CNC

You are not logged in. [ Login ] Why log in
(NOTE: Login is not required to post)

CNC equipment advise

9/17/14       
Mmatt Member

I own a small custom furniture shop. We're doing well and have hit the point where introducing CNC technology may be the next step forward financially when it comes to knocking out intricate table legs and chair legs. So far the available CNC products on the market to fit my needs seem overkill i.e. Buying a big flat bed and installing a 4th axis or going 5-axis. Both of those options would be too costly and consume too much space. Other than those options the only product I've seen is Laguna's rotary CNC carver, which appears to specifically address my production need for about $15k. Here are my questions:
1. Does anyone know of any other brands of rotary CNC carvers so I can weigh my options?
2. Does anyone know of any smaller flatbed CNCs that can have a 4th axis added?-- this would be ideal since it may offer more flexibility at a roughly similar price tag.
3. What is the forum's opinion on Laguna? I've never owned the brand, but have heard mixed reviews.
4. Does anyone have a table leg and chair leg solution to suggest outside of CNC?

9/17/14       #2: CNC equipment advise ...
ALEX

NewCNC has some nice machines. I personally bought a used Techno isel machine and attached a Sherline rotary 4th axis. all in cost me under 4 grand.

9/18/14       #3: CNC equipment advise ...
james mcgrew Member

Website: http://mcgrewwoodwork.com

CAMaster has a forum of owners with a rotary specific forum, designers like Micheal Mezalik have CAMasters and are moderators on the forum. well worth a look and a question or two. CAMaster has been putting rotarys on Smaller CNC.s since the early 2000s and have some long term experience with this for guys like us. Feel free to join the discussions. the machines are completely built in Cartersville GA. A Trip to the Plant is well worth anyones time who is in the "Due Diligence" Phase of wanting a CNC


View higher quality, full size image (800 X 532)


View higher quality, full size image (1024 X 681)

http://camheads.org

9/18/14       #4: CNC equipment advise ...
Joey Jarrard

Matt,
I sent you a private message through wood web. I hope you get it.

Please email me if you have any questions. I am here to help out.

9/18/14       #5: CNC equipment advise ...
Rick W

I can't answer your first three questions, since I'm not familiar with CNC machines with 4 or 5 axis capabilities. I have a Shopbot, which can do some carving, but not on the scale you need.
I'll take a shot at the fourth question:
4." Does anyone have a table leg and chair leg solution to suggest outside of CNC?"
First of all, what kind of legs are you talking about? I'm assuming that you are currently making the legs by hand, and they are taking too long to make, and/or you are getting too much variation in size.Both problems can be addressed by getting a CNC. BUT, it may not be the solution.It takes time to learn the CNC, and time to model, toolpath, and run the parts.You're not going to get an immediate increase in production right after you get a CNC.
Before getting a CNC, I would recommend talking to the companies others have recommended. I would also recommend taking one of your leg designs to them and asking what it would take to produce one on their CNC. That way you will get an idea of what's involved.
Another thing to consider is to get a quote from a CNC shop on your legs.It might be better in the long run to outsource your legs to them.
Are there any commercially available legs that you can use, or that you can modify? There are a LOT of leg designs available, and maybe some could work for you.
A CNC machine can be a great addition to a shop, but it's not a requirement, nor is it a cure-all for production.
Anyway, some things to think about! I like our Shopbot, but it's one tool among others. It's great for some things, but not so good for others.
Rick W

9/19/14       #6: CNC equipment advise ...
Mmatt Member

James-- great advise. I'd never heard of Cammaster until today. I think there their Stinger II may be along the lines of what I'm looking for.

9/19/14       #7: CNC equipment advise ...
james mcgrew Member

Website: http://mcgrewwoodwork.com

You will appreciate looking at them for sure !! this am R Crawford posted this, He is a great example of the machine and the work

camheads

9/20/14       #8: CNC equipment advise ...
rich c.

James, is Joey working for you now? His website address listed sure looks familiar!

9/20/14       #9: CNC equipment advise ...
james mcgrew Member

No, he is running his businesses in Cartersville GA, US Routertools.com and the Black box vacuum

every once in a while it seems to be a bug in the woodweb post !!


Post a Response
  • Notify me of responses to this thread
  • Subscribe to email updates on this Forum
  • To receive email notification of additions to this forum thread,
    enter your name and email address, and then click the
    "Keep Me Posted" button below.

    Please Note: If you have posted a message or response,
    do not submit this request ... you are already signed up
    to receive notification!

    Your Name:
    E-Mail Address:
    Enter the correct numbers into the field below:
     

    Date of your Birth:



    Return to top of page

    Buy & Sell Exchanges | Forums | Galleries | Site Map

    FORUM GUIDELINES: Please review the guidelines below before posting at WOODWEB's Interactive Message Boards (return to top)

  • WOODWEB is a professional industrial woodworking site. Hobbyist and homeowner woodworking questions are inappropriate.
  • Messages should be kept reasonably short and on topic, relating to the focus of the forum. Responses should relate to the original question.
  • A valid email return address must be included with each message.
  • Advertising is inappropriate. The only exceptions are the Classified Ads Exchange, Machinery Exchange, Lumber Exchange, and Job Opportunities and Services Exchange. When posting listings in these areas, review the posting instructions carefully.
  • Subject lines may be edited for length and clarity.
  • "Cross posting" is not permitted. Choose the best forum for your question, and post your question at one forum only.
  • Messages requesting private responses will be removed - Forums are designed to provide information and assistance for all of our visitors. Private response requests are appropriate at WOODWEB's Exchanges and Job Opportunities and Services.
  • Messages that accuse businesses or individuals of alleged negative actions or behavior are inappropriate since WOODWEB is unable to verify or substantiate the claims.
  • Posts with the intent of soliciting answers to surveys are not appropriate. Contact WOODWEB for more information on initiating a survey.
  • Excessive forum participation by an individual upsets the balance of a healthy forum atmosphere. Individuals who excessively post responses containing marginal content will be considered repeat forum abusers.
  • Responses that initiate or support inappropriate and off-topic discussion of general politics detract from the professional woodworking focus of WOODWEB, and will be removed.
  • Participants are encouraged to use their real name when posting. Intentionally using another persons name is prohibited, and posts of this nature will be removed at WOODWEB's discretion.
  • Comments, questions, or criticisms regarding Forum policies should be directed to WOODWEB's Systems Administrator
    (return to top).

    Carefully review your message before clicking on the "Send Message" button - you will not be able to revise the message once it has been sent.

    You will be notified of responses to the message(s) you posted via email. Be sure to enter your email address correctly.

    WOODWEB's forums are a highly regarded resource for professional woodworkers. Messages and responses that are crafted in a professional and civil manner strengthen this resource. Messages that do not reflect a professional tone reduce the value of our forums.

    Messages are inappropriate when their content: is deemed libelous in nature or is based on rumor, fails to meet basic standards of decorum, contains blatant advertising or inappropriate emphasis on self promotion (return to top).

    Libel:   Posts which defame an individual or organization, or employ a tone which can be viewed as malicious in nature. Words, pictures, or cartoons which expose a person or organization to public hatred, shame, disgrace, or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a person or organization, are libelous.

    Improper Decorum:   Posts which are profane, inciting, disrespectful or uncivil in tone, or maliciously worded. This also includes the venting of unsubstantiated opinions. Such messages do little to illuminate a given topic, and often have the opposite effect. Constructive criticism is acceptable (return to top).

    Advertising:   The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not an advertising venue. Companies participating in a Forum discussion should provide specific answers to posted questions. WOODWEB suggests that businesses include an appropriately crafted signature in order to identify their company. A well meaning post that seems to be on-topic but contains a product reference may do your business more harm than good in the Forum environment. Forum users may perceive your references to specific products as unsolicited advertising (spam) and consciously avoid your web site or services. A well-crafted signature is an appropriate way to advertise your services that will not offend potential customers. Signatures should be limited to 4-6 lines, and may contain information that identifies the type of business you're in, your URL and email address (return to top).

    Repeated Forum Abuse: Forum participants who repeatedly fail to follow WOODWEB's Forum Guidelines may encounter difficulty when attempting to post messages.

    There are often situations when the original message asks for opinions: "What is the best widget for my type of shop?". To a certain extent, the person posting the message is responsible for including specific questions within the message. An open ended question (like the one above) invites responses that may read as sales pitches. WOODWEB suggests that companies responding to such a question provide detailed and substantive replies rather than responses that read as a one-sided product promotion. It has been WOODWEB's experience that substantive responses are held in higher regard by our readers (return to top).

    The staff of WOODWEB assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or outcome of any posting transmitted at WOODWEB's Message Boards. Participants should undertake the use of machinery, materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB's Message Boards after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages it deems inappropriate. (return to top)


  • Forum Posting Help
    Your Name The name you enter in this field will be the name that appears with your post or response (return to form).
    Your Website Personal or business website links must point to the author's website. Inappropriate links will be removed without notice, and at WOODWEB's sole discretion. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    E-Mail Address Your e-mail address will not be publicly viewable. Forum participants will be able to contact you using a contact link (included with your post) that is substituted for your actual address. You must include a valid email address in this field. (return to form)
    Subject Subject may be edited for length and clarity. Subject lines should provide an indication of the content of your post. (return to form)
    Thread Related Link and Image Guidelines Thread Related Links posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should point to locations that provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related Link that directs visitors to an area with inappropriate content will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Thread Related File Uploads Thread Related Files posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. Video Files: acceptable video formats are: .MOV .AVI .WMV .MPEG .MPG .MP4 (Image Upload Tips)   If you encounter any difficulty when uploading video files, E-mail WOODWEB for assistance. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related File that contains inappropriate content will be removed, and uploaded files that are not directly related to the message thread will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links, files, or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Onsrud Cutter Vortex Tool Company T-Tool USA