Which machine for headstones - please help.

[phill05]

Morning all,

I have been looking into getting a cnc machine that will carve letters into stone, this would include sandstone, granite and marble.

I have no idea what it is that I am looking for.

I was looking at the x-carve ones but i don't know if it would be powerful enough to engrave stone.

Could someone please advise what cnc machine(s) would be best for this type of work, which would be within an affordable range, would i be able to get one for around £5000? where would I get one from, could someone advise of a decent supplier preferably within the uk?

Many thanks for any help

Dan

In answer to your question straight from a user, you would not get a stone cutting machine for £5k, we spent £7500 for the basic machine direct from China plus shipping plus taxes plus delivery from port.



This was in 2012 the machine is 1.8m x 1.4 bed it has a 5.5kw 24000 rpm water cooled spindle on ER 32 collets, it has never had to be run higher than 16000 rpm, In 2015 we had to change the controller from DSP to Mach3 (down time 2 days), In 2017 I fitted new bearings to spindle (downtime 1 week ordering the bearings 2 days fitting) the machine has been run day and night over weeks at a time, from 2012 to date.
For the different stone, granite, marble, Stone you can use Diamond tools for edge work, roughing out and levelling, Carbide for profile cuts, cutting text in Granite you use PCD (poly crystal diamond) for marble you use PCD or carbide.
I grind carbide into shapes to use all the time and they cut really well with plenty of water, we cut 2 1/2D highly detailed reliefs in stone memorials.
In my opinion don't discount the Chinese machines yes there is problems with controllers but this is something you can overcome by using them to earn some extra to pay for a better system.

Phill