Chinese 6040 CNC Router Advise Needed

[JAZZCNC]

Hi Bob,

Understand why folks are attracted to these machines has the price makes it seem good value but in reality they are not in my experience.
Best way to explain this is to ask you to look at it in another way other than price.? Start with the machine use.!

You state Wood, plastics and engraving. So first look at machine movement and CORRECT feed rates for these materials and you'll find the machine can't actually reach them.!!
Now your probably thinking well I'm in no rush I'll just cut slower.? But it's not all about how long you have to do the Job there's other considerations like Finish quality and cutter life.!
Now it gets worse if you throw Depth of cut into the mix in an attempt to balance cutter life, they are not strong enough to cut deeper and lower the Feed rate. They can't reach feeds to cut shallow and increase feeds either so in most soft materials like Plastics and soft woods you'll be cutting wrong giving lesser finish and cutter life.
Then consider the impact of this on the machine.? To get anywhere near the correct cutting conditions then it will be working at it's maximum capability's pretty much all the time.!! . . . Any machine working at it's Max all the time will feel the strain sooner or later but these machines are very poorly designed and built with cheap components so they feel it very very quickly.

Then we have Engraving and Accuracy.? For V-carving in wood etc then yes they'll probably be fine but finer engraving on material like Brass or Glass etc then they will struggle has the poor components like cheap round Linear rails along with weak Z axis design will greatly restrict in this department. And that's without factoring in wear from constantly working overtime.!!

Now throw the fact the Electronics are mostly Junk and will die well before you have chance to wear the cheap poorly designed and built frame out and you may start to see what I'm meaning.!

So here's my honest feelings from experience of working on these machines.
If your just wanting to learn CNC then buy the cheapest version of these machines you can find and learn on it then sell it on. . . .BUT. . . If your wanting a serious machine that will last and Give repeatable quality finish for years then save your money and either build or add to it and buy a better machine.

Hope this helps.

[Bob Hepple]

Hi Bob,

Understand why folks are attracted to these machines has the price makes it seem good value but in reality they are not in my experience.
Best way to explain this is to ask you to look at it in another way other than price.? Start with the machine use.!

You state Wood, plastics and engraving. So first look at machine movement and CORRECT feed rates for these materials and you'll find the machine can't actually reach them.!!
Now your probably thinking well I'm in no rush I'll just cut slower.? But it's not all about how long you have to do the Job there's other considerations like Finish quality and cutter life.!
Now it gets worse if you throw Depth of cut into the mix in an attempt to balance cutter life, they are not strong enough to cut deeper and lower the Feed rate. They can't reach feeds to cut shallow and increase feeds either so in most soft materials like Plastics and soft woods you'll be cutting wrong giving lesser finish and cutter life.
Then consider the impact of this on the machine.? To get anywhere near the correct cutting conditions then it will be working at it's maximum capability's pretty much all the time.!! . . . Any machine working at it's Max all the time will feel the strain sooner or later but these machines are very poorly designed and built with cheap components so they feel it very very quickly.

Then we have Engraving and Accuracy.? For V-carving in wood etc then yes they'll probably be fine but finer engraving on material like Brass or Glass etc then they will struggle has the poor components like cheap round Linear rails along with weak Z axis design will greatly restrict in this department. And that's without factoring in wear from constantly working overtime.!!

Now throw the fact the Electronics are mostly Junk and will die well before you have chance to wear the cheap poorly designed and built frame out and you may start to see what I'm meaning.!

So here's my honest feelings from experience of working on these machines.
If your just wanting to learn CNC then buy the cheapest version of these machines you can find and learn on it then sell it on. . . .BUT. . . If your wanting a serious machine that will last and Give repeatable quality finish for years then save your money and either build or add to it and buy a better machine.

Hope this helps.

Jazz Thanks for the reply and your honest opinion, I can see the logic of what your saying and indeed if I could find a machine would prefer to buy British, I found a company Marchant Dice Ltd, Linear Bearings items in worldofcnc store on eBay!

I had contacted them. But the machines look!! well shall we say light..

Bob