Cheap large Routers

[Boyan Silyavski]

Have not browsed Aliexpres long time but seems Chinese sell very cheap large machines. At ~4000 brought here in Eu i dont see how anyone could beat that. Talking about 1300x2500 machine with heavy frame. I know its not a Ferrari but only parts on my big diy router cost more. Much more.

You may know my anti Chinese crap product attitude but even i shut up at that price. What do you think? I know there always be DIY from scratch for the sake of it, but for large routers, having in mind the construction and machined surfaces...


Link to listing.

[SignManTas]

Agreed the price is crazy. The only thing that scares me about buying these machines is if something goes wrong, for someone with technical knowledge that wouldn't be a problem but for someone like me it's to risky.

There is some sellers in U.K. Now selling some off these Chinese machines for 5 times the price if not more.

Recently they are popping up everywhere.




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[A_Camera]

Perhaps price reflects quality. If it is shipped to EU for that price I would think you machine is better, even if this one perhaps contains more metal. My machine is at about £3000 now, built and designed by myself, everything possible was cut in my own shed using my own tools, so I haven't paid for more than the material, it is considerably smaller yet I don't believe I could buy one similar in the same quality, except for the looks, in China, even excluding shipping.

[m_c]

I've been thinking about the cost of materials in that, and it's probably less than what you'd think.

If you knew what you were looking for, you could probably source all the bits for a couple thousand, however where China wins is labour cost.
I'd guess there's probably only £2-300 worth of metal in that, and at most a couple days welding to weld it all together, that's provided everything is cut ready to weld, which if it's done on a half decent plasma, or even laser, it should assemble with minimal issues.
Once your welding is done, it's just a case of painting, and assembly, finished of with a little bit alignment work (that's provided the welder has managed to avoid distorting everything...).

I'd like to see one up close, and to know if there is any kind of internal bracing, because if it's just a big open box, you could have one big resonator. I'd like to think given the reasonable looking exterior design, that will of been covered, but you never know.

[Boyan Silyavski]

It has at least one ton of metal, probably around 1.5-2. My machine has mere 750kg which cost me here around 1000euro. Also i had to weld much more as i coudnt obtain nor manipulate at home that kind of steel profile they are using, which is enormous. That said its obviously better to use large steel profiles, machines and means to manipulate them, to have space to store and larger machine sou you can machine the rail surfaces.

All rails are Hiwin so thats also not cheap.


As i said, not a Ferrarri / i like to think about my machine like that true or not/ but pretty damn good.

[m_c]

It has at least one ton of metal, probably around 1.5-2. My machine has mere 750kg which cost me here around 1000euro. Also i had to weld much more as i coudnt obtain nor manipulate at home that kind of steel profile they are using, which is enormous. That said its obviously better to use large steel profiles, machines and means to manipulate them, to have space to store and larger machine sou you can machine the rail surfaces.

All rails are Hiwin so thats also not cheap.


As i said, not a Ferrarri / i like to think about my machine like that true or not/ but pretty damn good.

Well according to the listing, the net weight is 1500kg.
Looking at the photos, to me the metal doesn't look that thick, so at most I'd guess the basic metal work is somewhere around 1000kg. Having just had a quick look at bulk steel costs, the price guides I can find are in the region of 3-500USD per tonne/ton.

As you mention, the big problem is handling the large sections. If you have the capabilities, and buy enough steel to get it at near market prices, the cost of building multiples of this size of machine is far less than what most people would think. Once you've worked out any teething issues with the manufacturing process, it's as simple as cut, weld, paint, assemble.

Plus if you don't have to worry too much about support, that's part of the cost you can greatly reduce.