JBEC router system UNDER THE BONNET

[JAZZCNC]

Go to 'Home' page and there is a button on the changing photos that says "FIND OUT MORE", I get a 404 error on this link.

Ah ye I see what ya mean that's about the only one I didn't click or see but wouldn't take that has any sign of trouble more there IT guy Fubard.!

[EddyCurrent]

Anyway I started by looking for a 600x900x100mm+ desktop router for hardwood and came upon the JBEC model on ebay. Following further research it's evident the 5 to 10k market is a minefield with machines ranging from crap to good (for the money). I was looking around the forum for 'best buys', without much luck, when the EXEL link appeared so I'm thinking this brand must rate as quite good. It's funny the JBEC machine chooses to use the rails it does because it seems easier and better to use off the shelf linear bearings for the job in the knowledge they are tried, tested and reliable. Maxicam machines look quite good, also BZT, Heiz plus a load of others and after reading some of the posts I think I'm aware of which ones to avoid. I would need a decent spindle with an ER20 chuck and that was what lead me to the JBEC machine as some of the others were offering just 1/4", 8mm max. I will be contacting EXEL tomorrow hopefully to get prices etc. One thing I've noticed is that manufacturers quote the Z axis travel but don't give any details of height under the gantry, it would be ideal if they gave the bed to collet height at one extreme of the Z travel.

[Gytis]

Anyway I started by looking for a 600x900x100mm+ desktop router for hardwood and came upon the JBEC model on ebay. Following further research it's evident the 5 to 10k market is a minefield with machines ranging from crap to good (for the money). I was looking around the forum for 'best buys', without much luck, when the EXEL link appeared so I'm thinking this brand must rate as quite good. It's funny the JBEC machine chooses to use the rails it does because it seems easier and better to use off the shelf linear bearings for the job in the knowledge they are tried, tested and reliable. Maxicam machines look quite good, also BZT, Heiz plus a load of others and after reading some of the posts I think I'm aware of which ones to avoid. I would need a decent spindle with an ER20 chuck and that was what lead me to the JBEC machine as some of the others were offering just 1/4", 8mm max. I will be contacting EXEL tomorrow hopefully to get prices etc. One thing I've noticed is that manufacturers quote the Z axis travel but don't give any details of height under the gantry, it would be ideal if they gave the bed to collet height at one extreme of the Z travel.

If I were you, I would buy a EXEL CNC, simply because they use top components and do not trying to hide something in the construction,
but if you want machine only for the decoration in your work shop so go with the JBEC CNC, she looks nice!
this is just my opinion

[StoneyCNC]

Apologies for absence in this thread guys. Have been very busy. Great to see a pointed discussion going on about the 5-10k price bracket for a CNC router. EddyCurrent - fair play - your questions are what every prospective CNC router customer should be asking.

Keeping on the slightly diverted (but welcomed) thread content, we would also be very interested to hear the prices, availability, leadtime, control packages, software and support offering from EXEL and the all important

Anyway I started by looking for a 600x900x100mm+ desktop router for hardwood and came upon the JBEC model on ebay. Following further research it's evident the 5 to 10k market is a minefield with machines ranging from crap to good (for the money). I was looking around the forum for 'best buys', without much luck, when the EXEL link appeared so I'm thinking this brand must rate as quite good. It's funny the JBEC machine chooses to use the rails it does because it seems easier and better to use off the shelf linear bearings for the job in the knowledge they are tried, tested and reliable. Maxicam machines look quite good, also BZT, Heiz plus a load of others and after reading some of the posts I think I'm aware of which ones to avoid. I would need a decent spindle with an ER20 chuck and that was what lead me to the JBEC machine as some of the others were offering just 1/4", 8mm max. I will be contacting EXEL tomorrow hopefully to get prices etc. One thing I've noticed is that manufacturers quote the Z axis travel but don't give any details of height under the gantry, it would be ideal if they gave the bed to collet height at one extreme of the Z travel.

We customise the spindle mouning plate to allow for different heights to be used depnding on the spindle / tool setup if necessary. We can provide further customisation if needed. You make a good point about the collet to bed height too. I'll put that on the list of to do's.

Can't see any problems with that and end of the day if your spending 5-10K you'll want to be at least speaking to someone or better still seeing real thing not buying going on pictures off web site.!

You just can't beat seeing her in the flesh... a CNC machine of course... cough cough! Could't agree with you more here JAZZ, at the very least some vocals pre invoice. Do I remember reading that Strike sent machines different to the ones on the advert pics..........?????????????

If I were you, I would buy a EXEL CNC, simply because they use top components and do not trying to hide something in the construction,
but if you want machine only for the decoration in your work shop so go with the JBEC CNC, she looks nice!
this is just my opinion

Gytis - I agree with you here that tried and tested components have been used in the EXEL CNC. I hope that the statement was meant in general and not specific to the current thread. As the nature of the detail in the current thread, to me, would not indicate that we are "trying to hide something"... exposing such detail to JAZZ comes with certain disclaimers..!

In relation to the slides and bed stiffness I'm working on it. I hope to have more information as soon as I can get it together coherently.

In the meantime keep the debate going.

[EddyCurrent]

Keeping on the slightly diverted (but welcomed) thread content, we would also be very interested to hear the prices, availability, leadtime, control packages, software and support offering from EXEL and the all important

Just give them a call then.

We customise the spindle mouning plate to allow for different heights to be used depnding on the spindle / tool setup if necessary. . .

You would need to provide this as you are offering different spindles

Gytis - I agree with you here that tried and tested components have been used in the EXEL CNC. I hope that the statement was meant in general and not specific to the current thread. As the nature of the detail in the current thread, to me, would not indicate that we are "trying to hide something"... exposing such detail to JAZZ comes with certain disclaimers..!

The way I'm reading the Gytis post is that the EXEL machine photo is like a skeleton structure where you can see all the components unlike your own where covers are in place. Your in detail photos were not presented until they were asked for on this forum.

Anyway I have not commited to buying any machine yet so it's still wide open.

[StoneyCNC]

You would need to provide this as you are offering different spindles

Yes - the Kress and high speed spindle options come with different mounting hardware. Specifically, within each of the two spindle choices, the collet to bed height as you pointed out has some flexibility in its set-up if required - be it from the tool side, or the work piece side. The high speed spindle position, for example could be adjusted to change this height depending on the work being carried out.

The way I'm reading the Gytis post is that the EXEL machine photo is like a skeleton structure where you can see all the components unlike your own where covers are in place. Your in detail photos were not presented until they were asked for on this forum.

I think JAZZ would agree that we provided timely and comprehensive details when asked (if a bit waffley ey Jazz? )


There is a video of me perched on the machined bed. And subsequently on the Gantry. I''m tipping the scales at over 90kg... 90kG is about 880N. no rude comments please... ... So that is 90kg going through the surface area of my scruffy shoes in the middle of the machine - and then around the machine a bit. I then stood on the gantry in the middle - somewhat precariously.

whats the going weight of a 8 foot by 4 foot sheet of 3/4 ply? over 30kg.. ish?


I also have this vide below if it is of any value here. The UC100 that we offer from CNCdrive motion controls is a nifty little gizmo. I'm sure most of you are aware of / have seen some issues with Mach3 running on windows. Windows put up the road block to the likes of Artsoft that is, they don't let you have control over what the processor does and the PC hardware has to generate the control logic for the drives... The result is potentially poor performance that is nothing to do with the machine but to do with the pulse streams to the machine. Now in fairness to Artsoft, to produce a software package able to be as cross platform compatible as well as they have done is , in my opinion, very very impressive. Mach 3 also is also invaluable in its ability to customize, tinker and add I/O etc. Something the bigger manufacturers just don't do.

The new generation of motion controllers like the UC100 as well as the Smooth stepper, PlanetCNC USB etc etc are allowing industrial CNC control to happen on a desktop PC. The DSP in the controllers generates the pulses to the steppers independent of windows. The communication between the PC and the controller DSP occurs via a USB with the UC100 as examples. In these examples, processor intensive tasks on the control PC can be carried out without compromising the quality of motion of the machine.

The max rapid feed you can get on Mach3 running with a Kernel Speed of 25kHz is a tad over 9,000mm/min? Please correct me? Granted you can increase the kernel speed to increase the feed but you put pressure on the PC hardware. The 15mm/min feed rate shown in the video is there not to demonstrate the the machine can whizzz quickly - its meant to convey the importance of clean pulse streams for reliable machine operation. It is equally necessary for slow movements and for 3D machining where 3,4 and 5 simultaneous pulse streams may be required.

It is also worth noting that you can spec a top of the range W7 64 bit PC packed to the gills with ommph and you'll possibly get better performance out of an old Pentium machine.



if its felt that this is not valuable to the current thread context let me know and I'll move it elsewhere - I did a quick search - if there is a thread where this content would be more suited - let me know.

more details to follow on other machine aspects.

[JAZZCNC]

I think JAZZ would agree that we provided timely and comprehensive details when asked (if a bit waffley ey Jazz? )

Yep I agree on both counts Esp the Waffley. .

There is a video of me perched on the machined bed. And subsequently on the Gantry. I''m tipping the scales at over 90kg... 90kG is about 880N. no rude comments please... ... So that is 90kg going through the surface area of my scruffy shoes in the middle of the machine - and then around the machine a bit. I then stood on the gantry in the middle - somewhat precariously.

Nice Video not sure of the point has it's mostly meaning less.? . . . It's a CNC machine not a sit on lawn mower.!!

If your going to bother with this stuff then Better IMO to apply some lateral tests simulating real world cutting forces. . . . . Push & pull on the bugger in all directions and lets see how it jiggles.!!

Regards the Motion control card then I'm a big fan of them and thou I haven't tried the one your using I have most others and they can make a huge difference to speed performance (which doesn't mean much to me.!) but more importantly how smooth the motors accelerate and perform.
That said I much prefer Ethernet over USB has it's much more reliable, USB can be touchy and shouldn't be relied upon for providing power has it's very flaky.
Edit 2: Not all motion control cards are equal thou so anyone seeing this and thinking to buy then please checkout before doing so has while they all tend to offer smoother pulse train etc they can lack or be flaky on over features they have to take over from PP, like spindle control, Homing/limits functions, Backlash comp etc.

EDIT: Ok years of tuning race engines has taught me that the ear is a highly tuned indicator showing when things are running nice and smooth.!! . . . When I ear growling noise's I get concerned to why.? (growling = vibration)
The growling I'm hearing I believe to be those linear rail bearing blocks on the Rails.?

So with that I'd request a Video of all Axis disconnected from the ball screws being manually worked both fast and slow.!!

[StoneyCNC]

Nice Video not sure of the point has it's mostly meaning less.? . . . It's a CNC machine not a sit on lawn mower.!!

Not a lawn mower...?

It demonstrates the tower stiffness and that there is no slop/deflection when my 90kg..slim fame puts pressure on the gantry and the slides. It also shows that when you move the load point around the bed does not twist up and deflect. Will look to get other data too.

EDIT: Ok years of tuning race engines has taught me that the ear is a highly tuned indicator showing when things are running nice and smooth.!! . . .

I've often heard that a wind turbine monitoring expert puts a piece of metal against a turbine structure and can tell what the bearing situation in the gearbox is. The human ear is quite the sensor

So with that I'd request a Video of all Axis disconnected from the ball screws being manually worked both fast and slow.!!

aye aye capitan!

to keep the threads cleaner and on topic I've put this here http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/manufa...n-control.html

[EddyCurrent]

Ah ye I see what ya mean that's about the only one I didn't click or see but wouldn't take that has any sign of trouble more there IT guy Fubard.!

Phoned them today, it seems the website developer is doing a cobble together as the information becomes available, not the best plan I would suggest.