Mid-level CNC machine for inlay +software advice please.

[Rôckhewer]

Hi friends!...Guess what!
I get to order a little CNC machine for NMG.

We've been getting pearl inlays pre-cut from DePaule ... but they can't keep up.
And luckily for me the boys see the wisdom of doing custom inlay jobs in house.
Long story short? We can buy a machine for cheaper than they are paying for this one (1) particular custom job ...a (hired) cnc guy is currently doing. (& taking too long)
... and hey... they have me.

Am I a "CNC" guy?... no not really.
Am I CNC "adjacent"? very much... have been for years. I just wish I knew this was coming... didn't think I would need... I mean... I'd have paid better attention when I used one. (with help).
I'm a good laser operator and I used to run a waterjet for a living ...so I got that going.
But... Point being...

I would love recommendations for intuitive, easy to learn software.

I first thought that Inventables "Easle" was the answer but am now suspicious it is too limited.
So I'm thinking Vectric... "Vcarve" at the very least ...or maybe "Aspire" if they will pony up the $1900 to own it.
Thoughts? Other options?
....
As to the machine itself. I feel pretty good about this choice...but will happily hear other opinions.

So mostly what this machine needs to do is cut pearl. It will do a lot of that.
BCR Diamonds, LSDiamonds, Snowflake, Clouds, Spearheads, Sharkfins, headstock R's & M's etc etc.
..AND custom stuff!!
So, the working space needs to be big enough for a bass fingerboard to fit.

I'm also keen on getting the laser module kit. I didn't even know these were an option till today
Best of both worlds?

So yeah...
I know there is a few y'all using CNC.
Please help me cross completely over to the dark side. .... (for little stuff) lol.
Thoughts? opinions? links? ....etc??

Please and thanky'all in advance .

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Wish I had some advice Rock, after hand-cutting a bunch of Star shaped inlays on my last build (made by hand in Vietnam, so each one slightly unique), the idea of a small machine dedicated to that purpose makes sense in a production situation. Hopefully somebody with actual CNC experience will chime in...

 

[hondo4life]

As a CNC guy, I generally only know about huge, industrial machines.

However, I have used a Raspberry Pi as a controller for a small mill. I believe the CNC software is still free.

 

[Barticus]

Hi friends!...Guess what!
I get to order a little CNC machine for NMG.

We've been getting pearl inlays pre-cut from DePaule ... but they can't keep up.
And luckily for me the boys see the wisdom of doing custom inlay jobs in house.
Long story short? We can buy a machine for cheaper than they are paying for this one (1) particular custom job ...a (hired) cnc guy is currently doing. (& taking too long)
... and hey... they have me.

Am I a "CNC" guy?... no not really.
Am I CNC "adjacent"? very much... have been for years. I just wish I knew this was coming... didn't think I would need... I mean... I'd have paid better attention when I used one. (with help).
I'm a good laser operator and I used to run a waterjet for a living ...so I got that going.
But... Point being...

I would love recommendations for intuitive, easy to learn software.

I first thought that Inventables "Easle" was the answer but am now suspicious it is too limited.
So I'm thinking Vectric... "Vcarve" at the very least ...or maybe "Aspire" if they will pony up the $1900 to own it.
Thoughts? Other options?
....
As to the machine itself. I feel pretty good about this choice...but will happily hear other opinions.
View attachment 7177004
So mostly what this machine needs to do is cut pearl. It will do a lot of that.
BCR Diamonds, LSDiamonds, Snowflake, Clouds, Spearheads, Sharkfins, headstock R's & M's etc etc.
..AND custom stuff!!
So, the working space needs to be big enough for a bass fingerboard to fit.

I'm also keen on getting the laser module kit. I didn't even know these were an option till today
Best of both worlds?
View attachment 7177013

So yeah...
I know there is a few y'all using CNC.
Please help me cross completely over to the dark side. .... (for little stuff) lol.
Thoughts? opinions? links? ....etc??

Please and thanky'all in advance .

I’m not familiar with the brand you’ve mentioned. When I did my research, before investing, I landed on Onefinity as the best option for me. It was versatile, offered options like laser and offered really robust components… and it was fairly affordable.

They have different sizes of machines, I went for the largest they had at the time and don’t regret it. It was the right option for me and has been a fun ride.

I bought a 14w diode JJ laser for mine when I purchased, and have never used it. I have a 20w diode and a 55w Co2 laser that serves me better and I’ve not needed a laser for anything larger than my current solutions offers. I also have a conveyer/extended bed but haven’t needed it either

Most of the learning and time investment has been in CAD/CAM and understanding G-Code. The rest of the manufacturing side of it (feeds/speeds, etc.) will depend on the machine’s (spindle/router) limitations, the particular bits being used and of course the materials your carving… much of this is common sense based on how you use manual tools. The hard composite materials have been the toughest on routers/bits and require more trial/error to determine the best workflow for my situation.

I’ve learned a lot and happy with my decisions, thus far. Happy to chat, if it would help.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Look at onefinity.
Quality is a step above:

https://www.onefinitycnc.com/

 

[chinjazz]

Hi Rock, I agree that OneFinity machines are a top of the heap for DYI / Hobby machines. There's another contender, SienciLabs. I own a LongMill MK2 30x30 machine, and their newer machine the AltMill is a serious contender to OneFinity. FoxAlien has good machines... These companies have been getting better year over year.

When I started out I bought a small $200 machine off of Amazon just to get the idea, and soon sold it and got the LongMill MK2 when my budget permitted.

There's a lot to learn on the CAD side, then CAM is another bucket of skills to learn, but if you've done a lot of Router work with fixtures you definitely have a leg up on that side of things. I'm personally about to get into Spindles as opposed to Routers, which give you automated speed control, and efficiency etc..

Learning CAD Software can consume a ton of your time, and there are so many options.
I'm a Mac guy so I like it for graphics, rendering and the like. I use Rhino3D, and a bit of Fusion360, and have been dabbling with Shapr3D lately.