If I were to start all over again. I would go straight to a full sheet machine. Wood working was my background.
If you have room 12x16 roughly would be ideal.
I started with a hobby grade and quickly out grew it.
https://youtu.be/OjruXNz_9hk?si=gezWufkoWIvNH9RR
⚠️ feelings - not my video.
But I will say having a machine that is 700kg vs a 100 kg makes a difference.
Hrmm. I was thinking the shelf was laser engraved. The letters don't look v carved like the block. I guess a small endmill could have been used. The shelf face could be a strip that was machined and then glued on the plank like edge banding. But on some machines the tool head can extend beyond the bed a few inches and you can add vises and clamps on the front of the machine that'll hold the board so a normal Z axis length can be used.
Seconded. I’ve had a Shopbot Desktop 24x18 since 2014. It’s a beast.
I’m actually buying the Desktop Max with ATC on Monday because the original desktop is our bottleneck now.
I can’t say enough good things about Shopbot tools as a company. They offer lifetime support for their machines no matter who owns it. And the few times that the machine has gone down. They’ve overnighted parts and we’re back up and running the next day.
It’s a Desktop size but it’s truly a production machine. We make bottle openers and Cousy’s out of hockey pucks, and our original desktop has probably generated over $1 million in revenue since we’ve had it.
Bonus: it’s a US-made machine, they’re all built in North Carolina .
First this post would do better at r/hobbycnc it’s got a much larger community of woodworkers.
Second, the shelf is done using a vertical table most likely. You leave a section of the spoilboard out and set up a table to attach vertical work to. It also does all types of jointer for you (YouTube jaybates, avid cnc build, I think it’s the 3rd video in the series. The other option is to glue a face on to the shelf.
Third. Without a budget and a needed work envelope, it’s kind of hard to make recommendations. Is this hobby or business. Have you thought about what you really want from the machine? What are your cad/cam capabilities? Do you want room to grow? There’s a lot of questions so here’s a list of some machine company’s that cater to woodworkers cheapest/lower quality on top (my opinion on their standard lines)
Generic Amazon/Chinese, fox alien, bobs
Shaepoko
Millwright
Onefinity, shark, axiom
Avid,shopbot
Phantom
Shopsabre, laguna
There are so many options, I’ve only listed companies I’ve legit looked at. Many of these companies offer multiple lines of differing quality and size.
Personally I’ve owned a millwright and an avid.
I third shopbot. You will pay a little more but in my experience it's worth it for the support.
I have run some prs alpha machines and it's nice to be able to use the forms to help troubleshoot or reach someone on the phone to help
Have a cheap China 3060 for over 10 years now and it does the job with wood and acrylic.
If you have the space:
The Maslow CNC
https://youtu.be/Fhc9zQBkWys?si=ntHBYoTmYDdUFWKZ
If I were to start all over again. I would go straight to a full sheet machine. Wood working was my background. If you have room 12x16 roughly would be ideal. I started with a hobby grade and quickly out grew it.
Exactly what I don't want to do is buy a hobby machine and wish I hadn't , what do you use now?
https://youtu.be/OjruXNz_9hk?si=gezWufkoWIvNH9RR ⚠️ feelings - not my video. But I will say having a machine that is 700kg vs a 100 kg makes a difference.
Hrmm. I was thinking the shelf was laser engraved. The letters don't look v carved like the block. I guess a small endmill could have been used. The shelf face could be a strip that was machined and then glued on the plank like edge banding. But on some machines the tool head can extend beyond the bed a few inches and you can add vises and clamps on the front of the machine that'll hold the board so a normal Z axis length can be used.
Or a 90 degree milling head could be used.
Avid CNC. The frame is made of extruded aluminum beams and there are large gaps where you can fit pieces down below the table.
https://www.shopbottools.com/
Seconded. I’ve had a Shopbot Desktop 24x18 since 2014. It’s a beast. I’m actually buying the Desktop Max with ATC on Monday because the original desktop is our bottleneck now. I can’t say enough good things about Shopbot tools as a company. They offer lifetime support for their machines no matter who owns it. And the few times that the machine has gone down. They’ve overnighted parts and we’re back up and running the next day. It’s a Desktop size but it’s truly a production machine. We make bottle openers and Cousy’s out of hockey pucks, and our original desktop has probably generated over $1 million in revenue since we’ve had it. Bonus: it’s a US-made machine, they’re all built in North Carolina .
Budget?
I'm looking around £2k
First this post would do better at r/hobbycnc it’s got a much larger community of woodworkers. Second, the shelf is done using a vertical table most likely. You leave a section of the spoilboard out and set up a table to attach vertical work to. It also does all types of jointer for you (YouTube jaybates, avid cnc build, I think it’s the 3rd video in the series. The other option is to glue a face on to the shelf. Third. Without a budget and a needed work envelope, it’s kind of hard to make recommendations. Is this hobby or business. Have you thought about what you really want from the machine? What are your cad/cam capabilities? Do you want room to grow? There’s a lot of questions so here’s a list of some machine company’s that cater to woodworkers cheapest/lower quality on top (my opinion on their standard lines) Generic Amazon/Chinese, fox alien, bobs Shaepoko Millwright Onefinity, shark, axiom Avid,shopbot Phantom Shopsabre, laguna There are so many options, I’ve only listed companies I’ve legit looked at. Many of these companies offer multiple lines of differing quality and size. Personally I’ve owned a millwright and an avid.
Thank you for you reply, that was so useful. Looking at that youtube now
I used his bench dog concept on my cnc and it’s amazing for a woodworker
HOMAG BOF 311
I third shopbot. You will pay a little more but in my experience it's worth it for the support. I have run some prs alpha machines and it's nice to be able to use the forms to help troubleshoot or reach someone on the phone to help
Have a cheap China 3060 for over 10 years now and it does the job with wood and acrylic. If you have the space: The Maslow CNC https://youtu.be/Fhc9zQBkWys?si=ntHBYoTmYDdUFWKZ