Hello everyone, bespoke spectacle maker in London pulling my hair out.

[JAZZCNC]

Hey there Spectacle Maker,

it looks like you've done your homework and have a good idea of what you need, that's great

To make it harder for you I'll disagree with Andy (though I'm not an expert at all) and say that something -like- a shapeoko could be good as a first CNC machine, even second hand. I have one and yes it's quite limited and sometimes not user friendly but if you find one that has a good working workflow it can be a very cheap way to start. Then after a few months you'll have a better idea of what you'll need. But because you're only machining plastic and don't necesarily want something super fast, even a small belt driven machine could work for you..

If you go for something 'overengineered' I'd make that overengineered in software, not hardware. Cause you don't need ballscrews or fast/strong motors cause you're not machining metals, but a reliable software that doesn't cause you problems and you can trust and work on other things while the machine is working would be ideal for you

No sorry, your wrong in this approach.? I've helped many people with small business ventures who have taken this route and without exception, all have regretted it and lost sleep, money and in some cases customers doing so.

When first starting out your approach appears to work until things ramp up. Often new CNC users underestimate what the machines can do and how much they can increase productivity.
Often when creative juices kick in it soon starts to lead to increased sales. It's here when shit hits the Fan.!
They quickly realize the cheap machine they bought cannot keep up or wears out in matter of weeks as production ramps up. Yet the orders keep on rolling in.!
This quickly leads to pulled hair, lost sleep not to mention lost income and lost or very unhappy customers.

It's the worst route any business, large or small could take.

And that's just on a business approach, don't even get me started on the cheap machines them self and all that comes with them..!!