Hi guys!

Couldn't help and say my 2 cents about that machine. As i was 3 years ago newbie, so how to say it, a victim of a similar machine . Though have to say that for 3 years the market has changed a lot and your machine is quite much better, even in another category or two higher, from what i have bought at that moment.

I mean i now know much more, had a lot of experience maintaining and knocking my head, so lets cut the marketing crap and look at your machine with positive criticism.

1. First of all, lets be clear. Any machine which is not using square supported rails and carriages is pure woodworking machine + plastics and composite materials. Flimsy or superbly made like your machine, where there are V bearings, U bearings, skate bearings or so, this is a begging for trouble to route aluminum. Like Dean said, its a scratcher. For me even a machine with SBR rails/ round supported/ is a scratcher. So it should not be marketed as aluminium milling machine. Cause i know from my own experience it can do aluminum. A day, a week, even a month. But then starts the joy. What moves, which bearing, how the hell that happened, wow i bought a lemon...

2. Again the bearings. Self cleaning, the dirt will go in through the middle? Let me tell you. Route pine or plastic for a day, even with aspiration and the trouble starts. Hell, that stuff sticks to the steel and the bearings smash it further on themselves and the rail. Cleaning it scratches the rails and bearings, so it stick more and more.
Now the positive: You can incorporate simple cleaning seals so it could not be such a problem.

3. And the bearings again. Mistake. Lets assume your bearings cost you cheap. Say 150 euro per machine. German you say. I will tell you sth- if you dont incorporate something from China you can not make money. Lets look at another angle. Yesterday i ordered from China for a 1400x450x200mm travel machine
Hiwin bearings 20 size, long carriages,780$ . there were other options. Same quality TBI 130$ less, Chinese LG20, even 100$ more less.

In other words, you can do it, cut from some where else, push in other direction and incorporate square rails. Even 15 size, which are cheaper and quite more better than the ones you use. Leave the 20 size as an option for serious buyers or bigger machine.

Bottom line: that could make the machine more expensive with 300-500 euro. I will pay 300-500eur more in a blink just to have square rails even if Chinese and even if 15 size and even if not the long carriages. So it could be done. Even cheaper as you will buy regularly.

4. Yes you guessed. the bearings again, this time also the gantry.
I could not understand why sb who has so much experience and who is actively informing himself in this forum will make a PRO machine, at a PRO price with Flat gantry sides, even if reinforced. Let me tell you. The first bearings that will fail on your machine will be the upper gantry moving bearings that are nearer to you , looking at the front of the machine. Just changed 2 today on my machine, again, so take my word on this.

So the conclusion from these points is that the words Pro, Precision, Aluminum Milling don't go well together with U bearings and so and go well together with square rails. Same with gantry using side plates instead of forming a Profile.


Now to the electronics.

Ok, electronics. But i missed to see here or on the other thread you to mention what are the electronics exactly.

1. What drivers, driven at what voltage with what motors, using what transformer and what BOB?
Not knowledgeable buyers maybe will not care, but if you need our opinion its good to know if you did not hide another lemon there.

2.AC in and LPT connection and 4th axis connection.
On my machine is exactly the same. And you know what? Beautiful to look at but a big mistake. The connections stay permanently hot glued due to dust, mist and rust problems, which translate in connectivity problems, which translates in frustration.
Solution? A simple L shape cover would be enough . 5cm at least protruding .Or they should go inside a bit, so that could be protected.


Otherwise / but hey, the rails and the gantry are the back bone of any machine/ i like it. Basically what others said. The components for a beastie DIY machine are 2500eur worth. Top components i mean. So with the right decisions, investment, tooling and politics a lower price can be achieved. So a bigger profit but at the same time offering real quality.

I had a boss once and he told me: Without organisation, even if you own a gold mine you can fail.

I don't hear a purpose behind your machine. For whom exactly is made? Marketing rules say- Find what is wanted and make it, not make and find buyers. Who exactly is your target audience? So knowing the market, do you offer these people what they really search for, or you jumped high offering lower than expected from the price tag?

And make no mistake. You can sell. You will sell. But one day somebody like me will buy your machine, mislead by the mumbo jumbo. He will learn and cause he needed it for something else and you mislead him, he will open it, make a video, detailed review, spit off the anger but in a clever way and people will read it.

I know for sure this, as i want one day to make that for my machine and bury that misleading company. lets see how they will sell then.

I have a saying. One client gained brings 2 more. One lost, makes 36 more go away.

So use your brain, listen to the brains here/ not me/ and do what they tell you. cause they know from experience. Otherwise, why ask? Marketing tricks?

Wish you all the best!