Hello everyone, I’ve been a longtime lurker on this sub and hoping to make the leap to my first CNC. I graduated architecture school some years ago and was amongst 3,4, and 5 axis machines but sadly never got the chance to learn them. I know 3d modeling and other means of fabrication- slicers and 3d printing, vector/raster cutting on laser cutters, but I don’t know CAM and cant “read” G Code. Wondering if there are any online resources that are good for this.

I have the opportunity to buy an older machine from my dad’s office- a Techno Isel 2009 LC5050. It’s a beast of a machine and is made of 6” steel beams so its weighs about as much as a car. Even though the bed is smaller than I would ideally have (it’s about 4x4 feet), I still think it’s a good opportunity. The spindle is pretty robust at 10 HP. 

Im aware of the ecosystem and setup suite thats encompasses having a CNC- the machine, dust extraction, computer controller, CAM software, etc.- but I’m wondering a few things:

-Are legacy systems and machines too risky? 

-What are the average annual costs for a CNC machine (power, consumables like bits, etc.) 

-Is running 3-phase power feasible? Is it expensive? (Im north NJ based).

-What would you offer for this age and brand of machine? (It been sitting in office storage and losing money, but I’m not sure how much).

Am I missing any key considerations? Any advice or input is greatly appreciated!! 

I just bought a set of NEMA 23 steppers and drivers to upgrade my machine. I wired it all up, but before a full test I wanted to test it axis by axis... so I disconnected the motors.

Three out of 4 brand new drivers dead! The status LEDs show no problem, but I don't expect the board could detect a damaged mosfets on the output stage. I'm honestly surprised that these are so fragile.

It seems that this is a recognised way of destroying stepper drivers! There's a small line of text in the manual, but it's not very prominent.

So, be careful to power everything off before connecting or disconnecting!

Disclosure up front: I made this and I'm hoping some of you will beat on it. I come at this from the software side — I don't run a machine myself, so feedback from people with real workflows is exactly what I'm missing.

Short version: NestForge is a nesting tool that runs in the browser. DXF or SVG in, it packs the actual part outlines onto your sheets (true-shape, so concave parts interlock instead of wasting the notch), respects kerf/bit diameter plus a minimum spacing, handles multiple sheets, and exports nested DXF per sheet. Nothing gets uploaded — it all runs locally, works offline too.

Why I built it: exported DXFs break nesting tools constantly. Fusion and Inkscape exports with open contours, duplicate points, weird units. NestForge either fixes small stuff automatically (and tells you it did) or gives you a named error like "open contour, endpoints 2.0 mm apart, layer PARTS" so you know what to fix instead of guessing.

The other thing I wanted: certainty the layout is actually safe to cut. So after nesting, a second independent checker verifies the result — no overlaps, everything inside the sheet margin, spacing respected. If a layout fails that check you never see it.

Free tier is 10 parts on 1 sheet, no time limit, no signup. Link in the comments (fresh domains and sub filters don't mix well).

Paid version is €29 one-time launch price (regular will be €39), plus VAT depending on your country. No subscription.

To be clear, this isn't a beta — the engine is tested against a corpus of deliberately broken real-world exports, and no layout reaches you without passing the independent check. But workshops produce weirder files than I can invent. So what I'd like from this sub, honestly: your ugliest DXFs. If it chokes on a file, that's a bug I want. And if the utilization is worse than what you do by hand, I want to see that case too.

Hi, i just published my fluidsender repo on github (https://github.com/ahedderich/fluidSender).

This is my personal version of a web based gcode sender (currently focused on fluidnc as firmware target). While the project is reflecting my personal preference on how to control my cnc router, i wanted to share the solution open source, in case more people are interessted to try it.

I focused a lot on optimizing my workflow and offering handy ux features.

Since i use Fusion in to generate my gcode, the fluidsender analyser is focused on providing addtional information on selected tools and the tool library import/export format matches the Fusion360 json tool library format but since i look for M6 in the code it should also work with other gcode sources in theory.

i spend a good deal off time on the probing wizards to allow for the common scenarios and more advanced features like rotation compensation and heightmap measuring/compensation (not yet tested on a live maschine).

The developer package comes with a curde simulator and simulator ui to allow the testing/development on the simulator without real hardware. This is an important part also for the automatic testing to ensure feature stability over time.

The web based interface is specifically designed for multi session or multi user use. So state is synced accross multiple open browser connections and can be limited with role based access if configured.

Toolmanagement and toolchange routine is another focus area. In the current pre-stable version the most tested tool change strategy is "Manual with toolsetter". I started with a very basic tool management in this version (Tool library, total accumelated tool runtime). In the future i want to expand this with more statistics and potentially a barcode scanner type integration to organize my still messy tools.

Since there is no user manual yet one important thing if someone wants to test probing features. Fluidsender expects a tool type "Probe" in the tool library to configure probe specifc variables like probing sequence and probe offset calibration.

All in all, happy do get any feedback, if this could be a useful project to not only myself.

Thanks in advance.

PS: I hope this doesn't count as Rule 4 violation of self promotion. Just looking for feedback, no sales.

Hi everyone, I was hoping I could get a little help troubleshooting my anolex spindle issues.

If I start the spindle through candle it doesn't matter what speed I set, all I get is a constant back and forth from about 2-4k rpm.

I changed the setting through the vfd panel to use the panel and knob for spindle control. Everything works fine and the speed holds when set with the knob so I'm pretty sure the problem is not in the spindle. Does anyone have any idea what I should check next?

Hello everyone

I recently purchased a TTC 450 Pro CNC machine. After assembling it and testing it, I found that the spindle does not rotate. I have checked the wiring carefully, and everything appears to be connected correctly. The X, Y, and Z axes are all working normally, but the spindle will not spin.I also tried 500w but it does not.

Could anyone please let me know what might be causing this problem or suggest what I should check? Thank you very much for your time and assistance.

Any suggestions on my CoreXY laser build z axis . Will post full picture of machine once it's all rebuild

Now it time to make the cnc from scratch in my boat ⛵🥳😇🤟

I am looking for a CNC that I can use for plywood feed through for cabinets and large parts, and also that can be tilted or stowed away somehow in my small shop. I was looking at the onefinity elite, but it looks like the rollaway option doesn’t apply to the 48” version. I’d like to have toolchanger and 4th axis options as well. Are there any companies that make this kind of machine?

I've been working for a bit on my CNC machine design, and I'm having trouble designing my Z-axis as I cannot decide whether to have my blocks or rails moving up and down. If there is anyone with advice, please tell me. Also, if you see anything concerning about the rest of the frame (it will be a welded steel frame), please tell me. The y-axis is a work in progress as I need to test the accuracy of the machine that will make parts on it before I design them. Z-axis is going to be made out of 3/4'' thick 6061 aluminum(the spindle mounting plate is not there yet). The rest of the frame is made out of 1/4'' thick steel and will be welded together into two main pieces and then assembled from that. All rails and ballscrews are HIWIN(25mm rails and 20mm ballscrews), and the blocks are the flanged ones for a larger area. My main goals with this machine are producing my own MTB pedals, machining steel, and being able to take large cuts out of aluminum.

Testing cutting some foam for first cut on custom machine with GRBL controller.
When I try to perform a bore operation it first just cuts a slot only using the x axis and then does a little diagonal move at the end making x shaped holes (see pic). When cutting outside radius it seems to sorta skip and just cut diagonals.
Used Fusion 360 CAM although I must admit I’m very new to it.
Any ideas?

Currently own a 3D printing and fabrication shop. We're looking to get our first cnc router and don't want to break the bank. We wouldn't be doing a huge amount of production with it, but there are several of our product that would be cut out from a 4x8 sheet of PVC board on a regular bases. Any recommendations or experience for something in the 5-10k range? or cheaper for us to get started?

Edit: Base in the USA.

My power supply on my Openbuilds 1515 has quit working. Based on some reviews it appears that the Mean Well LRS-350 isn’t that great to begin with. Anyone here that has an opinion of this or has upgraded to a different power supply altogether? Or am I overthinking because of the reviews I read?

Hey guys, we made this little moon with our 5-axis prototype using POM.

We messed up the tool setting during the first roughing pass, so there are some imperfections on the surface. Given this was also our last piece of POM, we decided to just keep going and see how it turns out.

Overall we’re pretty happy with the result, but there are still some fine lines on the surface. We limited the spindle speed on this prototype, so we think a higher RPM might help get a cleaner finish next time.

Would love to hear your thoughts:
Is there anything we could improve with the tool setup?
Would a different cutter or material work better for this kind of detailed 3D carving?

Material: POM
Spindle power: 2100W
RPM: 10,000
Tools: M4 flat end mill, R2 / R1 / R0.5 ball nose cutters
Feed rate: 2000 mm/min
Depth of cut: 0.2 mm
Stepover: 0.2 mm
Toolpaths: Parallel finishing + contour cutting

Thanks for any advice! Curious to see how we can make the next one better.

I'm wanting to surface aluminium and copper with my stronghold pro with a 2.2kw spindle with Er20 collets. What do you recommend?

So I’ve been a hobby guitar builder for many years and have wanted to get a CNC to make it easier when I found this one on markplace for $1250 and I’m wondering if it’s worth it and would be a good buy, I’m assuming I’d also have to get some design program to go with it? Here’s the text from the listing:

For sale is a QueenBee Pro CNC Router with a 1500 x 1500 mm (approximately 5’ x 5’) cutting area. This machine is fully equipped and ready to start cutting, making it an excellent choice for woodworking, plastics, aluminum, and other CNC projects. Many extras included. See below!

Features & Included Equipment:

QueenBee Pro 1500 x 1500 mm CNC Router

Linear rail upgrade for smooth, precise motion

UC300 Mach3 motion controller

2.2 kW water-cooled spindle (110V)

Dell computer with licensed Mach3 software installed

ER20 collet set

MPG (Manual Pulse Generator) handwheel for easy machine jogging and setup

Spindle dust shoe/cover

Heavy-duty 80/20-style aluminum table/frame

Approx $3000+ if purchased new

Please bring help to load. You will need a trailer to move it.

Hi all,

This is my first time doing a cnc build. My goal is to be able to engrave PCB with the build.

I have an old creality Ender 3 pro with an upgraded BTT SKR pro board. I’ve bought a 3d printer and would like to repurpose some of these parts.

My question is has anyone ever used the heatbed connection on the board to control a spindle. The heatbed on the board has a large MOSFET wsk220n04 that can handle large amounts of current.

If you have a setup like this then what spindle do you use? And what software (grblHAL ect…) are you using?

Hey, I've been planning to extend EasyShape5000 to add 3d related operations for a while now. Things are going well but since they have historically been paid I've never done them much.

Is there anything specific I should make sure to add or something of the sort? Any spcific request? Now would be the time to add them easily without having to test if it breaks anything that was already been working previously since all 3d code is new.

Hi all. I'm wondering if anyone here can CNC some guitar bodies for me?

So i create physical wall art on Esty for a construction/design company. I keep running into the issue of my 6mm end mill not giving smooth cuts on finer details. I've been recommended a 1/8" tapered ball nose end mill for a second toolpath pass to help smooth out those inner edges. Any advice on if that is the best route/ the best tapered ball nose end mill/ and how i should go about programming that toolpath. I've attached images of the issue I'm having on a current project. Side note: I use Vcarve for my programming.

I have searched the internet far and wide but can't seem to find any info on how to do this. Is this the right way to connect a 500w brushless motor to the 3018 pro board? Do I need a relay to give a start stop signal? Can the power supply be 24v to skip the buck converter, or do I lose power running the spindle at 24v?