]

Just to back up what Jazz is saying.
The Shapeoko and Workbee forums are full of posts about upgrading to linear rails and ball screws to improve performance and reliability. Carbide 3D now offer an HDZ Z axis (linear rails and ballscrews upgrade) for around £500. Interestingly that was developed by a user, who also started selling plates to allow an all LR/BS upgrade which would have allowed a kit to be assembled for around £2,500...but he was recruited by Carbide 3D as their head of product development... HDZ frame no longer available but some await their next product announcement with anticipation. Meanwhile the i2R and recently announced Hammer 47.82 look like proper machines and cost about £3.5k....but their specs indicate significant corners had to be cut to get to this price point. So there are plenty of people trying to address this market but it is all about compromises.

For £2-3k you can buy the required components to build your own machine to your own requirements... that would cost £5-10k if sold complete due to labour, tax and customer support. But the time and effort should not be underestimated. I am reluctantly accepting that perhaps I will have to design and build my own machine as the market will only be able to offer affordable but compromised or capable but beyond my budget! JazzCNC keeps dropping hints, we can just hope to be patient enough for him to make his play.

[JAZZCNC]

Just to back up what Jazz is saying.
The Shapeoko and Workbee forums are full of posts about upgrading to linear rails and ball screws to improve performance and reliability. Carbide 3D now offer an HDZ Z axis (linear rails and ballscrews upgrade) for around £500. Interestingly that was developed by a user, who also started selling plates to allow an all LR/BS upgrade which would have allowed a kit to be assembled for around £2,500...

There's a saying that goes like this " Can't make a Silk purse out of a Sows Ear " and in this case it's very true.!

JazzCNC keeps dropping hints, we can just hope to be patient enough for him to make his play.

It's coming.
I've got two designs nailed down which are mostly all Steel machines using Profiled linear rails with a cutting area of 900 x 600 or 600 x 400 (plus custom sizes if required) I'm just costing it out to see if I can hit the Number I'm hoping for. Don't ask what the number is because I don't want to say yet, but anyone serious with a sensible budget will be happy.

It will be a very basic machine in the electronics department but with a Rock-solid machine frame that can be electrically upgraded at any time and turn it into a machine that will match any machine costing 3x the price.

All I can say is that there will be nothing out there at this price that can match them for strength and accuracy/repeatability.!!

I won't be taking orders but will be building 2 machines at a time and offering them for sale when finished. Then I'll do the same depending on how well-received etc.

[Kitwn]

I won't be taking orders but will be building 2 machines at a time and offering them for sale when finished. Then I'll do the same depending on how well-received etc.

What's yer quote for shipping to PO Box 7172, Middle of Nowhere, Western Australia?