What is the best CNC machine for beginners?
If you want a CNC immediately your probably not going to be able to wait to design and build your own. The advantages I had from building my own are the huge amount I learned and it also gave me time to learn how to use it and operating practices but it was quite a few months until I had an operating machine. If you can’t build or haven’t got the time, luckily you can now buy a decent CNC machine for a reasonable price.
A few years ago you would have struggled but these days I can happily tell you a CNC machine can be bought that can be more than a toy.
This article was originally going to compare what I considered to be the options available and price comparisons but it became apparent very early that there really is only one machine that stands head and shoulders above anything else and that is the 3018 CNC machine.
When it comes to buying things I like to look at all the options especially if I’m parting with a lot of money and it can be quite time-consuming and sometimes stressful. At least there are no worries here that you’re going to make the wrong choice when there’s no real competition at this price level.
Buying a hobbyist CNC machine
You’ll still have to put it together but that’s a whole lot easier than building from scratch. I bought I SainSmart 3018 CNC from Amazon Prime. It came the next day and took me less than a morning to put together. There are a few different names of manufacturers and suppliers but they are basically the same machine. These are SainSmart, Genmitsu, Vogvigo and a few more. So how does it compare to what I built and how does it compare to the other CNC machines that you can buy? When it comes to price the other CNC machines are way more expensive. So in price, there isn’t really anything else that compares to the 3018 CNC.
As you can see from the pictures above the 3018 CNC machine arrives well packaged. All the parts are in sections to make them easy to find and very good instructions are included. These were very easy to follow to complete the machine in a few hours.
How much does it cost to buy a hobbyist CNC machine?
It is going to cost you between £190 – £250 to buy the Sainsmart type3018 CNC machine. You can get these 3018 CNC machines and very similar ones for a bit cheaper from various other places on the internet if you shop around. However, I wanted to buy from Amazon because I have Amazon Prime and can get stuff delivered for free the next day and I’m not sure of the rules about paying import duty on items of this value.
I bought some PCBs from China and had to pay VAT charges on top so I was sure that what I paid from Amazon would be the total price without any unpleasant surprises. There is also the fact that I know I can return the product if anything’s wrong.
The price variation is mainly down to what you get included. Some come with a spindle and laser and some with just a spindle.
The pictures above show various stages of the construction of the 3018 CNC machine.
Is the 3018 CNC machine worth the money?
Put quite simply yes, for what you get and what you pay it’s defiantly yes. If you look at how much the parts would cost anyway and the fact that everything has been sorted out for you it is cheaper than getting the bits yourself and you end up quickly with a machine you couldn’t build any cheaper.
If you want a CNC machine you really can’t get any better for this price. Looking at the alternatives, if you can pay more you can get a better machine but you are probably looking at more than £500 for the next price level. If you can only afford less than £300 the 3018 CNC machine is a simple choice.
There are lots of variations of the 3018 CNC but they are all basically the same machines. Some of them have got extra panels on the side. Some have got slightly different spindles and with some, you get a laser.
The picture above shows the completed 3018 CNC with the leads plugged into the controller unit. This is the bit that lets down what otherwise are very good instructions. You are left to route the cables as best you see fit. I know I’m being picky here and parts are moving so it’s not easy but I can’t help thinking they could have done a better job. However, I guess it would have meant more expense and if that’s all I can grumble about that’s not bad!
What is the best CNC machine for beginners – conclusion
What you do get is a board that is similar to the Arduino and shield that runs GRBL. You can read more about GRBL here. The motor drivers are on this board and it runs the spindle or laser directly with a mains adapter. That plugs into this one board. This then mounts on the back of the machine. The 3018 CNC has a base frame with the Y-axis motor mounted at the back and a moving table.
You get a machine that can mill wood and plastic and PCBs. It’s particularly suitable for prototyping PCBs because of its size and can sit on the kitchen table.
With a small laser, you can also use it for laser engraving. Some versions of the 3018 CNC come with a spindle and laser for you to swap between. The 3018 is named because of the size 30 cm by 18cm being the maximum size. That was until recently when the 3018 extension kit came out.
The above shows the CNC from Amazon Prime free next-day delivery.
3018 Y-axis extension kit
I bought the 3018 before the extension kit came out. Had I had the knowledge that I could extend the size of the machine when I bought it I would have had even less hesitation to get the machine.
If you want to know more about the 3018 extension kit I have an article here.
This is what you get with the Genmitsu 3018 Y-axis extension kit.
You’ll need a larger base board with the extension. This is the Genmitsu version.
I have already recouped the cost as I’ve sold items that more than covered it. If you’re interested and wonder if it is possible to make money with a CNC machine, the answer is yes. If you want more information and details, I have another article about that subject here.