Any guesses on when Asia starts selling us cheap CNC?

[BCRider]

So at some point Asia embraced the idea of supplying low cost machines to hobby machinists and small shops on a serious budget. Whether this is good or bad can be discussed in some other thread.

But we've had CNC machines for some time now and outfits like Tormac are rapidly making it affordable for home hobbyists. So I'm wondering when outfits will start supplying importers/dealers such as Grizzly, Harbor Freight, Little Machine Shop and other such outfits with low cost CNC machines?

Any guesses which coming year it is that we see one of these importers introducing CNC for cheap?

I'm thinking it might be 2018. Or possibly 2019. I figure it'll take them that long to realize that only very few shops are buying things like Grizzly's upper end "South Bend" machines.

I'm actually a bit surprised that these dealers don't already have a retrofit CNC package for at least one of their present machines.

[philbur]

<2008

Phil

[loose nut]

Where do you think machines that Tormac and other low end cnc equipment come from.

[J Tiers]

Where do you think machines that Tormac and other low end cnc equipment come from.

I don't think those are what is being askd about.

The OP is asking about CNC that is to CNC more like what igaging is to DROs.... low cost, not very good but maybe good enough.

[PStechPaul]

http://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesal...ina-price.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-...208.4.6.r2TrdY ($2200)


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Qual...08.4.30.21PlQw ($5300)


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/cnc-...08.4.39.khSCOg ($2500)


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Best...8.4.108.wU19xa ($720)


All above with free shipping!

[justanengineer]

I don't think those are what is being askd about.

The OP is asking about CNC that is to CNC more like what igaging is to DROs.... low cost, not very good but maybe good enough.

Sounds like Tormach to me but I deal with lower-end cncs at work, namely Haas.

[PStechPaul]

Or maybe this one for ten grand:

https://wholesaler.alibaba.com/produ...155708580.html

[The Artful Bodger]

Maybe you will be able to buy CNC from these guys one day..
https://youtu.be/K6O33icSM3o

[J Tiers]

ten grand gets you a midrange Tormach or equivalent.

The OP may mean something more like CNC for 2 or 3 grand. That's roughly the same ratio as for igaging vs something more real as a DRO

[Toolguy]

There is a local guy here who builds decent ones for around $5000. Another model, I think a 45 size is $7500.

[BCRider]

I knew about the lower cost CNC routers. I didn't know they had come down THAT much but I knew that they were approachable for home use.

At $7700 for those actual milling centers I consider that above what most are willing/able to pay for home use. But clearly the prices ARE coming down.

I guess since I was able to buy my new knee mill for $3200 all in that this is the sort of money I'm looking at as an upper limit.

One of the Tormach machines is getting close to that as a base price. But I sort of gather than the basic machine isn't really directly usable without some amount more in accessories.

Clearly the time is coming though. I'll know it has arrived when Grizzly, HF and Busy Bee all have an Asian CNC machine.


Now here's a bit of a side line. We talk about how lathes and milling machines don't mix well. But it seems that if we are going with servo control machines that perhaps a "5 axis" combo machine might not only be possible but actually the optimum way to go for a home hobby use sort of deal. All it would take is a rotary head that can be used horizontally or vertically with a tail stock and we suddenly have a "lathe" included with the setup.

Now with that added facility I'd consider a "home use" price point at around $6k to $7K since it becomes two machines in one.

I still don't have to like the idea. I'm one of those odd folks that actually LIKES making my OWN shavings. For me the shop time and processes I go through are just as much fun and just as important as the final product. Which is why I'll never have a CNC anything in my shop.

[elf]

I still don't have to like the idea. I'm one of those odd folks that actually LIKES making my OWN shavings. For me the shop time and processes I go through are just as much fun and just as important as the final product. Which is why I'll never have a CNC anything in my shop.

Could you make one of these for me? Oh, and by the way have it ready in an hour.

[pinstripe]

Could you make one of these for me? Oh, and by the way have it ready in an hour.

Turning your own handles isn't about capability. There is no doubt that CNC can do more than manual. This was discussed here recently. Some people (me included) spend enough time looking at a computer display already. The home shop is a way to get away from the technology for some people.

What is that, BTW. Are you printing it, or milling it?

[PStechPaul]

It looks like a purple people eater (missing its one horn and one eye), made from "Barnie in a Blender".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C_MM9ug2D4

[Paul Alciatore]

Can you quantify "cheap"? It is really such a relative term.