A CNC Mill For Less Than $200 - Is It Worth Buying? (CNC 3018 Pro)

[@Jagdtyger2A]

Once it was assembled, I think that my first projects would be to machine out replacements for the problematic plastic parts, or at least reinforcing steel plates to go over them

[@Jianju69]

I'm wondering if this machine is even up to that task.

[@noahhastings6145]

@@Jianju69 It's really not

[@JTMarlin8]

Maybe you should just not buy a piece of shit to begin with.

[@billjacobs8035]

@@JTMarlin8 now it a verifiable pos 😁😆🤣

[@glendaharding1802]

Do you think this machine would cut a design from vinyl records?

[@disgruntledgrunt241]

I bought a 3018 three years ago and I've made hundreds of acrylic Edge Lit signs and wood plaques. It paid for itself in the first couple months selling my work. Maybe I got lucky, mine has ran flawlessly. I upgraded the spindle about a year ago, everything else is still original.

[@jbb3141]

What brand/model did you go with? I've been looking on eBay for something inexpensive to route 50 x 50 x 20 mm graphite blocks for metal pour molds but have no idea where to start.

[@nodachi8165]

@@jbb3141 did you find what you look?

[@wadebrewer7212]

Sounds good enough for pcb boards to me.

[@Elymyntal]

For my part, I'm a broke Mom who would ultimately love to build my own machine. In the meantime- something like this is exactly what I need. There are so many things I can learn from for a very minimal amount of money. Idc about perfect right now. I'm delighted this exists so I can learn with my hands instead of just watching creator vids kinda just...idk watching the world go by. For me, this video means everything I appreciate it very much, thank you!

[@wadebrewer7212]

Good luck to you. And yes....a lesser expensive machine like this is a great start point other than the frustrating parts of troubleshooting. You won't be as nervous to messing up a very expensive spindle or homing tool.

[@bitp1mp]

I'm thinking of getting it to cut wood. Looks like anything more than that is a no go.

[@stevej7139]

if you add a spray mist to the machine it will help with the finishes by reducing re-cutting chips . I was an aerospace machinist for 43 years , there are off the shelf replacement bushings/bearings for that machine by the way that are vastly superior but there's nothing to do about the plastic other than replace with aluminum .

[@NewExperienceExplorer]

do you know of any supplier Europe side, i'm very interested in buying one of these and slowly specking it up.

[@stevej7139]

@@NewExperienceExplorer Not sure of any in Europe but the majority of these things are made in China and should be available thru Alibaba if you use that online supplier .

[@prestonian1066]

Add spray mist?

[@gyrogearloose1345]

@@prestonian1066 Look it up old chap!

[@china_airguns]

If you only do model making and mainly work with balsa wood or plastic, then this small C&C machine is absolutely sufficient. But if you want to work on aluminum or even steel, you should choose a C&C machine with at least 1.5 HP or approx. 1 kilowatt of power and a machine frame made of solid aluminum or, better yet, cast steel.

[@TheWhoost]

I've been watching a lot of reviews of these and this is by far the most thorough and clear, with an actual parts quality viewpoint. Even broke out the indicator. I needed to know these things, thank you!

[@Zalzany]

Most these "pros" very so much it makes it moot. I got a pro that is nicer then thsi from another company. They slap "pro" on everythign hobby kit wise these days. Mine has Saintssmart logo on it the mount is better, and its just over tweaked. I seen other reviews point out the saintsmart model is nicer version, and again its a chinese made kit been out for a long time now, so there is a ton of cheap versions out there that "do the same thing" where they slap Pro on it and skimped on some spots, especially knowing many people will swap out the mount, and motor on these things if they keep using it or just moth ball it and move on to much nicer CNC for double the price once they learn on this thing.

[@gangleweed]

I like the straight to the point narrative and the comments on the various aspects that affect the build and working of the machine. About 6 months back I went on EBAY or was it AMAZON....can't remember....and bought one of these 3018 CNC routers mainly to see how it went together as I knew just by watching the various videos that it was a bit weak at the knees for a machine that cuts into materials more harder than soft wood...........it's still in the box untouched, but looked at in depth and will be sold on after the build, and from that I designed a more improved version and bought a swag of 2040 extrusions, 10mm aluminium plate along with a couple of SBR linear rails and 1204 ball screws..........I intend to make it perform like a pocket battleship as the motor is a 150watt brushed type. I already have a CNC mill so this is just an amusement exercise in off the shelf component design to pass the time and keep the marbles well oiled. So far, as this is yet another iron in the fire, the build is 3/4 finished and gets worked on a couple of hours at a time just as the fancy takes me. The new build will be more expensive than the bought in item but that was not the object of the exercise......it also worked out slightly bigger in the X,Y and Z due to the off the shelf components that I didn't want to cut.

[@raypatterson1916]

can't wait to hear about the new and bigger machine, I got a 3018 last year, have done a few upgrades, I'm loving it .

[@Slemi]

I have the non PRO 3018. I really like it. I made really precise pieces made of plywood and made a bigger CNC with this one. For wood I use fast feed rate and small depth of cut. I t works better for me than slow feed with large depth of cut. Also end switches are nice upgrade.

[@haydenc2742]

same here...I 3D printed some limit switch mounts and some manual crank additions, but unfortunately...I just haven't gotten into CNC as much as I would have liked...heck that $80 "laser engraver" got more use than my 3018 just making little images on cutout cardboard for the kids

[@NeilFraser]

I also added limit switches, but encountered the problem that once the spindle starts up, there's enough EM interferance that the some of the limit switches are falsely triggered, ending the operation. Added capacitors to the spindle motor, but that didn't help. Will try coax wire next. Limits work great in laser mode though.

[@Slemi]

@@NeilFraser You probably used switches in NC combination, this means that the switches break contact when activated/touched. Use them in NC combination, that means that they short when they are activated/touched, that way there is no loop to be able to make inducted pulse.

[@zacharyreichert5035]

With anything as underpowered as these tiny machines, you really have to. Keep the strain on the motors as low as possible and you'll be okay. You're not doing production runs, you can afford to take your time.

[@SteveRichfield]

Toss the endmill and replace it with a roughing mill - which is sort of a cross between and endmill and a tap. With this machine, a roughing mill will produce a better finish and be able to cut deeper than an endmill, because it cuts in nibbles rather than slices.

[@artisanmakes]

I didn't even think they made roughers that small, I have a few larger ones, but Ill have to buy some 1/8 in ones

[@miguelarias5000]

@@artisanmakes do it. Pls.

[@smallblockchevy1022]

@@artisanmakes What's the difference between aluMINIUM and aluminum?

[@artisanmakes]

@@smallblockchevy1022 the difference is whether you live in north America or the rest of the world. Same stuff different spelling :)

[@ronsta2552]

@@smallblockchevy1022 the accent

[@auxchar]

One of the things I've heard is really important for those small CNC routers in aluminum is using a 1 flute cutter to reduce tool pressure, and lowering the spindle speed to get as close to the correct SFM as you possibly can, so you're cutting actual chips instead of dust.

[@artisanmakes]

Thanks for the insight. Strangely controlling the router from the computer I have no spindle RPM control, but controlling it from the offline controller I have total control. Cant wait to get my hands on some one flute cutters. Cheers

[@1pcfred]

A 1/4" diameter HSS tool cutting cast aluminum the spindle RPM should be at least 9,167 RPM If you're using carbide tools then it's pretty much as fast as you can go isn't nearly fast enough. The HSS was calculated for 600 SFPM and carbide is 2,820 SFPM So almost 5 times faster. Or about 43,084 RPM.

[@auxchar]

​@@1pcfred ​ @Paul Frederick Yeah, a 1/4" diameter tool is about the largest you can fit in an ER11 collet. I was gonna mention too, but forgot, you can also increase the size of the tool to get more SFM at the same RPM, which is a good idea, since torque tends to drop off at low RPM. Downside is that your minimum corner radius is the size of your cutter, so it's often enough that you don't want to do that, in which case it's important to drop the RPM.

[@1pcfred]

@@auxchar you need to raise RPM when you drop tool diameter to maintain surface speed.

[@MichaelKnight-cf5jx]

What does something mean

[@jessicaweaver6728]

I'm used to larger, corded routers kzbin.infoUgkxfQ5_mgwq6PcudJvAH25t-I4D-3cTPz4z so this was a different experience for me. Basically, this is an incredibly sweet machine, fits well in the hand, etc. It has slightly less power than I'm used to, but that's understandable. Maneuvering freehand takes some practice. These days, it's especially nice to be able to avoid power cords. This is above the level of a hobbyist but below a pro level.

[@babbagebrassworks4278]

Got one of these a few weeks ago, came with 2.5W laser for $289 AUD, crazy low price for a beginners machine. There are some guys who have got the 3020 Pro Max which addresses the rigidity, linear slides on X,Z and bigger rails on the Y, 300W motor. However it is double the price, if you want to make small aluminium parts slowly then it is probably worth it.

[@colemanerik]

I got the cheaper version and the frame is all extruded aluminum, so it's a little more ridged. I cut plastic and mdf all the time with it. I have used the v bit that came with the machine to etch lines into aluminum so I get my holes and cut lines correct and was able to get a logo on it as well. It just took multiple passes of about 0.05mm each time until I found it reasonable. The tip did break so it is no longer a point on the end but still works. I recently got a drag bit for engraving and that worked great on aluminum. I do find you really need a spoil board that you can flatten because the work plate doesn't ever seem to stay level.

[@Zalzany]

This "pro" was garbage mine was all aluminum, more rigid, better mount, and same basic motor though. Like a lot say "pro" and be not pro, they got same basic stats but the quality changes so much based on who made it. But I seen some built for weaker metals they cost more first thing I noticed is much nicer mount for the motor and a motor upgrade was put on it as well. The ones I seen all say for wood or acrylic, you really need to upgrade it for metal work, and no one should be using just the stock bits, its not a 3d printer get set of different ones for it and thank yourself later.

[@Heisenberg2097]

I bought a CNC2418 some years before... with a 2.5W laser and a drill... kept me entertained five moths... because I basically lasered and drilled about everything I could find and try. My neighbours were lucky to be on vacation... else I would have lasered and drilled them too. The learning curve of these machines is a bit higher due to no end stops etc. But great value for money.

[@johnsmith5726]

We, I run a small charity, have been running one of these machines for the past three years. We use it to cut out a product from HDPE, and the little thing runs 8 hours a day 5 days a week. We have never had an issue with it, it just runs and runs, we haven't had to replace the motor or any other parts. We did dump the supplied controller, added a Raspberry Pi, so it works wirelessly now, and some micro end stops. Overall it has been a great machine that has paid us back thousands of times over. It is being replaced by a larger CNC so we can cut more product quicker, but i'm sure we will find something for it to do. It engraves brass quite easily so maybe name plates.

[@ernestgalvan9037]

I realize this post is a year old, but I’m hopeful… You stated that you “dumped the supplied controller, added Raspberry Pi”…. Could you state what controller you ended up using, and what function the RPi performed ? Thank you.

[@Gewehr2180]

Well I will say that I started my CNC fun with one of these little machines. At first the machine worked great. However it came to a point where it would not work anymore. I replaced the control board twice with no luck. Even replaced the power brick. Every time I would plug it in it would start smoking the circuit boards. Ended up selling. Wasn't a Vevor brand. Moved to a 3040 CNC (Vevor Brand) and that was a good machine. The bed size was definitely better than the 3018 but was kinda right there for a useable size. I Found a outstanding deal on a Vevor brand 6040 4 axis machine that was 3 months old so I now have a even bigger machine. I have not owned or tried other Chinese brand CNC routers but it seems like the Vevors don't seem to have all the issues that other machines do. Plus there USB. I run my Mach3 on Windows 11 without any issues. Machine runs great!

[@cwalke32477]

Vevor tends to use the same mechanical components as any other Chinese brand, but tend to have better control boards. I have a vevor 3018, non pro, and it's control board has been flawless. The only issue i've had is short router motor life with the 775's. But that's to be expected.

[@Gewehr2180]

@@cwalke32477 I am convinced that the electronics might be a hair better. It seems like all those China CNC machine brand and the tan machines on Ebay 3040/6040 size have to have the wires replaced. My 3018 wasn't a Vevor it was a off brand but it was cooking control board drivers. I replaced the board and same right away. I must have a stepper issue. Oh well I don't own it anymore. I have been very happy with my Vevor machines both 3040 and 6040.

[@mikesmith1550]

I'd check the runout on the bare motor shaft. Also the collet adapter or collet might not be machined concentric ID to OD. When a tool runs out, only the outside (high) flutes are cutting. Two flute far superior. Shorten everything up.

[@artisanmakes]

I wasn't really trying to reduce the end mill run out, rather trying to reduce the vibrations as a result of the wobble. Either way not much of an improvement

[@shingabiss]

Very nicely presented! For $200 it's a great deal. Your mention of the parallel port reminded me of a pcb milling machine I made back in the 90s. I controlled the steppers in real time with binary counting over parallel port. Windows 95/98 allowed this and I milled hundreds of pc boards. I wrote my own Gerber 274X conversion software in VB6. I upgraded to Phidgets USB control in 2005 with some code mods. It's now in my garage shop in use! Kind of cool to see this sort of thing has taken off, and 3d printing.

[@aevan104]

That's awesome.

[@philoso377]

Plastic, aluminum and steel have one thing in common, they all flex under stress and tensile loads. For industry applications use steel or granite bed, enable increase production rate at optimum profit usually at a priming price. For hobby aluminum and or plastic bed to lower production rate (to obtain same flex in steel) for nonprofit applications to a least market price.

[@discombubulate2256]

i bought my 6030 about 12 years back for about $1500aud. the electronics failed like straight away and i spent a couple months going back and forward with the ebay supplier getting new parts form them only to have the parts fail instantly until one day they stopped responding. i left it broken for a year or so until i got in contact with a guy who helped me out. another $1500aud saw a brand new custom electronics package, new water cooled spindle, new stepper motors and a re wiring. she works a treat now and i can happly machine brass.

[@jpsimon206]

Nice! Good of you to bite the bullet for the rest of us. I'm sure you are right, many of us have that unit in our watch list. Waiting for more reviews to come in, it's too good to be true as things are right now. Thank you so much for taking the plunge on all of our behalf!

[@cwalke32477]

I use the same machine for facing 3d printed parts. It works great for that. But I don't need engine piston precision for what I'm doing. If you need super precise parts, the 3018 won't do you justice. But if all you need is 0.1mm precision, it's great, and you don't need anything more. With that being said; the 775 motors are not the highest quality. They'll burn out after 100 hours, or so. but the replacements are, only, about $10-$15USD; depending where you look. However, there's plenty of 3D printable mods, that will allow you to add a Makita, or similar router. But, for my needs, the 775 does a great job.

[@ChristopheD_]

Hi. For proper cuts in wood you have to use Wood cutters. The geometry is different (chips evacuation) and it makes a huge difference. Try 2 flutes bits designed for handheld routers. Spiral ones if you can find them. And in wood, the results vary a lot when you cut endgrain or inline. And also wheter the bit is Upcut or Downcut.

[@mikes9759]

Absolutely!! You took the words right out of my mouth. I've been running and building machines and a lot of other things for decades.

[@tomengman]

Sure, it’s not a 6040 with linear rails, but it can do a LOT for 200 bucks! I upgraded mine with an all aluminium z-axis/spindle holder and a more powerfull spindle motor for like 100 bucks more and I’m doing carbon fibre plates at around .5mm depth and 100mm/m feed with really nice results. Next step will be linear rails but that is probably at the edge of the amount of cash im willing to spend on it before buying a more proper machine. Still, great machine for learning and very easy to transition to from 3d printing

[@rok1475]

This type of machine is the best introduction into CNC machining. If you manage to become proficient in making little trinkets on this ( which includes) learning CAD and CAM software) , you can confidently step up to a bigger machine than you can use to make practical parts.

[@Crazyman23]

As I CNC op, extra screws are great. They strip and come loose all the time in an Industrial setting and you'll easily replace one or more each week with an aged machine.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Good Unboxing and Reveiw i think for the Money it appears to be a okay Value ? sure it has a few Quirks and Faults but let’s face it for $200.00 who wouldn’t expect to have to do some tinkering and Modifications a big plus is. it basically worked as it was shipped to you for myself at almost 60 years of age i am still amazed that something like this can be made in another Country then where i reside ,Packaged up safely and shipped to my Doorstep for that type of money i’m a retired ProfessionalWoodworker and the last few CNC machines we purchased for Production purposes in our Shop were in the Millions Of Dollars per Machine Yes a completely different Animal of a higher Quality but it’s Intentions we’re to do high Production with a high level of Precission

[@RevDevGaming]

I set these up for a living the huge versions of this, haas and makinos. Kinda cool to see what I would consider a pocket sized version of what I work on.

[@EngineerRaisedInKingston]

Arguably one of the must underrated machining channels on youtube. Loving the content, Mr. Artisan. Would love to see a CAM video at some point.

[@artisanmakes]

No worries, thanks for the suggestion

[@babbagebrassworks4278]

Getting back into CNC after 15years of rusting. The old CNCed X1 needs a Hand Tools Rescue rebuild and the lathe too. Parallel port on tiny PC using FreeDOS and TurboCNC. So much easier theses days, even Raspberry Pi's can do it.

[@Iskelderon]

I'm always on the edge on these too, since they seem to be enough for scale model building. Stuff like brass, aluminium and machineable plastic. Of course, one of the first projects would be making metal replacements for these plastic bits.

[@BobMuir100]

WOW! Thank you so very much. Knew nothing about this type of machine and at the price would have ignored anyway. On Amazon for £159 or £249 now when I work out what’s going on I may purchase and that s because of you!!! Bob England

[@murmur3966]

I have what may be dumb questions, but I have always wondered how much comes for $200. I think the money bought a very capable little starter machine that someone starting out would have loads of fun learning and using it. Now for the questions. Can you use the machine parts as patterns and build it up larger in size and out of aluminium instead of plastic. That way you can mount a proper router or HD motor, some beefy stepper motors, but use the little mills electronics controller, to run the larger steppers motors. If so that would be great because you said you like the way it works easily with your computer etc.

[@woodandwandco]

I've had one of these 3018s for a couple of years, and it boggles my mind that you were able to engrave aluminum on it, though I'm sure it would break after a few minutes! I broke quite a few high quality bits with this machine as the chatter was horrendous, even with additional stabilization, regular cleaning, and tediously slow carving settings. I'll be getting myself a better machine soon. This machine is fun toy for basic experiments, creating simple small templates, and carving softer woods or plastics, and it struggles to do even that, so I would definitely recommend aiming higher if you're serious about CNC.

[@matrixist]

What will you be getting that is better?

[@woodandwandco]

@@matrixist That's a good question, I've seen quite a few interesting options in the range I'm considering (4'x2'), so the price range is not comparable, but I'm most serious about the AvidCNC and X-Carve as a balance between price, quality, and portability. The lower-end models are in the 3-4k range, so I'm still planning projects to justify the price and figuring out the financing, but I think it's definitely the way to go for me at this point to help streamline production, which is my main reason (aside from the reliability and added carving capabilities) to buy a bigger machine.

[@angelusmaker]

Speaking of your 3040, I'm currently in the process of upgrading my 6040 with servo motors - which are vastly overkill, of course. But hey, I consider it a test bench! Those iHSV57s should work wonders on an import mill like yours, and I'd already have everything setup! Except for the mill, of course ...

[@donniegombel]

Angus does this have to be tied into the wwweb to use? Thanks

[@manumanul4362]

10 years ago I bought something like this on ebay, it was made from bunch of polypropylene blocks, no profile. It still cuts a pcb's. But I tried alu and It was decent. It was a long journey that started from this little plastic CNC.

[@Dwarfracer88]

If you start all of the slot nuts on the screws for the gantry supports then feed the gantry support onto the aluminum frame it is much more simple and less aggravating.

[@Raymond-rr5iv]

I've always wanted one of those machines and the price on this is Affordable. I appreciate your obvious background and expertise in evaluating this inexpensive machine and I'm interested in how you might improve it for aluminum use. Thank you so much.

[@eugenesaint1231]

After watching this, I immediately ordered one. I'm not expecting much but I've been wanting some kind (any kind) of CNC machine since the 80's -- just to play with. Now that I'm 71 I just decided to bite the bullet and check it out. Plus, for 200 bucks I can't afford not to. :^) Thanks for the video. Just sane... :^) Saint

[@artisanmakes]

Best of luck. For engraving it is a lot of fun

[@mattgue3452]

I own one of these. They are fully upgradeable and putting it together teaches you how to repair and upgrade them. Replace the spindle immediately though. Way too much runout on the spindle it comes with. It tries to burn wood too much otherwise.

[@HCG]

Do you have any recommendations for a CNC mill like this that’s actually decent quality and less than $1,000? What about around $500?

[@artisanmakes]

Cnc 3040 and 6040/6090 are probably the other alternative, but the electronics are a weak area for them

[@ActionBOX]

Great video! Appreciate the small details and explanations👏

[@artisanmakes]

Wasn't expecting a comment from you guys, big fan of your channel :)

[@parazaurolofek]

I bought it once and now it's in the closet. Everything worked fine except for setting the spindle to the "home" position - the spindle tried to break through the base or go to the ceiling, and overall it went crazy.

[@shadow_stalk]

Ayeeee nice video! Been thinking of a getting a table top mill... but one thing as a youtube expert, i didnt like was... when ya set your tooling ive found the best thing to use is a chip bag!.. paper gets rough sticks and everything sticks to it dirt,grime,chips,coolant... but a chip bag stays clean, smooth on the touch off and a simple wipe cleans it rite up without it ripping up and lasts 10x longer.. idk try it and let me kno what ya think!!

[@artisanmakes]

That sounds like a pretty reasonable suggestion. I don't think I have heas of using a chip bag must is definitely sounds like it could work

[@Borgedesigns]

Ive had one of these for a while, its a worthwhile purchase but if you use it over time it will need lots of maintenance. Biggest issue is the linear bearings in the head, they are just press fit in so once mine came loose they have never really stayed in properly again.

[@JasonPruitt]

I've enjoyed mine, one of the best uses I've found for it is PCB boards, as long as you don't get too crazy with the design. But like most things in these price ranges, it's a project. I'm working on upgrading mine, a ball screw on the table axis was a big help and better linear rails. It has been a good reason/way to learn CAD/CAM most of all.

[@haydenc2742]

it's ok for most thru hole designs and thicker traces..but trying to cut really thin traces or pads for SMD PCB's it just isn't accurate enough It's a GREAT beginners and learning rig...but nowhere near rigid enough for metal cutting

[@Zeldur]

I've been looking into these as a "Intro to cnc" for myself. Looking forward to the modding videos

[@philoso377]

If we pay hobby market price cnc run out can be compensated by end mill size in the cam software. Just add (run out, peak to peak) to the end mill diameter. Then test to verify before further correction. If we don’t know that we are not qualify to use hobby grade cnc. BTW novice use to measure run out at the tool holder body. Better test the end mill shank to get more realistic peak to peak sun out.

[@artisanmakes]

No, my aim wasn't to reduce the end mill run out, it was to reduce the run out of the spindle itself to try and reduce the vibrations. That is why I measured the spindle run out, not the end mill.

[@philoso377]

@@artisanmakes if we do nothing we can reduce rpm to reduce vibration. Besides we aren’t in a hurry being a hobbyist, spending little to no money is our goal. Remedies. can we add two more fasteners to make up four so we can remove eccentricity the way we do with a four jaw chuck? An alternative is to replace the heavy chunk by a light weight coupler sleeve between motor shaft and the tool, if we have a good lathe. If motor has little to no run out we can upgrade the ER collet mnt hole, first enlarge the stock mnt hole then friction fit fill that hole. Refinish the mounting by a precision boring a mnt hole fitting the motor shaft. Remember to verify that the motor stand alone are not contributing vibration as much. If we know a good way to disassemble the stock motor try static balance the rotor with a hobby propeller balancer. Ballast? Two part putty epoxy attach to magnet coil wire. If we don’t know or can’t do better than that we don’t qualify as DIYer or hobbyist.

[@leebrokus5069]

Regarding Vevor. I keep bees & my large stainless centrifuge honey extractor is also a Vevor. (Works great, but the flimsy legs kinda suck... sort of like a plastic framed CNC machine) I believe a lot of China's manufacturing cranks out random generic items for distribution companies to buy & label. Vevor seems to have found that nook of barely to somewhat useable but affordable options to typically higher cost items. I have some Harbor Freight Lathes in that same boat.

[@odizzido]

Having a little CNC machine to make parts sounds great. I have a few parts I would like to make but this machine couldn't handle it and spending >500 on one just for a couple little parts is pretty expensive. Still, it does seem neat. I would like to own one at some point, which seems possible given how quickly the cost of a capable CNC machine seems to be dropping.

[@slartimus]

That intro had some fantastic This Old Tony vibes. Bravo.

[@michaelmechex]

This whole video has The Infamous Minilathe vibe. It's great.

[@PositronicDiscombobulator]

If all else fails you could always attach a big laser to it. Thanks for the videos, very enjoyable.

[@haydenc2742]

there are TONS of 3D printable upgrades for the 3018 on thingiverse!!!

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

Why spend the money on upgrades, when could have bought a decent machine: fit for purpose?

[@andrew051968]

Great video, I’ve been thinking of getting one of these for PCB milling and plastic engraving, I’ll be very interested seeing how you go with the upgrades. Keep the videos coming, I always get something informative out of them.

[@ModdedGarage]

Keep in mind certain toolbits are incompatible with aluminum and actually cause the aluminum that is removed to build up on the toolbits. Basically any bit that has an oxide coating is incompatible in the long term. It you do manage to mangle a bit with aluminum use a drain cleaner with sodium hydroxide to eat away the aluminum leaving the bits behind. Use ppe.

[@OtherWorldExplorers]

Is a software called candle because about the best it could Mill in its current state is candle wax? Looking forward to you making this thing right.

[@rogerdepretto440]

Have a similar machine 3018 use it mainly for making copper gaskets for motorcycles not a problem if you want to do aluminium will need to upgrade the motor.

[@timw.5030]

man you just brought to light for me something I thought was beyond reach

[@haydenc2742]

I got the non-pro..it's a beginner learning gcode/cnc...and yes...it is VERY limited on harder materials...but wood/plastic/cell phones yadda yadda it works beautifully (it's not even accurate enough for PCB work either) For $200 and below it's a decent deal...but if you save up a little more you can get better ones

[@artisanmakes]

Thanks for the insight, even though electronics are a particularly weak area for me, I was hoping to machine up a PCB or two.

[@paulathomas4944]

@@artisanmakes It should do that OK. The important thing with PCB milling to probe a height map first.

[@mikewin7056]

I've been doing some custom woodwork lately, mostly birdhouses and indoor trim, but I've been looking into CNC machining, especially since I got into AutoCAD. A machine like that would be a great addition to the shop, and give me an opportunity to expand my business! Thanks for your review.

[@artisanmakes]

Glad to hear it, and hope autocad hasn't been to much of a hassle to learn, I Know it was for me. Just be aware that there are larger 3040 CNC machines that might also be suited to your type of work. Cheers

[@rickyharvey263]

Hey Artisan, where can I get data for the Fusion360? I downloaded it to my phone, but everytime I open the program it tells me there's no data and it doesn't run... where can I get files to upload so I can run and design on Fusion360?? I don't even know where to look, nor do I know what software to run😔😔😔😔😔

[@artisanmakes]

I wasn't aware that there was a mobile version of it, im guessing its just a file viewer. If you want to do CAD and CAM I would suggest getting the PC or Mac desktop version.

[@fredmercury1314]

8:30 I'm not sure larger shanks on the router bits will add anything but weight, given that the motor spindle is a skinny little thing. Doesn't matter how beefy you make everything attached to it, it's still a skinny little thing.

[@AlteredEagle]

When you have a plastic edge on mylar I had a old timer show me Zippo lighter fluid on a rag and rub on the edges. instant Glass!! Keep off the faces it will melt and distort the finish. Thumbs up once you try it. My mind was blown. A light clean up with a exacto knife was all the worst cuts needed, then zippo treatment.

[@sparrow4266]

Visual’s and commentary perfectly aligned as usual. Learnt a few things new 👍

[@connecticutaggie]

Great video, I’ve been thinking of an inexpensive CNC to make simple parts but I think being able to do Aluminum and Brass would be a must. How would this one be with milling brass?

[@artisanmakes]

It won't do it in its stock set up, I'll be adding a new linear rail soon to increase the rigidity and that might fix it

[@connecticutaggie]

@@artisanmakes Is what you are thinking is having the milling bit between two rails rather than cantilevered out?

[@prestonprix1854]

When it comes to hardwood ,you should get a block of beeswax. While it's rotating every so often puts at beewaxe agents the bit. To Lubricated for hardwood. That should make it cut through the hardwood better.

[@mikeking7219]

For my 1st cnc its worth the money and now I’m on the verge of building a small shop and getting a bigger machine I would start small and if you really get into it then I would recommend a bigger machine thanks for the video

[@phillipja2010]

Excellent video. In your opinion, which desktop CNC 3018 is best for machining/milling aluminium? The most rigid CNC at the lowest prices.

[@ayatotakema1194]

My dad has a cnc (router) and when i tried to measure tool runout i noticed a preatty big rigidy issue (more like huge) enough to visually identifiy in fact and its all made of aluminium (albeit its a very large router like over a meter long by 200+mm)

[@inmybox2023]

I bought one about 3 months ago and it’s totally worth it However You need a computer running Win 10 and need to learn at least 2 different programs You will spend $100+ on bits right away You will want to buy the 20000RPM spindle after snapping several of the bits you just bought $50 And it’s LOUD! You will need to build a box for it At least that’s been my experience

[@jimsvideos7201]

This looks like a good learning tool; I think people would outgrow this pretty quick but they'd be ready for something bigger because of it.

[@artisanmakes]

Probably, shame that the next size up costs a lot more than what I paid for this.

[@jadymulqueeney]

Thanks, excellent review, looking forward to hearing about your upgrades

[@Halemmeric2010]

How does it cut acrylics or resins ? Can you do a resin pour cutting board or chess board and mill it flat ?

[@JohnHoranzy]

Thank you. You cover al the important machining aspects such as run out and rigidity.

[@robwallis1277]

@artisanmakes Do you think without modification it would be suitable for engraving sports medals, with a decent engraving bit?

[@michaeltotman1411]

You need to add a sub straight to the top we use a dense 3/4" Vacuum parodical board on the lg CNC's add it to your Aluminum base to mill into, a 1/4" or 1/2" piece of Plywood should work just fine for the smaller models

[@CMS_Mail]

Hey Josh! I just bought a Sainsmart Genmitsu Prover 3018 This was very helpful.

[@davidsnyder2000]

Thank you for investing your time energy and money into this video. For $200 I wouldn’t expect much, but that spindle run out kinda bothers me….it’s a CNC machine. That should be a lot closer to true. I understand the motor noise and rigidity issues because it’s inexpensive. Just my opinion, such that it is.

[@jpsimon206]

For what it is worth, I have not bought three different products from vevor. Here in the states, it tends to run about $10 more than the cheapest options, but I think it is money well spent. The instructions are almost legible wish goes a long ways. Many Chinese products have cast screws that do not function very well. Virtually all products have to be cleaned out of grinding dust and the grease replaced. Maybe I have just gotten lucky, but all of the vevor units have been pretty robust. The power feed has the standard problems of speed creep and difficulties at very low speeds but it is all brass gears and shims, most of the competitors are plastic. The instructions at least give you a clue, competitors leave me confused if the instructions match the product. I think of vevor much like I think of wen for cheap powered hand tools

[@rinokentie8653]

Interesting! Looking forward to your experiments with aluminum.

[@MikeAnderson-fi6vj]

00000000000000000000000000⁰⁰0⁰

[@DIEmicrosoft]

You could use the plastic supports to make molds, and then recast them in aluminium. Much stronger.

[@wayneburba9457]

Report back in six months after you’ve put it thru paces!

[@atapene]

great vid bud thanks so much. what model was the larger mill you got.... would there be intermediate models by the same manufacturer available?

[@Roy_Tellason]

I've been casually considering a machine of this sort, or a similar one. I've been watching a fair number of videos on both this machine and also for a fair number of similar ones of varying sizes. I figured that there would be some nontrivial limitations to one of these, but wasn't sure where they were. You showed where some of them were, and that has pretty well decided me to not buy one of these, but instead to hold out for some kind of a machine that deserves to be called a mill... Maybe if you come up with some ideas about how to overcome some of the shortcomings of the machine I might change my mind.

[@dl5244]

Isn't the machine capable of milling it's own metal upgrade parts? Similar to budget 3D printers, you probably want to print some upgrades early on...

[@peterbelanger4094]

Years ago, I went to a machining trade school. Learned CNC on a Haas machine. My instructors would fall out of their chairs laughing at this thing. Of course, a Haas can be more than 1000x as expensive. For $200, you get 1/1000th the precision. "I got it down to a tenth."..."a ten thousandth of an inch?"....."no, a tenth of a millimeter"..... "oh"

[@dl5244]

@@peterbelanger4094 you've just described "disruptive innovation" (many fortunes are made this way). 100x less precision at 1000x less cost and still very useful!

[@Zalzany]

@@dl5244 Not this cheap "pro" version it makes my pro look like "elite pro" edition lol. I mean I can 3d print better parts then what came with this one. And they do have kits that are rated for metal out the gate but they got the upgraded mount, and motors wich really best upgrades out thter for it. A new mount and better motor, really makes this thing shine more. But its still entry level even with all that it will make metal easier, but still slower then a more expensive machine. That is why these little cheap kits are over amazon. I seen some for 120 saaying they are "pro" some for 300 saying pro. you check why one is 120 one is 300 you find out quick these are not Ender 3s were all ender 3s are the same more or less. A 3018 pro from one brand isn't the same quality as another brand.

[@alphadash8861]

Would installing the plastic side guards help with the z-axis backlash?

[@artisanmakes]

Unfortunately not, they are purely cosmetic. Cheers

[@ydeardorff]

Once I replace my motor with a 2.2k motor. But I need a good linear rail based motor mount. Any thoughts or referrals?

[@marciokoko1]

I’ve used mine with the usb/pc mode but when I plug in the offline manual controller it doesn’t get passed the cronos intro screen. Do I have to flip a switch on the controller board in order to make it work with three offline controller?

[@istayhighi1540]

The table is what made me take it back. Mine came unlevel unless I added longer screws and some springs or something. If I tried to carve a design into wood it would be deeper on one side and snap my bits. It wasn’t worth the hassle so back to Amazon it went

[@MarkAspen_]

Bloggers reviews will rarely be accurate. Because the companies know they give a machine to a reviewer. The company will carefully put together the best parts for the blogger to review. Sadly the best way to know is to try it yourself...

[@jamesswanson7213]

I was hoping for a recommendation on a table top CNC that I can use to "Engrave" rings. I would like to cut the metal from around the letter...So that the letter are created from metal left on the ring...Not machined out of the ring... Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[@artisanmakes]

Can’t give you any specific but you’d want a 4 axis cnc engraver. Or maybe even a fibre laser engraver

[@osgeld]

I got one, but my main use is making PCB's, maybe some small acrylic parts .. yea I know I can get pcb's from china but its a lot quicker to make a one off at home and work out all the bugs if I need to buy a batch of them and wait a couple weeks. Edit since I am slinging copper all over the place I 3d printed a box for the electronics, sleeved all the cables, and used a meanwell power supply

[@jacekrojowski36]

Hi, maybe a silly question - you have quite a few machines in the shop. Wouldn't it be better for you to build this kind of cnc machine? You could use linear rails, and machine most of the underlying surfaces. With a steel frame mixed with epoxy granite (you have experience with), you could have a stiff cnc machine that can handle even steel.

[@GregJoiner]

Thanks for making this getting started vid, it is just what I needed.

[@RamosLuis2550]

i run the gcode twice to remove burrs, just make sure you go to 0,0 before restarting the second time

[@milesgerschefske6231]

Is it capable of making it's only aluminum replacement parts for the plastic bits tho?

[@williamscoggin1509]

But it is still a deal for $200, as long as you replace the table, the motor, the frame of the machine, and the small bits. 🤣 Looks like it would be a nice birthday present for my 6-year-old son to cut out balsa wood unicorns! 👀 👍🏻 🦄 All fun aside though, good video. Thanks for the information. 👍🏻

[@prjndigo]

This would be excellent at making heavy cardstock stencils!

[@NicksStuff]

Hey, could you take a minute to explain something about rigidity and spindle power to me? You say the rigidity isn't sufficient even though you programmed a depth of cut of 0.1mm...what prevents you from using something even shallower, like 0.025?

[@artisanmakes]

No worries. I absolutely could reduce the depth of cut, but to be honest it wouldn't do much apart from make the job take 4 times as long. The machine just isnt rigidi enough. If I programmed in a job with a .025mm depth of cut, im sure it would cut it, but it probably wouldnt end up looking good. Check out the end of this video. The guy leaves the mill running for ages, and it cuts but it misses the fine details, even with a tiny federate. Cheers kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3ymoJ6gjs16ebs

[@mohamedrafikkarim628]

Will this machine have a rotary attachment to cut 110mm pvc pipe

[@steveaubinofangers7391]

Would this work on carbon graphite squares for making coin molds ?

[@TylerMcL3more]

Token comment for the algorithm- awesome video! Can’t wait to see the aluminum upgrade, as I bought one of these things a while back to see if it could do some actual aluminum milling, and have as of yet not gotten very far with it, as I didn’t realize CNC would be as hard as it has seemed to pick up… I thought it’d be easy like 3D printing is, hehe

[@mealex303]

Just a little bit of awesome inside information about some tooling u should be using from now on! Im sure very very few will know this as I have only just learned it today and your the first machinist actually first person I've shared this with! Use P63A metal instead of the common HSS , has acts like mild steel in comparison if you can get it ? Thought it's good to share and yess I know it's not a good time to talk about Russia I don't back there cause but this is just a coincidence that its Russian, anyway buddy I really like your contet all wrapped up with your well spoken and talented results from your loved machines!