Design projects using a CNC Router

I am looking at the possibility of buying a cnc router to help progress my daughters design business. They look great but I've never seen one let alone use one.

Is there anyone out there who uses one? I'm talking about one that goes in a garage and not the large three phase machine.

Any helpful comments will be much appreciated- sourcing the machine, ease of use, amount of training needed and have any of you turned this hobby into a business.

Many thanks.

We bought a 3-axis one 18 months ago. We're a product design business with 10 years experience (particularly in prototyping where we have developed a new 3D Printer technology http://www.picsima.com).

To be honest, we found it difficult to use, unreliable and fairly inaccurate for our needs; so we've reverted to using professional bureaus to get any work we need doing, done. I'd strongly advise your daughter to focus on design and outsource her prototyping (there are so many bureaus out there that prices are very competitive).

Steve, thanks for your feedback. I've read that there are a few cnc routers, mainly from China, that do cause issues. Nice to hear from someone who has actual experience rather than hearsay.

I have a feeling that outsourcing may be the way to go and see how that part of the business develops.

Thanks for such a prompt and helpful reply.

Nick

Steve, thanks for your feedback. I've read that there are a few cnc routers, mainly from China, that do cause issues.

Our Router is from Roland...it's nothing to do with quality, more to do with 'you get what you pay for'!

Morts, I used to work in Sheffield's machine tool trade, and a cnc <anything> (lathe, router, <etc.>) is only as good as the tools (material(s), flute/teeth geometry/ies, coating if any, <etc.>) you mount for the job at hand, which can itself vary to large extremes depending on the material (of the workpiece), the size of the workpiece, the amount of relieving/working needed, the tolerances and finish you need achieve, <etc.>.

Use too puny a machine for too large a job = issues.

Use the wrong tooling for the machining = issues.

Use the wrong coolant grade for the materials = issues.

<etc.> this is production engineering, I'm sure you understand where I'm coming from

If neither you nor your daughter have any machining experience, I would suggest that you familiarise yourself with uses and running costs of the kit in at least general terms first, and ask around (under NDA) machining shops for quotes (tons of these around here) on production runs, then assess the suitability of investing in one such machine for your daughter's project(s) vs sub-contracted production runs.