Chinese CNC Router

A big congratulations Leo woooohooo. What a beauty. Nice space u have there. So glad it arrived in one piece...what a small world we live in now.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
So happy for you, Leo.

Mine has been neglected for 3 months. After Christmas I will get back at it. I did try once a few weeks ago and lasted all of two minutes. This coming back business is tough.
 
Carol, you will be fine. For what you had to go through I am sure you are just thrilled to be "getting" back into the swing of things. I am sure the anxiety is getting to you even so. Besides, you have a LOT on your plate with also building a house. I don't know how you do as much as you do. That is far beyond my capabilities.
 
So,

As we stand right now cost wise:

Machine, with freight to Boston 5290
Wire Transfer fees 80
Truck, Fork truck rental 530
Brokerage fees (estimated) 825
Computer w/wireless card 142

TOTAL to Date 6900


I will have installation costs after it is running.


First Observations ------

OK - lets be down to earth. This is a Chinese machine. Stuff from Harbor Freight is Chinese stuff. I have several Harbor Freight items and am happy with how that stuff works. This machine is NOT Harbor freight, it is a cut above that. BUT - it is also NOT a Camaster machine, but neither is it priced there.

As to asthetics.
Not bad. The paint just is OK, not great. They could spend a little effort deburring, that would be a big think to help perception. Sheet metal is not as well formed as a high end company would do, but it's better than what I would be able to do. The welds around the base are sound, but a little extra grinding and maybe a little filler would make them "look" better. Still they don't look bad. The table is a bit chinsier that I would have thought, but I am sure is functional. The black on top of the table it some sort of rubbery material that is adhered to the aluminum table. The jury is out on that. It may be great, or it may be bad, I don't know yet.

There is a bit of rust which is typical of unprotected ferrous parts on overseas transport. Easy to clean.

In the control cabinet. The motor drives are MASSIVE. They have fans on the heat sinks. Wiring is a little shoddy, but I am sure functional. Power supply is massive. It is laid out well. I can make it neat and clean easy enough.

There were some shipping brackets on the "Z" and "Y" axis. The "Z" was obvious, but the "Y" was not easily visible.

There is not a solitary word spoken or written about removing the shipping brackets. Good thing I have some experience in this stuff. As a matter of fact there is no "user" manual of any sort - nothing. That's ok, I don't need it.

The rotary axis has two nice plug in the side of the control cabinet.

The USB and the power cables come through holes in the cabinet. There are no grommets or anything to protect the wires. Again fixable.

I measured the dimensions. FULL 10" from top of rubbery table top to gantry bottom. Full 51" on "X" and on "Y".

So far - all surface stuff - nothing is a show stopper. STILL - PRICE - is the main factor here.

They included 4 engraving cutters and a 1/2 collet and a 1/4 inch collet. Big wrenches for the collet nuts and 4 nice allen wrenches.

The rotary chuck has two sets of jaws. One for ID clamping and one for OD clamping.

So much for what I can "see". All that is not what I am after, though it does all have value to me. Now I need to get some power to it and see it run, maybe cut something. That is my goal for today.

Wednesday should be to convert to inch and run some trials.

Thursday - rotary and cutting something significant.

Not a whole lot to report yet.
 
No deal breakers thus far as far as I see from what you have written.

How it cuts and runs will be they key, that's its primary purpose. Its not a statue that is going to have hands run over it all the time :) its a workhorse.

Given your skill you may have an opportunity to recoup some of your coin by making a manual up for them in at least "Boston" English and offering to sell it to them. If you collaborated with Vaughn I bet they could have technical literature that would add substantial value to their product.

The no manual part is no issue for someone of your capabilities but would seriously affect how I and I bet many others would consider or look at it.

Take Grizzly Tools, one aspect that they get high marks on is support. To even begin that support takes a requirement to have a basic manual with schematic and part numbers just so each party is talking about the same thing when communicating. Opportunity knocks....a manual could be worth big bucks and in case u not aware our Vaughn is a pro at this sort of thing.

Your assessment of the machine reminds the "manufacturing man" in me that each operation has a cost and some are non essential to include if one wants a low cost for the final product.

Let's all remember our woodworking forefathers most often put cheap and even unfinished wood I places where it would not show or be seen so really nothing new to skip non essential items.

Very happy for you Leo. Enjoy your hobby.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
One thing I noticed on the machine as I was cleaning up today is a magnetic disk on the sheet metal for the spindle cover. There is a wire connected to the spindle. Not sure what it is, but I an guessing it is s tool touch probe. That will be cool. I didn't ask for - but it is there.

I just got back from Lowes. I will add $60 to the cost for installation (plugs, recepticals, switch, wire, boxes). So we are up to $6960 That should get me up to being operational. Hopefully today.
 
Don't know where I have been throughout this thread, but holy cow batman!!!! That is some serious machinery. You might have said earlier, but what are your expectations for this machine? Retirement income? Metal? Wood? Acrylics? Parts, signs??? Nosey me wants to know and is fine if you don't want to share that info. Congrats on a large job almost done, but everything in place without damage.
 
That's a beast of a machine, Leo. Congrats! And I'm also envious of your shop. Great-looking building. :thumb:

Looking forward to seeing the output from your new machine.
 
Don't know where I have been throughout this thread, but holy cow batman!!!! That is some serious machinery. You might have said earlier, but what are your expectations for this machine? Retirement income? Metal? Wood? Acrylics? Parts, signs??? Nosey me wants to know and is fine if you don't want to share that info. Congrats on a large job almost done, but everything in place without damage.

Right now I am about 75% hobby and 25% business. I can cut aluminum, brass, but mostly HDU, PVC, and of course wood. I can make decent money on signs, and that is what pays for the hobby
 
OK - as they say - at the end of the day - when it's all said and done - what is the FINAL result.

ACTUAL Machine Purchase
Machine4762
CIF - Boston528
5290
30% Deposit Wire Charge40
70% Final Payment Wire Charge
40
80
Computer124
Wireless Card18
142
U.S. Customs Duties and Fees
190.31
Terminal Service Ocean
145
Ocean Freight390.38
Customs Entry Fee125
ISF Filing Fee50
Express Mail Courier25
Service & Handeling30
Bond Charges50
ISF Bond75
1080.69
Diesel for Penske Truck25.79
Penske Truck Rental189.58
Fork Truck Rental283.13
498.5
Installation Cost
electrical80
80
7171



Total Machine



So - OK - some may say - it's none of anybodies business what the cost was. I don't mind, it's not going to hurt me to tell.

I was told at one time the importing fees were going to be about $2,000 over the machine cost. YEP - that's about it. It would have been another $1,000 if I would have hired a rigger to move it for me.

It fell within my expected pricing.

TRUST me - I do NOT have deep pockets. I worked HARD for this. I sold stuff and saved money. This is a HUMONGOUS purchase for me. If it were not for such an unbelievable deal, it would NOT have been a reality at all.

I financed nothing - no interest payments. Not a penny came from my home budget. This is entirely paid by my hobby business efforts.
 
...TRUST me - I do NOT have deep pockets. I worked HARD for this. I sold stuff and saved money. This is a HUMONGOUS purchase for me. If it were not for such an unbelievable deal, it would NOT have been a reality at all.
I financed nothing - no interest payments. Not a penny came from my home budget. This is entirely paid by my hobby business efforts.

Kudos to you, Leo for the way you set your goal and worked toward it. That's the way to do it!:thumb::thumb::thumb: Wish I had that kind of will power.
 
Kudos to you, Leo for the way you set your goal and worked toward it. That's the way to do it!:thumb::thumb::thumb: Wish I had that kind of will power.

It took me about 4 years to save up for it.

Sometimes only $25 or $50 got deposited.

BUT - I did also make a couple of BIG deposits.

I also saves and small bonuses my company provided ($50, $250)

Any Christmas/ birthday cash, went in.
 
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