arduino rotary table for dummies pricelist

The stepper motor will have to be sized for your application. I used a small 3” rotary table and don’t plan on using it for anything other than indexing so a high torque NEMA17 did the job. If you’re working with a larger rotary table or want to be able to use it as a 4th axis in the mill you will want at least a NEMA23 size motor. You will have to reach out to the forum for help with selection.

Ok get out the anti-identity thief, pre-paid Visa card and order all the bits, wait for a month and a half for Canada Customs/Canada Post to figure out it isn’t anything nasty and you’re ready to begin.

You’ll have to install the Arduino software (IDE) on your computer. Spark Fun has a good step by step tutorial for completing the install. https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/installing-arduino-ide

I recently read an article in Model Engineers Workshop Magazine (December 2016 issue 249) for adding a stepper motor drive to a rotary table. I don′t use my small Vertex rotary table very often but I thought this might be a useful project to learn a little about stepper motors and digital control of machinery. The article by Carl Wilson describes how to use an Arduino micro-controller to control the rotary division process. Much of the coding is contained in another article in Digital Machinist by Gary Liming. So no original thinking by me here, just a rehash of other engineers good work. All the links and useful information can be found in the Glossary at the end.

Prepping the table can be as simple as doing nothing, a complete strip down and re-build with thrust washers and the like or somewhere in between. There are a few articles on the web giving details (see glossary). Software setup and programming the Arduino is the quickest part and if you use Gary Liming′s software without alteration, the programming takes just a few seconds. Assembling the electronics is mainly about fitting the bits into the box and requires a bit of inginuity to fix things in place. The boards are fairly flimsy and things, like the display, tend not to be square or flat, I found.

The stepper motor mounting I made from three parts and assembled with Loctite and screws. I have no doubt there are other ways of making this or a suitable motor mount could be found ready made and adapted to fit the table. You will probably want to test things as you you go along rather than leave everything to the end. I discovered I had a faulty motor driver, easier to deal with whilst still uncased. I don′t think it makes makes any difference which order things are done.

This is covered elsewhere on the web in some detail so I have just made a few notes that may be of interest. Dismantling the table is quite straightforward, just look for allen headed grub screws at the bottom of deep holes. The notes refer to my 4" Vertex table.

Start off by removing the handle, the table locking clamps and the worm engagement lock. The handle is just one screw but watch out for the shaft key which is small and easily lost. Photo (2) shows the board I made to store the table with a cutout for the handle. The stepper motor will also need a similar storage solution. I used pliers and some cardboard to protect the finish to unscrew the table clamp handles. Remove the engagement lever and collar, two grub screws and it slides off, this is the part that the motor connector will attach to, it has three ready tapped holes for when used with division plates.

Remove the cam shaft securing and adjusting collar (4), four cap screws. Remove the grub screw that sets the worm engagement depth, found at the bottom of a deep hole (5). The worm shaft and cam bearing can now be removed as one unit, rotate the table and it will push the spindle out.

Turn the table upside down and remove the table bearing and adjustment plate (6), four cap screws. The table can now be removed, mine was pretty clean (7) not having been used much, there wasn′t even that much grease. Now that everything is apart it can all be cleaned re-greased and re-assembled. The worm drive shaft can be slid out of the cam adjuster by removing the collar, it is a ground shaft with an oilway and a very good fit in the cam adjuster.

Other than adjustment to remove backlash I didn′t make any changes to my rotary table, it was in fact pretty good before I started. If you have an older well used table it may take a bit more cleaning to remove old grease and any swarf that may have found it′s way inside.

The collar on the worm shaft acts as a thrust bearing and needs to be adjusted so that it is free to rotate but has no end play. You can just make out in photo (8) that there is a washer below it, this is a wave spring washer and provides a bit of tension to restrict the lateral motion. If you tighten the collar too much the shaft will lock up. Once set-up the collar is locked in place with two grub screws. The screws tighten directly onto the threaded portion of the worm shaft, this had caused some damage to the thread which needed cleaning up with a needle file. I made a couple of brass pads from some shim (9) (cut out with a leather punch) to prevent more damage, they are a bit thin but there isn′t room for much more.

Other parts worth note are the cam shaft retainer / bearing (4) and the table retainer / bearing (6). These both feature four cap screws which bolt the item in place and four grub screws which act as jack-screws to prevent clamping the rotating part. When reassembling it is worth adjusting these carefully to limit the table lifting whilst still turning freely and likewise to prevent the cam shaft moving in and out. I noticed with the table bearing / retainer that there was a noticeable stiff spot so it is worth rotating the table through a full 360° whilst adjusting. The cam shaft could be locked in place if you think there is no need to disengage the worm gear. Last bit is to set the worm engagement, this is controlled by a grub screw at the side (5) which engages with a slot in the cam shaft to prevent rotation. If you undo the grub screw and fully engage the worm it will be very difficult to turn, tighten the grub screw just enough so that the worm turns easily with a minimum of backlash.

Not much to this really but first you will need to go to the Arduino website and download the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) software. This is basically a fairly lightweight program that runs on your PC (Windows, Mac or Linux) and allows you to edit programs (sketches in Arduino speak) and upload to the Arduino board. You will also need to download Gary Liming′s software. Once the software is downloaded installation is straightforward. The Arduino IDE is self-installing from an exe file in Windows. Gary Liming′s programs come as a zip file which needs un-zipping to a folder. Once unzipped, double click on the "Stepindex23.ino" file and it will start the Arduino IDE and load the program.

All being well you should now have a screen like something like those above. Click on the image to read the text. Affix the LCD shield to the Uno making sure that all the pins are in the right places and none of the connectors is bent. Plug the Uno into the PC using a USB cable, often supplied with the board. The Uno will be powered by the USB connection. First thing to do is go to the "Tools" menu (10) and set the type of board. All being well the software should then report that it is talking to the Uno, bottom right of the IDE, something like "Arduino/Genuino UNO on COM4". You should also be able to click on the "Port" section of the menu to assign a COM port. If this isn′t working and the Port section is greyed out it may be driver related.

If you are using a genuine Uno board (possibly some clones) the USB driver is loaded with the IDE and once the board is selected in the menu everything works. Some copies of the the Uno use a different USB driver chip and the driver needs installing manually (see Glossary for link). Once the correct driver is installed the Port section of the Tools menu should be enabled and you can then select which COM port to use. (Note if you use a different USB port next time around you need to reselect the COM port). Click the upload button to copy the program onto the Uno, thats it. The program will auto-run and briefly display the start-up screen before waiting at the main menu for input. Chances are you won"t see anything as the LCD shield contrast probably needs setting, twiddle the multi-turn pot (variable resistor) above the display until the screen comes to life.

Arduino micro-controllers are mainly programmed using the C++ programming language or at least a subset of C++, so the programs are fairly understandable for basic editing. The first few lines of the program (11) are used to set parameters used later. These can be adjusted now, the program is well commented, or left until later when everything is assembled. You may wish to alter gear ratios or even remove some items. There is more help in the readme files that come in the program zip-file. If you are a C++ programmer the world is your oyster, the menu items can be moved around or even removed if you don′t need a particular function. You may wish to experiment with some of the delay timings to help de-bounce the keys but this is probably better done during final testing.

The parts are shown (12) above and are the Arduino Uno, the LCD shield, the cable gland, TB6560 stepper driver, switches, plug, socket and power supply. The circuit boards are all pretty flimsy and the mounting holes are very close to the edges. The LCD shield has a seperate smaller board for the LCD soldered on top and the two boards were not particularly parallel. There is also a multi-turn variable resistor on the board which cunningly sticks up higher than the LCD face. If you are adept with a soldering iron it can be re-positioned on the other side of the PCB. I solved the non-flush pot problem by using a 1.5mm clear polycarbonate sheet between the box lid and LCD with a small cutout for the variable resistor.

I fitted as much as I could to the box lid, only the mains in and stepper out are fitted to the box. The display needs a cutout in the lid as do the three switches and a number of 3mm holes for various mounting screws. Once I had worked out the position of all the bits I marked the inside of the box lid for the position of the LCD and switch cutouts. I set this up on the mill and used a 5mm slot drill to remove the cutouts, the ABS machines very easily. I fixed the lid to an off-cut of MDF with woodscrews through the mounting holes, I also used double sided tape to make sure nothing moved. A couple of T-nuts and studs fixed the MDF to the mill table (13). With hindsight the double sided tape was overkill, it took me longer to get it off the lid than it did to do the machining. The corners of the switch cutouts I filed square, I drilled the various mounting bolt holes by hand as I did for the other round holes opening them up as necessary with a taper reamer and file.

The diagram (16) above shows the inter-connections between the three main parts. Check carefully when soldering to the Uno and the LCD shield as the pins are close together, also check with data sheets that all the wires go to the right places. The diagram does not show the switch leads nor are the board connections in their exact positions (Diagram NOT To Scale). I found it easier to solder a short length of coloured wire to each location on the Uno / LCD shield whilst all the boards were out of the case. I made a note of which colour wire went where and then bolted the boards in place. The wires can then be grouped together, switch leads, control leads and power. I used some cable ties to try and keep things neat(ish) and then trimmed the wires to length ready to connect up. To extend the switches from the LCD shield I soldered a wire to the back of each miniature push button on the board. You need one wire for each switch plus one common wire. I just used a multimeter to find the right solder terminal on the switches.

I have included a drawing that shows how I made the mount, you may need to adjust dimensions to suit the components you have. I used 6082 T6 aluminium ¼" (6.35mm) plate to make the two ends of the connector and a length of 2" x ¼" (50.8MM x 6.35mm) thick wall tube for the middle bit. It is often still easier to get material in imperial sizes, come to that the stepper motor is imperial size as well.

I made the two flat plates and then fitted the motor, flexible coupling and rotary table together to measure the shortest length of tube that would work. The dimensions for the motor mounting plate were copied from the motor spec sheet.

The motor plate is from a length of 3" x ¼" bar, cut to length and then mount flat on parallels in the milling machine vice. Clean up one cut end then reverse and mill to length. Turn 90° clean up the edge reverse and mill to length. With the part still in the vice use an edge finder in X and Y directions to position first hole for drilling use co-ordinate drilling to position the remaining 3 holes (19) and a centre hole (much easier with a DRO, I still count turns). The centre hole will be the motor register. Drill and bore this out to 38.1mm (20) I found the easiest way to check the diameter was using a short length of 1.5" (38.1mm) bar. Strange all the dimensions for the stepper motor are given in mm but they are definitely made with imperial measurements, oh well provided everything fits together!

That was the first time I had used the boring head in the mill and I tried to use it to cut the recess for the tube. This didn′t work too well as you can′t really get a flat bottom to the recess. I remounted the plate in the four-jaw chuck on the lathe (21) with the motor register running true and completed the recess, 3mm deep and to suit the tube diameter, with a boring bar.

I used another bit of 3" x ¼" bar to turn the plate that bolts to the rotary table. I drilled a 10mm hole in the centre of the plate and used a length of studding to hold it (22). The studding has two nuts locked to it which fit against the back of the chuck jaws and a nut and washer clamp the plate against the front of the jaws, there is a centre in the outboard end of the studding for support. I used a trepanning tool to remove the corners and then turned the O.D. to to size.

When the R.T. mounting plate is the correct diameter add a step 3mm deep with 38.1mm diameter to create a short spigot to fit the tube bore. Remove from the mandrel (studding) and mount holding the just turned spigot (23), bore out the centre hole to 21mm to fit the R.T. collar. To finish this part it need the three mounting holes drilled to match the table. I clamped the table index ring to the plate, they should be the same diameter, then spotted through with a drill that just cleared the threads in the index ring. Unclamp and drill the holes 5mm, there is no other alignment so keep the holes small, don"t use an M5 clearance drill.

The three parts are "glued" together, I used Loctite 603 which is a high strength oil tolerant retainer. Check alignment before joining, it will depend on the orientation of the holes in the index collar on the R.T. probably easier to join the tube to the table end first and then bolt it in place. The motor mount can then be aligned so that it is square when in use. I had an interesting experience when I first tried assembly. applied the Loctite placed suitable weight on top and left overnight. The following day removed the weight picked it up and it came apart. Apparently Loctite "goes off" still mine was a few years old! If you want to add screws it is probably easier to do this after assembly, I used 3 M3 C/S screws in each end, a bit belt and braces as either screws or adhesive alone will probably do the job.

Once the two end plates are in place the slot to access the coupling can be cut (25). In stages starting with an 8mm slot drill, using a 20mm end mill is really pushing this tiny mill! I thought the best place for this was on the underside so that swarf will fall out rather than in. You may need to adjust the slot to suit the fixings in the coupling. I used an aluminium flexible coupling (26) which has both a split collar clamp and a grub screw.

Not much to this really, first bolt the connector to the rotary table. Slide in the flexible coupling and tighten onto the table drive, I aligned it so that the grub screw would tighten into the keyway. Fit the motor using four M5 capscews, nuts and shakeproof washers. Tighten the coupling onto the motor shaft and thats the mechanical bit done.

To test I went through each menu item in turn and made sure it did what it was supposed to. I discovered that clockwise and anti-clockwise were reversed but this can be adjusted in the software. I also discovered that I had wired one switch back to front and needed to reverse the leads fortunately just swapping a couple of push on connectors. Found that the motor vibrated rather heavily, haven′t got to the cause of that yet. I also set the table to zero on it′s scale and checked that the angle turned matched what the display said for a full 360° - it did.

With a bit of work on the software, to slow the motor down, I don′t see why the table could not be operated under power, to mill say a semi-circular slot. WIll also need a bit of work on the switch de-bounce software for this to ensure reliability, as it is it is easy to double press keys. Nice little project a good introduction to both the Arduino and to stepper motors neither of which I had used before.

New driver module (27) is enclosed and all the terminals are at one end so I had to do a bit of redesign to fit it in. No problem with the wiring but I had to bend up a bracket from a bit of aluminium sheet to hold it in place. The bracket (28) uses the old fixing holes and is bent to give a bit of room for ventilation of the power supply.

As I had to take everything apart I added a reset button (29) by soldering leads to the back of the shield button in the same way as for the other buttons. Caused me some aggravation as the first button I found in my "bits that will be useful one day box" remained steadfastly open-circuit when pressed, still it was probably 30 years old! Last but not least a short video (30) which shows the table spinning quietly in run mode and then vibrating in step and angle mode. It makes me think this might be software generated as that is the only difference between the modes.

Model Engineers Workshop Forum- thread discussing the original magazine article and various points arising including some useful information about variations in the Arduino hardware, particularly the LCD shield.

Step Indexer- software download for the original Digital Machinist article. The ZIP file includes three versions of the code and various text notes. The software is, I believe, in the public domain with a GNU licence.

Gary Liming′s Website- describes the making of the original step-indexer which could be used in place of a rotary table and outlines the software in a bit more detail.

Arduino Home Page- has all the information about the Arduino project. You can download the IDE (Integrated Development Environment) from here which you will need to program the micro-controller board.

CH340G driver- Some boards use the CH340G USB/serial chip as a cheaper alternative to the FTDI chip, this is the driver download link. The FTDI standard driver is installed when you setup the Arduino IDE.

LCD Keypad Shield- information and pinout diagram for the LCD shield. Be aware that different makes of board have slightly different components and working voltages for the keypad resistor chain, see the model engineer discussion thread if your keypad doesn′t seem to work correctly.

Model Engine Maker Forum- thread covering the preparation of a Vertex rotary table ready for automation. This was done by John "Bogstandard" Moore in readiness for the Division Master system but the mechanics are the same.

Stepper Motor Data- This is the specification sheet and wiring diagram for a similar motor to the one I used which is no longer available (2020). Any Nema 23 size motor around the 2Nm holding torque should be quite sufficient indeed a smaller motor may suffice if you have one to hand. My original motor was 8-wire but a 4-wire motor is just as good and will avoid some soldering.

The list above is for the major parts required for the project. The suppliers are those I used and the prices were correct in January 2017. (Please note the links to some of these items seem to change weekly, apologies if they don′t work) I make no particular recommendation as to the suppliers it is just where I found the bits needed, it is likely that better/cheaper/different parts are available from myriad locations on the web. In addition to the bits listed you will need - hook-up wire, solder, nuts, bolts, spacers, cable ties, crimp connectors and sleeving. Please note that the above table doesn"t display well on a small screen, try rotating to landscape to view!

Many of the links in the Glossary and particularly the Parts List table have gone missing over time so I have tried to update them with currently available parts and information. In fact none of the parts are particularly critical and a bit of web searching will find suitable replacements. The Model Engineer Forum link is still active and one of the later additions is the replacement of the switches with a cheaply available numeric keypad. I haven"t carried out this mod but it looks quite interesting.

I have also been told that the TB6560 has an inherent quirk, I quote "It may be of interest to you to know these modules apply power to the IC in the wrong order. The manufacturers specification clearly states the 5v logic voltage should be applied and allowed to settle before the higher stepper motor voltage is applied. On these modules the 5v is derived from the (say) 24v supply which compromises the “power-up” sequence and has resulted in “blown” chips." It may therefore be prudent to avoid this and use the TB6600 driver module.

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Rather than yet another project-based workbook, Arduino: A Technical Reference is a reference and handbook that thoroughly describes the electrical and performance aspects of an Arduino board and its software.

This book brings together in one place all the information you need to get something done with Arduino. It will save you from endless web searches and digging through translations of datasheets or notes in project-based texts to find the information that corresponds to your own particular setup and question.

Reference features include pinout diagrams, a discussion of the AVR microcontrollers used with Arduino boards, a look under the hood at the firmware and run-time libraries that make the Arduino unique, and extensive coverage of the various shields and add-on sensors that can be used with an Arduino. One chapter is devoted to creating a new shield from scratch.

The book wraps up with detailed descriptions of three different projects: a programmable signal generator, a "smart" thermostat, and a programmable launch sequencer for model rockets. Each project highlights one or more topics that can be applied to other applications.

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If you are looking for a CNC Router to work a full 4x8 sheet of plywood, MDF, or any other sheet material, then this guide will help you choose the right machine for your need.

Although some machinists insist on welded steel as the frame material, as some of the models that come in the latter part of this review, the frame on the Avid CNC is strong enough to produce accurate cuts for even medium-grade production work.

Since the Z-axis need not cover large travel distances, you don"t need it to be as fast as the X and Y axes. This makes the lead screw drive an acceptable choice here, instead of rack and pinion.

If you don"t want to custom-build the electronics, Avid offers a fully bundled plug-and-play solution for the electronics of this machine, which has to be bought separately along with a few other things like the z probe and Mach4 software.

With this machine, you are looking at an accuracy of 0.005" and repeatability of 0.002", which is more than enough for almost any woodworking CNC job.

If you are not doing production work, a NEMA 23 electronics bundle will work fine. The NEMA 34 just helps in achieving the cuts faster which is important for production.

I also considered the Zenbot 4896, Stepcraft Q.408, Blackfoot 4x8 (from Build Your CNC), Maverick 4x8 (legacy), Mechmate (for the crazies), and CNC4Newbie among other 4x8 CNC router tables in the under $10,000 category.

A better description of this category would be routers costing between $20,000 and $25,000 because, beyond the avid CNC, the cost of CNC machines ranges between $20,000 and $25,000 for their most basic 4x8 models with all essentials included.

At this price range, most CNCs come fully assembled or as pre-assembled modules, unlike the Avid CNC which comes as a kit that needs to be assembled and trammed for accuracy.

The gantry comes pre-assembled and is to be just placed on the table after the table is set. It"s not too difficult and there"s no tramming or accuracy check required, but there is a bit of assembly.

Among all the products listed here, I"d say shopbot is the best in terms of customer service. Added to this, is their highly active community forum which can answer almost any query you have.

If you think the price is too steep and you are not into heavy production work, you can consider the Shopbot PRSalpha Buddy BT48 which has a moving expansion table called powerstick that can be pulled out if you need to cut a full sheet.

The Stinger III has rack and pinion drives for the X and Y axes. A ball screw drive is used for the shorter Z-axis, unlike the PRSalpha which uses rack and pinion for Z-axis as well.

What kind of support can you expect? Camaster offers free tech support for the life of the machine and also a free remote support technician for the life of the machine.

How about the community? Just like Shopbot, Camaster also has a highly active community around their product with the "Camheads" forum being their watering hole.

Camaster also offers tech support to owners with second-hand Camaster machines as well, which is quite great. The support is for the machine, whoever owns it then.

If you are willing to manually move your workpiece when working with a 4x8 sheet, a 4x4 CNC router or 2x4 CNC router can also do the job for you through tiling.

ShopSabre does not have an active community or an active forum around their products and that"s a major disadvantage, especially if you are a beginner in CNC.

If you think the prices of the CNCs above are too high for a hobbyist and you definitely need a 4x8 CNC, then I"d like you to consider two other options in the market.

BobsCNC has an extension kit to the KL744 that sells for around $614 (without the table) which converts the KL744 into a full-size 4x8 CNC router that lets you work on a full sheet.

That brings the total price to $3500 without the table. With a table that comes to $4,300. Also, you need to buy extra X-rails locally, and that is not included in the extension kit.

With few DIY adjustments, it is possible to do surprisingly good projects with this CNC. If you check the community section of Maslow, you"ll get to know what it can do for you- Maslow Projects by Community.

For 4x8 CNCs it is essential that the longer X and Y axes are run using a rack and pinion system. Screw drives are too slow for such long travels and belt drives are too inaccurate for any serious work.

Vacuum tables can clamp the material down for you during the cutting and if you intend to do fast production work, then you will likely need a powerful vacuum.

You will need to fasten your material each time with fasteners if you don"t have a vacuum table setup. This is likely fine if you"re a hobbyist though.

All the best brands have an active community of users around their products. Typically, there"s also an online forum where everyone shares their projects and any questions they have.

The large work area of 4x8 CNC routers provides the ability to work on an entire sheet of plywood, making it the best-suited router for making furniture.

These routers can be used to carve out table tops and other furniture pieces. You can also include a rotary axis in your kit to work on cylindrical objects like furniture legs.

If you’re looking for the best laser engraver, you’re in the right place. I’ve tested and reviewed almost every popular laser engraver and laser cutter that I can afford, and I’ve included pictures of each test in each laser product review.

I’ve summarized my favorites at the top – I think the xTool D1 Pro is the best laser engraver under $1000 right now, but I’ve also included sections for best laser engraver under $500, best CO2 laser, and the best lasers for starting up a small business on Etsy or similar stores.

Having tested many of the best laser cutters and engravers, we created our recommendations for the best laser cutting machines in each price range, for each use, and more. We also link to some of our detailed reviews, such as machines like the Snapmaker 2.0, Ortur Laser Master 2 Pro, and more.

For the low price, it’s an effective laser engraving machine — with a high-performance 20W laser head that engraves, as well as cutting up to 1/8th of an inch wood and acrylic depths.

It’s super easy to build, with a sturdy metal frame that you can fully assemble in just 10-20 minutes, and features auto focus modes to save you hassle or human error. The 50% smaller focal spot makes for precise engraving (up to 0.01mm precision) as well as relatively powerful cutting — though if you want to cut thicker woods, or generally tougher materials, go with a more powerful laser cutter.

The xTool D1 Pro 10W is the best diode laser in our opinion, along with the new Ortur Laser Master 3. Depending on your priorities, they basically go head to head, with a better-quality steel frame on the xTool, versus a cheap rotary roller and better safety and connectivity on the Ortur.

But with the xTool you get more choice: if you don’t need 10W power, you can buy a 5W version for $200 less and stick to mostly engraving, or get the souped-up 20W version for cutting 0.6mm or thicker basswood or acrylic sheets in a single pass. We personally bought the 20W one (full hands-on review coming very soon!) but 10Q is still more than enough for home projects.

The work area is larger than the Ortur too, but only by around 5%. But, you can buy an extension kit that takes your work area up to an incredible 936 x 432 mm for enormous engravings.

It’s accurate (0.01mm precision, 0.08 x 0.06 mm spot size), reliable with the sturdy frame and steel wheels and rods and protected belts, and safe. The software that comes with the xTool is also really user-friendly, and better than the likes of Snapmaker Luban in our opinion, but you can also use it with LightBurn instead. There’s the Laserbox iOS app for connecting via iPad or similar device.

In our opinion, this is a top buy for a diode laser under $1,000, and ideal for fun projects, cutting acrylic or wood, and for running a small Etsy business engraving signs or images, as well as cutting coasters, jewelry, or other fun projects.

To this end, Ortur have done well. Both products are very similar and have slight advantages over each other: the xTool has a slightly larger build volume and an extension kit option, but the Ortur has a cheaper rotary kit (though it’s a roller vs the higher-quality chuck on the xTool D1) and can reach 20,000mm/min speeds, whereas the xTool only reaches 10,000mm/min – though the xTool D1 Pro can reach 24,000mm/min.

If you have around $700 to spend (and it could reach $1000 with accessories for air assist, enclosures, aluminum honeycomb tables, and rotary add-ons) then these two are your top picks.

The rotary YRR 2.0 roller works great, but I’d opt for the xTool if you’re newer, as it is more complex to build and get it set up with your laser software. But, it’s far cheaper, so if you’re on a budget, it’s great!

Whether you prefer the cheaper rotary add-on, slightly larger work area, slightly better build quality of the xTool, or more accessible emergency stop button on the Ortur, both will be able to fulfill all your basic diode laser engraving needs. I have also written a full standalone Ortur Laser Master 3 review, as well as a comparison between the xTool D1 Pro 10W vs Ortur LM3.

I previously tested and reviewed the Snapmaker 2.0 A350T along with the 4-axis rotary module, and have since tested the 10W high-power laser module. It’s a fantasitc laser engraver that also lets you CNC cut and 3D print, and Snapmaker definitely make the best laser engraver and 3D printer combos.

So, if you’re looking for a more powerful 3-in-1 machine and have the extra money, it’s definitely a great machine. I can vouch for how reliable and well-built the Snapmaker 2.0 was — it was honestly a delight to build and use.

Another massive benefit of the Snapmaker machines is they have the best rotary engraver module in my opinion. The chuck style design is extremely well built, and makes it extremely easy to either laser engrave, or CNC carve, onto curved surfaces.

Snapmaker Luban makes this easier than any other software I’ve used like Lightburn or LaserGRBL, so even a beginner could do it. But, you pay for this convenience as Snapmaker’s 4-axis rotary module is a lot more expensive than xTool’s or Ortur’s.

Both Snapmaker laser engravers area great for engraving and cutting, especially with the 10W high-power laser, and you get access to 3D printing and CNC in one machine, so if you want a more versatile machine, this could be ideal for you.

We used the 4-axis rotary module add-on, turning the laser engraver and CNC carving modules into a 4-axis turning lathe, and managed to carve out some beautiful looking pieces, as well as engraving a cylindrical gift box.

A highly rated and low-cost laser engraver, the Orion Motor Tech 40W laser cutter offers a decent 300 x 200 mm engraving area for the price, and can cut between 2-3mm depth, depending on the material.

It’s a versatile yet cheap laser cutter, able to cut and engrave plastic, leather, and rubber as well as wood, and has a number of optional upgrades to improve its cutting performance.

Compared to other cutters like the VEVOR 40W it’s very fast for the price, with up to 80mm/s cutting speed. This makes it perfect for beginners and hobbyists looking for a lower cost entry-level laser engraving machine, as well as a specialist laser cutter for casual woodworking projects that makers of all skill levels will enjoy.

OMTech 40W CO2 Laser Engraver, 8x12 Desktop Laser Marking Etching Engraving Machine with Digital Controls Red Dot Exhaust Fan & Wheels for Wood, Acrylic, and More

As the fun-sized budget option in Flux’s range of laser cutters and engravers, the Beamo is one of the most portable yet feature-heavy machines on this list.

The Beamo is also compatible with versatile upgrades like a rotary module and hybrid laser technology which lets you cut and engrave even faster and deeper. Smart integrations like the drag-and-drop feature in Beam Studio and wireless connectivity truly give this machine a unique experience.

These upgrades don’t come cheap, so this is only for serious hobbyists or small businesses that will really take advantage of all the high-level specs this machine has to offer.

Glowforge’s most remarkable machine, the Glowforge Pro, sells itself as a 3D laser printer as it can print out enormous, cut objects perfect for furniture, signage and a host of other uses. All Glowforge lasers are fully Mac-compatible, super easy to use (it’s literally their selling point – they’re ready to go out the box!), and with a 40-45W CO2 laser, pretty powerful too!

Featuring a “passthrough slot”, you can potentially cut unlimited length parts on the Pro. Several-meter-long wooden parts can be created, as they can keep passing through the laser cutter as it cuts or engraves. Rather than having to cut dozens of smaller pieces for a large wooden or other project, the Glowforge Pro laser cutter does it all in one!

Additionally, the Pro engraves up to 3x faster than the Basic, and cuts 20% faster for a more efficient workflow. The camera can live preview your project, and the Pro also features improved cooling systems so you won’t have any issues with overheating no matter how much you use it.

There’s also a mid-range option, the Glowforge Plus, which is $2,000 less but doesn’t have features such as the unlimited length passthrough slot. But, if you prefer a more powerful machine than Glowforge for the price, we have written on the best Glowforge alternatives.

Glowforge are the easiest to use lasers for home business owners looking to create cool projects and sell them on Etsy or other stores and make money.

A powerful and specialized machine, the Ten-high 40W laser engraver and cutter is one of the best laser cutters for the price. Featuring a large 300 x 400 mm laser engraving area it can handle even larger projects, and engraves quickly at up to 500mm/s, cutting at up to 30mm/s.

This new laser cutter model by Ten-High features upgraded rotary axis for better engraving on rounded and circular workpieces and less size restrictions, as well as an improved double door.

The machine’s digital display makes monitoring progress and temperature easy and convenient, and it comes with their software for a full cutting and engraving workflow.

Ten High forgoes the extras and focuses only on the crucial elements, such as accuracy, stability, and power, solidifying its position as one of the top industrial glass laser engravers.

As far as what laser cutting and engraving can be used for, the possibilities are endless. Personalize leather wallets, streamline furniture constructions, and even engrave your own logo onto a cup! Laser cutters work on dozens of materials, giving you plenty of ideas to accomplish.

You can get passable laser engraving machines for just under $300 nowadays. It doesn’t mean you should, though, as they’re often built from worse-quality parts and aren’t as accurate and reliable as you want. Our top pick, the xTool D1 Pro, starts at $600+.

Remember: there’s a difference between a great budget laser engraver, and a great laser engraver for your budget. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with opting for a more affordable laser engraving machine if you both want to save money, and don’t need all the extra power.

If you’re on a budget, get a low-cost machine like the Atomstack A5, and if you’re not quite ready to get the xTool D1 Pro, save a few bucks and get the Ortur Laser Master 3. On the other hand, if you want a CO2 laser and are strapped for cash, the OMTech K40 is passable but not user-friendly.

However, don’t just buy a laser engraver because of raw laser machine power numbers. There’s more nuance, and some companies are also not forthcoming about the actual power of their lasers.

The xTool D1 Pro and Ortur Laser Master 3 are actually 10W diode lasers (with a 20W option for the xTool), but I’ve seen some companies claim 20W and more when they’re in fact 5.5W lasers.

Engraving accuracy is crucial to high-quality engraving. Engraving precision is formed of a combination of focal point and depth of cut, and factors like the stepper motors.

However, these specs don’t tell the whole story. Laser engravers are very accurate – even cheap ones. But it’s all for nothing if you don’t optimize your settings and laser beam focal length. Moreover, speed, percentage power (relative to the cut materials), whether you have air assist, and many more factors affect your end project’s final quality.

Cheap laser engraving machines under $1000 usually have open-air systems (rather than enclosures) and can offer good sizes for the price. For example, the cheapest lasers might only have 150 x 150 mm working areas, but lasers like the Ortur and xTool picks have in excess of 400 x 400 mm. This is more than enough for most hobbyist projects and large engravings.

In fact, the Glowforge laser cutter brand is built on being super user-friendly — there are far more powerful lasers for the price, but makers love Glowforge’s convenience.

I have owned 3 Ortur lasers (LM2, LM2 Pro, and LM3), the xTool D1 Pro 20W, and a host of other lasers by TwoTrees, Longer, and other brands, and my recommendations for beginners are the xTool, followed by the Ortur.

For a more professional laser cutter, Glowforge Pro is the easiest to use, but if you’re more technical, you’ll be fine with more complex lasers with less intuitive workflows by OMTech and other brands.

Rotary attachment add-ons mean you can engrave cylindrical objects like beakers, yeti cups (and similar objects with coated metal surfaces), glasses, mugs, and more.

A rotary attachment also transforms your laser module into a far more versatile laser cutter, capable of taking on more different projects. If you’re a home maker, this exponentially increases the projects at your disposal.

More powerful laser heads for cutting thicker materials (for example, you can upgrade to a 20W laser head on an xTool laser – and I did this for my xTool). With a 20W diode laser, you can cut most non-metal materials, including thicker and tougher wood (up to 10mm basswood).

Diode lasers contain a small compound semiconductor material within them, and work by applying electricity to that compound to produce the laser beam. Diode lasers are the cheapest, most portable, and most user-friendly lasers – so if you’re a beginner, they’re probably best for you.

Weaker 5W diode lasers are mostly just for engraving: you’ll struggle to cut through acrylic, or wood of any significant thickness. But more powerful 10W lasers, or even the 20W version of the xTool D1 Pro, can begin to cut much thicker wood and acrylic.

CO2 lasers are more complex but more powerful laser cutters than diode lasers, and they’re able to cut through thicker wood and acrylic, and do so much faster. They’re preferred for small businesses who want to produce more items for sale in the quickest possible time. Other materials like glass, leather, and other textiles work great with CO2 lasers.

CO2 lasers work by running electricity through a gas-filled tube, which is usually a mixture of gases like CO2, nitrogen, and helium. There are mirrors on each end of the tube, one reflective and one partially reflective, that let light through for the beam.

Previously, CO2 lasers started at $2000+, but there’s now a 40W CO2 laser called the K40 which costs around just $500. So, whereas your only choice previously was a diode laser if you didn’t have 4 figures, now you can opt for the K40.

However, K40 lasers are typically 8” x 12” so you can’t cut large pieces, and you can’t create large projects for sale. More generally, CO2 lasers are more restricted in working area as they are enclosed, and feature a cooler, air pump, etc, which take up space.

Also, beyond K40 lasers, CO2 lasers are much more expensive. OMTech CO2 lasers start at around $2000, and then you have laser cutters by Glowforge, Dremel, Muse, Full Spectrum Laser, Epilog, and more that start in the $3000-$6000 range – and you’ll get a 40W to 60W laser for this price range.

They are expensive – the cheapest fiber lasers start at around $3000. But, for metal laser engraving, they’re the best. They also don’t have consumable parts like CO2 lasers, which after a few thousand hours need replacing for a hundred dollars or so. So that can be nice to not feel the worry of the CO2 tube is wearing out here.

They also have small working areas. For example, a popular low-cost fiber laser engraver costing $3000 that I have used has a working area of just 6” x 6”, so you’re limited in the products you can create.

Laser Engravers: rather than cutting all the way through the material, laser engraving machines engrave an image, logo or graphic on top of your chosen material. Engraving is often used for branding products or signage, but can also be used to engrave entire greyscale artwork onto wood. This is done via image files such as jpg, svg, png or ai files, using methods such as grid engraving where the laser moves horizontally, line by line, removing certain depths of material to create a contrasting and readable image. Engravers use short focal length lasers with fine spot sizes for accurate engraving.

Laser cutters are very precise and accurate and can cut and engrave very quickly. For the same power, they’re usually cheaper than CNC routers, and can cut a variety of materials.

Welcome to the Thomas guide to the best CNC routers and machines for woodworking 2023. Thomas has been connecting North American industrial buyers and suppliers for more than 120 years. When you purchase products through our independent recommendations, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Choosing a suitable CNC machine for each task is essential since not all CNC tools are made equally. Some CNC machines come with different operating systems that might not be compatible with specific computer models, and others have operating systems that aren’t so user-friendly. Still, other machines can engrave different materials like plastic, soft metals, or acrylic, which can come in handy for various projects. The fact is, any small shop wouldn’t be complete without the right CNC router.

Here is a list of the best CNC routers and machines for woodworking, followed by a buying guide to help you select the best CNC routers and machines for woodworking for your needs.

One reviewer, who has worked with CNC routers for over 40 years and has published manuals on the subject, described, “Overall I think this machine is an excellent value… For wood, plastic, acrylics and other ‘soft’ materials, it does a good job and is surprisingly accurate and repeats very well. The noise level is reasonable.”

“At this price point, it is hard to complain,” raved one buyer. “All the 3D printed parts have been replaced with nicely finished ABS parts. The 20-20 extrusions are well and cleanly cut, requiring minimal de-burring.” Another added, “Absolutely love the simplicity of this design. For the price, it is an excellent system.”

With 42 stepper motors and control, board outfitted with a fan to cool the unit, this DIY kit CNC router by RATTMOTOR is another affordable tool for DIYers.

Perfect for small home woodworking projects, the spindle speed reaches 20,000 rpm, and has a stepper drive that comes with short-circuit protection, limit switches, and offline recognition.

One reviewer commented, “Other CNC engravers require you to fiddle and futz with the alignment; not this one. I am impressed at what one gets for the money. Everything is included to get you engraving, including the cutters, workpiece clamps, and wrenches.”

The X and Y-axis run on a belt drive while the Z-axis runs on an ACME nut for more stability. The spoil board includes a Makita multiple-speed router, and the control system works with the Arduino-based microprocessor.

One customer who purchased two previous versions of the BobsCNC kit wrote, “Both of those machines were good, but the EV4 is an order of magnitude better in fit, form, function, and finish. By far, the EV4 is the best kit CNC I"ve ever owned. It"s worth the effort to assemble, as long as you read and follow the instructions.”

If, for any reason, the laser or motor stops moving or the machine’s position is altered, the laser will immediately turn off. This unit is compatible with Mac OS and Linux, and Windows.

One customer explained, “It"s a great tool for adding custom images or logos to some woodwork. I make cutting boards and charge an additional $10 to add anything someone wants on their purchased board. The laser has paid for itself many times over.”

What’s more, this model is more powerful with increased protection against overload. The external display allows users to control this machine without a computer, and with its fairly low price for a machine of this caliber, this makes a good student CNC unit too.

Features include steel enclosed gantry for better stability, a USB port interface, a color touch display, complete control over all axes, auto on/off router capability, and software that allows users to create a list of projects. This tool comes with a carbide V-bit, a one-year warranty, clamps, and a 3D sampler pack.

Packed with features such as an emergency stop, power supply, and control board built into the large touchscreen display with an offline controller, this FoxAlien tool is excellent for intermediate users.

One consumer who uses this machine for his carving business wrote, “This machine has not only lived up to my expectations, but it has exceeded them… After discovering the great quality of the product and support team, I knew I could confidently purchase a CNC router from them and receive a stellar product.”

(Other popular machines on the market are the CNC Piranha models (the CNC Piranha FX and the CNC Piranha XL), along with the Taishi desktop CNC router and the JFT machine, however, we found that the reviews for these products were mixed and less than satisfactory, and so they did not make it to our list.)

What makes a great CNC router for woodworking, and which is the best CNC router kit for different skill levels? To find out more, and before splurging on a CNC machine, review the buying guide below to better understand the additional features commonly found on these tools.

The most commonly purchased tool for its price and precision, the three axes (X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis) CNC machine includes multiple spindle speeds, mini CNCs, and YZ machines. While in use, the spindle stays on the same course making it a good student or beginner CNC unit.

A 4-axis router has the three axes plus an A-axis, which allows the spindle to move left and right to process three surfaces concurrently to achieve plane and 3D engraving. This tool is ideal for carving wood or even soft metals into complex 3D pieces and patterns.

Rotary axis CNC routers have a rotary spindle tool that allows them to process four surfaces simultaneously. This is especially useful for cylindrical projects that, when finished, will be in 3D, like intricate furniture accents or decorative wooden statues.

The servo motor tolerates high speeds, can cut wood precisely and resists overload for a longer-lasting tool. It’s also quieter and more steady and is ideal for intricate patterns. The faster the speed of the motor, the more productive the CNC tool will be.

A stepper motor is the more affordable price of the two and is fine for basic plane engraving. Stepper motors are easy to control, dependable, and precise. They are also suitable for the average woodworking project.

The screw drive is the more basic of the two, with slower speeds and short tool life. If not installed properly, the screw drive can become loose and constantly need tightening. This type of drive is used primarily for smaller wood carving projects.

The rack drive provides a much more accurate transmission and can handle larger projects and multiple configurations. This drive is faster, lasts longer, and is more expensive. This type of drive can be used on a laser module for effective engraving depth.

A vacuum table vacuums the part directly to the table without clamps. This allows for more precise engraving since there is less shaking while in use.

A dust collection system is a great perk to have on one of these machines when it comes time for cleanup. Some CNC machines have a dust port that allows the device to collect dust while carving.

We hope our review of the best CNC routers and CNC machines for woodworking has been helpful. For more suppliers of related products, including aluminum CNC routers, plastic CNC routers, 9-axis routers, or CNC milling machines, consult our additional guides, or visit the Thomas Supplier Discovery Platform.