# Cheapest Way To Get Into Med Sized CNC Router



## 719834 (Sep 3, 2021)

Hi, I have a 1310 Pro. It was fun at first, but far too dinky for any depth cut > 1mm and too small for most projects like cutting out and milling 304x457mm cutting boards, ~594x841 drawer faces, bowls, etc... 

What is the most cost effective way to achieve this level of cnc cutting? I'm still pretty new to this scene; do people build their own cnc routing tables, or is that too tedious and time consuming and should I just get a chinese cnc machine from Amazon? Or since I already have a 1310 pro, could it be upgraded to a degree that would allow for 1/4" depth cuts?


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Welcome to the forum! I built mine and several here have built their own, as well. What's your budget and space available?


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## 719834 (Sep 3, 2021)

difalkner said:


> Welcome to the forum! I built mine and several here have built their own, as well. What's your budget and space available?


Awesome, budget I was thinking ~$400 to 500, but I'll try to stretch it if needed. Available table space is around 4x3' (large room tho)


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

What are you planning to cut into the drawer faces? Or are you wanting to cut clear through for the outer profile of the drawer faces? If so, a table saw may be a better choice for straight line cuts. But if these are wavy or oddly shaped drawer fronts then the CNC can easily do that but it won't happen very fast with a machine in that budget range. You'll need to add a zero to the end to get a machine that will cut a drawer front in a reasonable timeframe.


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## 719834 (Sep 3, 2021)

difalkner said:


> What are you planning to cut into the drawer faces? Or are you wanting to cut clear through for the outer profile of the drawer faces? If so, a table saw may be a better choice for straight line cuts. But if these are wavy or oddly shaped drawer fronts then the CNC can easily do that but it won't happen very fast with a machine in that budget range. You'll need to add a zero to the end to get a machine that will cut a drawer front in a reasonable timeframe.


I was planning to aquire or build a cnc that can cut a design into the drawer faces (in a reasonable amount of time) before clear cutting the wood to size and rounding the edges. I was thinking that I could then do the finishing work with a handheld router and orbital sander.

Is this too much to ask from a budget-ish _build_ (relative to buying a built cnc)? I wouldn't mind sourcing parts and DIYing, unless the cost savings are negligable.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi @719834 , welcome to the forum.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum.


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

Couple things.
With CNC, the cheapest way will almost always be the worst way to go. Meaning slowest, least capable, poorest cut quality

$400-$500 is almost nothing. Assuming you want something in the 2ft x 3ft range, a decent starter machine would be in the $2,000-$3,000 range. $400 is about the price of electronic components in a basic build.


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## GerryAttrick (Jan 14, 2015)

Have a look at Gatton CNC..its a DIY KIT and customisable. The are quite a lot of YouTube videos from Dave Gatton on the build and an active forum..
I dont have a Gatton but do have a Shapeoko from Carbide3D which will do what you want but its over $2k.


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## dwall174 (Feb 15, 2010)

ger21 said:


> $400-$500 is almost nothing.


From what I have read, I'm figuring on at least $2500 just to build a simple set-up, And of course these seeming "Simple" projects always tend to lead into bigger ones. 

Seeing that's not currently in my budget, I'm thinking of just picking up a few parts at a time. That way I can spread the cost over several months. 

Doug


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## gwilki (Nov 12, 2012)

If you end up increasing your budget, look at the Sienci Long Mill. It's Canadian designed, extremely well supported by both the company and an active forum and has a cutting size of up to 30" x 30".


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## maddog (Feb 28, 2010)

Check for used machines. A lot of guys sell their older machines as the move to larger machines.


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## MarkJonesRanger (Aug 14, 2020)

Save your money and buy something that will keep working for years and years. Every time I buy for cheap it always leaves me with the longing I wished for better. I bought a shark 510HD a year ago and after 150 projects it preforms every time with no fuss or fiddling with it. Great industrial rating quality with a hobby footprint and price range. I for years looked at them and thought they were too high priced and now it's one of the most productive tools in the shop and wished I had bought it long ago. If you apply yourself it can pay for itself in no time by taking standard woodworking items and personalizing them brings a new desire and value to the items. Save that money and pay cash!


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