This video is pure gold. I bought a generic 3018 router package and the instructions were worthless. Halfway figured it out myself but then found this video and all was made clear. Many thanks for your work and care in producing this.
I am a machinist, you need to use a riser plate on the table when possible in order to SHORTEN the tool distance between the motor and tool tip. This will increase rigidity and increase tool life and leave better finishes and it will lower run time and increase motor life. Remember, Vibration is your enemy, kills your machine, tools, parts, and ears.
I got this thing at least a year ago but didn't get myself to put it together. It looks like there's no excuse for putting it off now. Thanks for posting.
I almost never watch videos like this from start to finish but this is a delightful exception. No monologging, no cheesy music, no shaky head-mount-go-pro footage, just straightforward facts. Very well done. Key for most of us is the question "what do I need to do to make it really useful" and you started that discussion and it looks like there are more answers here. I am curious about two things: 1) why the metal strap on the spindle holder?; 2) what about replacing the spindle motor? I think for the price, and with a few simple upgrades, this would work for me too. Thanks!
I had a GoPro mounted on the spindle mount for some of the filming. The first attempt at glueing a mount on resulted in the GoPro being thrown off. I had meant to add it to the end as blooper footage. There are 3d print designs for upgraded spindle motors on thingiverse and the like.
Very good video. I bought a nearly identical CNC last year and have enjoyed using it. I sure wish my assembly went as fast as yours did.... :) A couple of notes for USA users: 1) Windows virus software will object to many of the CH340 drivers--thinking that they are corrupt or worse. If you google CH340 you'll find a lot of available sources. I found the one from Github worked fine. 2) BE CAREFUL with the USB connector on the driver board. I moved my laptop slightly and pulled the connector socket right off the PCB due to a short cable length. The replacement boards aren't expensive, but it cost weeks of delay to wait for a new one. I've used a 'zip tie' cable connector to brace the USB cable to the CNC frame with good results. 3) Here's a tip I saw on another video that works well with respect to mounting your workpiece and setting all the zero points: You can use any scrap material as an 'underpad' for your work piece. That avoids gouging your aluminum work table in case you mess up your "Z" depth. But the important part is that you DON'T have to set your X-Y zero point to the lower left of the 'underpad'; just place your working piece onto the underpad--toward the center of it--and mark the X-Y zero on the workpiece lower left. I've found that keeps you clear of any clamps or other hardware that might otherwise interfere with movement of the carving head. In fact, I've made an ink mark on the underpad at the point where I usually place the lower left corner of any workpiece so that I've got a pretty uniform target each time I start a job. Of course don't forget to fasten everything down with tape, clamps, glue putty, your choice.
1) Windows virus software will object to many of the CH340 drivers--thinking that they are corrupt or worse Probably a good thing. I wouldn't trust a random driver uploaded on a Chinese cheapo site. I love those sites but they aren't trustworthy enough to risk installing their drivers.
Excellent video, well paced, informative and practical. Well done and thank you. For anyone who has purchases the 3018 PRO (with the wired remote controller). You may run into problems getting the 'Candle' software to work with the router. The wired remote controller needs to be disconnected from the 3018 PRO CNC Router in order for the Candle software to work correctly via the USB. Happy routing.
Excellent video. So easy to follow and a pleasure to watch. I am new to CNC so knew nothing, you have covered everything to get people up and running, Banggood should be very grateful for your work. Thank you!
I bought one of these after watching your video. I did get some longer screws for some locations where the ones provided did not go all the way through the nut. The wing nuts provided for the hold downs were about two sizes too small so those aren't useful. Some of the screw holes were under size and there were not enough screws with small heads for the recessed locations. The spring did not fit in the Y drive nut so that hole had to be enlarged. From my first test, it was clear to me that the 24VDC spindle motor had to go. The brass chuck that came with it didn't hold the bit straight which resulted in a lot of vibration and poor cuts. Also the bit is way above the table in the lowest position so a spacer of about 12mm is needed when routing thin material. I was able to modify a Dremel model 395 tool to replace the spindle motor and it works a world better. I now have adjustable speed from 5,000 to 35,000 RPM, the bits run true, and I don't need a spacer for routing the surface of thin material. I did have to remove about 2.5mm from the housing diameter in the clamp area and notch about 3mm opposite the switch to clear the Z axis motor. I'm planning to operate a relay from the original 24VDC motor feed to switch the AC power to the Dremel. I haven't yet been able to get Easel to connect to the 3018 on my Linux system. It did work OK on Windows. Right now I have to make the gcode with Easel and pass it to a program called UGS to drive the CNC. It may be somewhere in the documentation but I didn't see anything about the two Y axis motor connectors. They run the motor in opposite directions so change connectors if your motor goes the wrong way. Thanks for the video. I don't think my build went as well as yours but I did end up with a working CNC.
Yes, the spindle motor is ripe for an upgrade. I am guessing the 2nd y axis connection is for machines that use two stepper motors to drive the Y axis with a belt either side. Thanks for the comment.
My 3018 (PRO / Upgraded version .. for what that is worth .. ) should turn up here by the end of the day ... I'm looking forward to the build & hopefully receive a complete kit without any damaged / missing / faulty parts .. Thanks for the video! I think I've got my head wrapped around the assembly process. Let's hope all goes according to plan ;)
YO TECHYDIY DUDE !!!! Thanks LOADS for this video, it seriously helped me big time since i misplaced the instructions and when i did have them they were not clear enough at all. So Thanks a million for making this video, not only that but its clear, your speech is crystal clear too, its a very clean build the way youve done it, its a beautiful setup of camera and well thought-out narative - DUDE YOU ARE AWESOME !!!!! 4700 Thumbs up on this vid so far.. well, 4701 now lol haha, cant actually see what the number is but regardless of that, if only the manufacturer/seller made clear concise and cleverly laid out video instructions WITH MEASUREMENTS OF ITEMS IN "STEP BY STEP" Orientation like this, then many wouldnt have any problems with these nice kits from China to get us home-gamers into the wonderful world of CNC !!! Keep up the brillient job on your video's techydiy - you are a massive inspiration for me - i cannot thank you enough !
Excellent instruction video. I have a similar engraver I bought a year ago, that is binding on all axes, and the Arduino operation is crappy. So it's been standing on the shelf for many months. This is very helpful, and I'm inspired again to work it over into a functional machine. Banggood should absolutely pay you to make instruction videos for their gizmo's!
I got one and here are my inputs: 1> the t-nuts are real hell to adjust; most of them fit at 30-45 degree; 2> the clamps (for the guide rails) cannot be tightened enough; I broke the thread because the rod is still loose; 3> the spindle is not heavy but lacks power. Generally ok.
I bought one of these last April. It came with grbl 0.8 and would not update to 0.9 as stated in the instructions. I found it to be erratic. When repeating a program it might just run off in an odd direction. When it worked it was great but I was getting success about 1 out of 3 tries. I just wanted it to learn a few things about CNC and to label drawers. I bought another tool a plasma table (what I really wanted) that runs on Mach 3 and it's been a success. This was my first time using CNC and the learning curve is steep but worth the effort.
I have not had any repeatability problems or random errors so i think something was probably faulty there. They did change the default baud rate between 0.8 and 0.9 which probably didn't help.
Carl, what plasma table did you end up using. What cam software did you end up using also. I got mach 3 and a cnc router. Awesome investment. Using it more and more. I'm using v carve pro for my cad/cam as well as a free cad program for 3d parts (for my 3d printer).
It's probably because you got one with a ch340 usb-to-serial converter. These are highly unreliable. I've had the same and crashed the cnc several times because of it. The one in the video looks like it has an replaceable arduino with an atmega32u4. If you can't replace it, try a better shielded USB cable first (the chinese cables are often very bad). You can also try to shield the Board and check if the spindle motor has a filter cap, maybe even ground the motor housing.
Same, thank you! Excellent video. So easy to follow and a pleasure to watch. I am new to CNC so knew nothing, you have covered everything to get people up and running, Banggood should be very grateful for your work. Thank you!
The Z axis on these 3D printed parts is actually assembled wrong in the factory. That's where your problem came from, not the stepper. You have to take the Z axis apart, flip around the grey carrier block, and the z axis preloading will then function as intended. It is wrong for a stepper to carry axial loads (or even radial loads for that matter). They don't have suitable bearings for that. The brass lead screw nut mechanism should carry that spindle load on the lead screw, with the anti-backlash spring action acting downwards, not upwards, if that makes sense. So, when you push up on the spindle, you have a solid coupling to the brass nut, and when you pull on the spindle, you'll pull against the backlash spring. If you fit the blue coupling neutrally to the stepper, you should have no axial forces on it during operation.
Yes you are 100% correct. The z axis motor holder was the wrong way up. On this particular machine the stepper motors supplied had a large amount of play and that made it even worse. What I did in the end was to flip the motor holder and secondly to install a washer and a small thrust bearing between the blue coupler and the stepper motor. This resulted in a huge improvement.
Amazing catch! I'll have to check my Z Axis lead screw for this. I've replaced it a few times and am having Z-height issues. Thank you for nailing this for me!
Thank you for one of the best produced Build, Test, Review videos I've come across, was able to watch the entire video without banging my head on the bench as most DIY and how to videos do. Video was very helpful in assisting in my decisions on what direction to head in.
A really good tutorial, well explained and also good to understand by people with another mother tongue. And thank you for NOT using stupid music as often used. Regards, Otto
I have a similar machine with the exact same controller. It's difficult finding some of the functions, but you showed them well and now I shall install my end-stop limit switches!
I just got this thingy. Thanks, this guide helped a lot. Plastic parts are molded now, not 3D printed which is nice change. The rest is more-less the same.
Thanks... this is the best most complete videos I've watched. All the others are either hard to understand or the creator rambled too much. What kind of bit did you use for aluminum? Number of flutes?
Excellent video, you are concise and systematic, no doubt a good engineer. Thank-you for your great work here, in making this well planned & informative video.
Hi. Thank you very much, I found this to be the best introduction to using a 3018 type CNC. I have already built the machine but I'm not the cleverest guy with computers, so your programme explanations were very helpful and clear. 10/10, go to the top of the class!
I stumbled into this video and I muist say, it is exactly what I was looking for. You literally covered everything I wanted to know on exactly the level I needed. Incredibly well done. Subscribed!
I got one of these a while back to mess around with and here my input: The extrusions are ok, however the brackets are cheap cast units, and the arent square and have flash. The drop in tnuts were very annoying because they didnt bind up at all and spun free leading to a false lockup. The Y axis is actually great, the bed is nice and the is minimal backlash and deflection The X axis is slightly worse because the rods are long and unsupported. The seperation between the rods, and short length of the bearings makes it flex quite a bit compared to the y axis. The Z axis is terrible, it flexes badly which means it flexes while plunging into material, and depending on the direction of feed will dig in or pull up. The spindle is fine, but underpowered, and the er11 collet is very usable. The control board that came with mine was a knock off atmel based affair, and we had to be creative to flash the latest version of grbl onto it. GRBL is great, however when the motors stop they don't remain on and then shift micro-steps, which can easily add up over multiple runs. My machine came with a CD which was a pain to find something that could actually read it. I ended up turning mine into a one axis machine that just moves the bed back and forth, its pretty great at doing that.
I have a very similar laser-only version of this, and had to change my GRBL settings to always leave motors powered for this reason. It added up to cuts being tens of millimeters off by the end of a job.
Amazing video. I have been doing research and couldn’t find any good reviews on the machine. This was very detailed and a good video. I think after this though, I’m still going to get a K40 laser cutter instead
@@lancevanvelzen4832 Oh, already 2 years ago 🙂 I'm still using it and it still works fine. It took some time to find the right settings for the tools, like diameter a bit really cuts, but then it gives good results, also in combination with 3D printed parts. I'm surely not a power-user but I used it to cut parts for 2 RC-planes and a couple of boxes and storage thingies. Mostly parts which are flat and would take hours to print. Still a recommendation for this kind of use.
Excellent video. I would suggest an improvement is to replace the 3 short plates that hold the 2 halves of the bed, with much wider"battens" that extend to the full width of the bed. This will prevent the bed flexing especially when working in the centre of the bed. Most important when doing 3D work.
Thank you so much for this video. I never would have got this together without it! Mines a few years newer, but virtually the same. The instructions came on usb drive, but weren't even for this model, a completely different style.. lol Thank you so very much again for the very detailed directions!
Great diy tech tips, I guess maybe the CNC would have been 5 times its original cost if some of its components were a bit more robust. However the possibilities are obviously there for the person willing to follow through with a great build instead of honksquabbling about its limitations. Thanks for the video!
Banggood 3018 Mini Cnc Router Kit: www.banggood.com/custlink/K3mKbMkHyf ER11 Collet Holder 1-7mm: www.banggood.com/custlink/DDK32OntlI (To install the collet holder, heat it up and tap it onto the spindle motor shaft) End Mills 1 - 3mm: www.banggood.com/custlink/KG33MjQ54p 22mm surface planing bit: www.banggood.com/custlink/vGvE8OZoK2 (Use with an ER11 6mm collet for spoil board surfacing) Other info: www.techydiy.org/banggood-3018-3-axis-mini-cnc-router-build-test-review/
Great video, shows entire process from construction to using it - great information in a very pleasant and calm voice. The included paper manual is not very helpful (shows old mainboard, later pictures are missing some parts which were added earlier, no info on wiring the electronics, dimensions shown earlier changing on later pages and being plain wrong), so just watch this video. Additional Notes: Be careful tightening the plastic mainboard holder to the machine, the screws stick out and it's easily overtightened, resulting in it cracking. When adding wires to the drill engine, there's a little red dot showing where the + (red wire) should go (took me a second to figure that out). For using a custom VBit in easel you need the "pro" version (there is a free trial you need to opt into first), otherwise you can't export the gcode.
Thank you - this review was excellently done. Clear, concise and easy to follow. Could you possibly make breakdown tutorials to compliment these reviews so that you can spend more time with each stage or function?
Very helpful video, thanks. Just finished putting mine together and, as you said, the instructions are terrible. Mine were in colour at least. The screws supplied with mine were flange screws so no need for washers but I replaced a majority of the T-nuts with better ones from Amazon, they were poorly made and didn't fit the slots in the aluminium extrusion properly. Seems to be a decent machine so far.
I'm wondering just how it might work on harder materials with the correct tooling and/or cooling/lubrication. Also how efficient is the laser facility? Then I have work what *I* might use it for.
Wish I found this well made instruction video earlier, great video and software info! The documentation that came with it is really poor. I had only T-Nuts for everything and too many screws and screws I don't need, very confusing. The provided screws didn't fit some of the plastic PLA parts. Ordered with a laser, also no info at all. Paided 190 euros for the whole set with E11 chuck and a 2.5 blue laser (included wrong RED glasses). The board I have is not listed in the documention and no info how to mount it. It takes me three evenings to complete the whole set. I place the mainboard in the middle and used plastic tie-bands instead of the screws and no cable mess. The plastic tie-bands isolate the board from the frame because it easy to fry something when the positive lead of the spindle touch the frame by accident. It also prevents ground noise. The limit switches is absolutely a missing feature because it is very easy to drive outside the limits (because of wrong settings) when you don't know what you doing exacly like me. That is the first thing I want to add. A power switch is also a handy feature. It is a pretty and nice machine, pretty noisy too. I don't think the brush spindle motor last that long, see many sparks inside when operating. Very cheap motor i guess. Thank you for the nice video!
Brilliant video tutorial, just managed to assemble mine with your help and it is all working as it should. Mine was from KKmoon but seems identical to this just with Tnuts and allen head bolts which seems a sensible progression.
Thanks for posting this video, i can't tell you how many times i've refered to it. i got to page 2 of the assembly guide and threw it away in favour of your video. Its perfect. Now I refer beck to the software part of the video while i'm still learning what to do.
Just One Question. did you ever measure the spindlee speed? As that is criticle in working out the suitable feeds and speeds for various materials. Our Mens Shed has one from woodpecker. it looks the same but the documentation was useless. Ancd we cant find the specs on the motor. and we dont have access to a rpm metre ourselves to check the speed.
they are a great little machine with a few cheap upgrades. i have one dedicated to milling timber fishing lure bodys with a diy 4 axis addon. cost $350Aud for the lot and i made my money back in a week selling a hand full of lures. it makes me $35 a hour
Very helpful. I have been looking for a cnc router for some simple work to support my main projects. From your review it looks like this machine might be useful. Obviously not for high volume work but to create a few templates at low cost. I'm on a tight budget so didn't want to waste money on a useless machine. This looks ok for simple projects and would serve as a learning introduction to the process.Thanks for this
I'd appreciate that!!! I'm considering buying one of these, but after setting up and using a 3D printer kit, it's hard to think of using a CNC without the protection of limit switches!!! If your video is only half as good as this one, it should be very easy for anyone to follow ... :-)
Mine should arrive on Friday! Any comments on the quality of cut on acrylic? This is the main use for mine, cutting and etching small acrylic plates as part of a larger project.
Cast acrylic cuts fine. Extruded acrylic just melts on the bit. Start with very moderate settings and work upwards. Say 50 mm / min feed and plunge rates. 0.2mm cut depth per pass. Which is very slow but it's best to start there and test how far you can increase it. Also use the er11a collet and holder. The PCB mill sets commonly available seem to work well on most materials. Avoid using any long bits with the brass collets, they can't handle much leverage and deform. Also the grub screws come loose and disappear, I put a band of heatshrink tube or tape over the collet. I don't use threadlock because I know I am going to change the collet at some point. Lastly check for play on the z axis stepper (and the other axis), any play will make engraving difficult.
This video is pure gold. I bought a generic 3018 router package and the instructions were worthless. Halfway figured it out myself but then found this video and all was made clear. Many thanks for your work and care in producing this.
I am a machinist, you need to use a riser plate on the table when possible in order to SHORTEN the tool distance between the motor and tool tip. This will increase rigidity and increase tool life and leave better finishes and it will lower run time and increase motor life. Remember, Vibration is your enemy, kills your machine, tools, parts, and ears.
Good for an 80%?
vibration is also your friend, when properly handled produces music.
I got this thing at least a year ago but didn't get myself to put it together. It looks like there's no excuse for putting it off now. Thanks for posting.
Does it work?
@@jopetnavea456
Yes. I've made some nice things. :)
How much does it cost if you don't mine
@@shellywilliams6604
I paid € 220 including shipping for my cnc2418 in October 2017
Customs sometimes doesn't charge import duties.
@@shellywilliams6604 I ordered one over a month ago still waiting for it to come
I almost never watch videos like this from start to finish but this is a delightful exception. No monologging, no cheesy music, no shaky head-mount-go-pro footage, just straightforward facts. Very well done. Key for most of us is the question "what do I need to do to make it really useful" and you started that discussion and it looks like there are more answers here. I am curious about two things: 1) why the metal strap on the spindle holder?; 2) what about replacing the spindle motor? I think for the price, and with a few simple upgrades, this would work for me too. Thanks!
I had a GoPro mounted on the spindle mount for some of the filming. The first attempt at glueing a mount on resulted in the GoPro being thrown off. I had meant to add it to the end as blooper footage.
There are 3d print designs for upgraded spindle motors on thingiverse and the like.
Very good video. I bought a nearly identical CNC last year and have enjoyed using it. I sure wish my assembly went as fast as yours did.... :) A couple of notes for USA users: 1) Windows virus software will object to many of the CH340 drivers--thinking that they are corrupt or worse. If you google CH340 you'll find a lot of available sources. I found the one from Github worked fine. 2) BE CAREFUL with the USB connector on the driver board. I moved my laptop slightly and pulled the connector socket right off the PCB due to a short cable length. The replacement boards aren't expensive, but it cost weeks of delay to wait for a new one. I've used a 'zip tie' cable connector to brace the USB cable to the CNC frame with good results. 3) Here's a tip I saw on another video that works well with respect to mounting your workpiece and setting all the zero points: You can use any scrap material as an 'underpad' for your work piece. That avoids gouging your aluminum work table in case you mess up your "Z" depth. But the important part is that you DON'T have to set your X-Y zero point to the lower left of the 'underpad'; just place your working piece onto the underpad--toward the center of it--and mark the X-Y zero on the workpiece lower left. I've found that keeps you clear of any clamps or other hardware that might otherwise interfere with movement of the carving head. In fact, I've made an ink mark on the underpad at the point where I usually place the lower left corner of any workpiece so that I've got a pretty uniform target each time I start a job. Of course don't forget to fasten everything down with tape, clamps, glue putty, your choice.
1) Windows virus software will object to many of the CH340 drivers--thinking that they are corrupt or worse
Probably a good thing. I wouldn't trust a random driver uploaded on a Chinese cheapo site. I love those sites but they aren't trustworthy enough to risk installing their drivers.
@@LanceThumping would it help to run this out of a VM then?
I'm a manufacturing engineer so I see a lot of instructional data this is the best i've seen.
Excellent video, well paced, informative and practical. Well done and thank you.
For anyone who has purchases the 3018 PRO (with the wired remote controller). You may run into problems getting the 'Candle' software to work with the router. The wired remote controller needs to be disconnected from the 3018 PRO CNC Router in order for the Candle software to work correctly via the USB. Happy routing.
I don’t even have one of these, but your explanation of the CAD software earned a save.
I absolutely agree
Excellent video. So easy to follow and a pleasure to watch. I am new to CNC so knew nothing, you have covered everything to get people up and running, Banggood should be very grateful for your work. Thank you!
This is THE BEST review I have ever seen. Thank you! Very thorough.
This kind of truly comprehensive review is absolutely brilliant. Cheers!
I bought one of these after watching your video. I did get some longer screws for some locations where the ones provided did not go all the way through the nut. The wing nuts provided for the hold downs were about two sizes too small so those aren't useful. Some of the screw holes were under size and there were not enough screws with small heads for the recessed locations. The spring did not fit in the Y drive nut so that hole had to be enlarged.
From my first test, it was clear to me that the 24VDC spindle motor had to go. The brass chuck that came with it didn't hold the bit straight which resulted in a lot of vibration and poor cuts. Also the bit is way above the table in the lowest position so a spacer of about 12mm is needed when routing thin material. I was able to modify a Dremel model 395 tool to replace the spindle motor and it works a world better. I now have adjustable speed from 5,000 to 35,000 RPM, the bits run true, and I don't need a spacer for routing the surface of thin material. I did have to remove about 2.5mm from the housing diameter in the clamp area and notch about 3mm opposite the switch to clear the Z axis motor. I'm planning to operate a relay from the original 24VDC motor feed to switch the AC power to the Dremel.
I haven't yet been able to get Easel to connect to the 3018 on my Linux system. It did work OK on Windows. Right now I have to make the gcode with Easel and pass it to a program called UGS to drive the CNC.
It may be somewhere in the documentation but I didn't see anything about the two Y axis motor connectors. They run the motor in opposite directions so change connectors if your motor goes the wrong way.
Thanks for the video. I don't think my build went as well as yours but I did end up with a working CNC.
Yes, the spindle motor is ripe for an upgrade. I am guessing the 2nd y axis connection is for machines that use two stepper motors to drive the Y axis with a belt either side. Thanks for the comment.
This is how such a presentation video should look like. Thank You.
first vid I saw from techdiy, instant sub, objective, tons of information, no useless rants or personal bs, plain and proper information! AAA content!
I recommend Loctite on key areas, because vibrations can undo screws
My 3018 (PRO / Upgraded version .. for what that is worth .. ) should turn up here by the end of the day ... I'm looking forward to the build & hopefully receive a complete kit without any damaged / missing / faulty parts .. Thanks for the video! I think I've got my head wrapped around the assembly process. Let's hope all goes according to plan ;)
You should tell us how it it went and how it compares to this one!
YO TECHYDIY DUDE !!!!
Thanks LOADS for this video, it seriously helped me big time since i misplaced the instructions and when i did have them they were not clear enough at all.
So Thanks a million for making this video, not only that but its clear, your speech is crystal clear too, its a very clean build the way youve done it, its a beautiful setup of camera and well thought-out narative - DUDE YOU ARE AWESOME !!!!!
4700 Thumbs up on this vid so far.. well, 4701 now lol haha, cant actually see what the number is but regardless of that, if only the manufacturer/seller made clear concise and cleverly laid out video instructions WITH MEASUREMENTS OF ITEMS IN "STEP BY STEP" Orientation like this, then many wouldnt have any problems with these nice kits from China to get us home-gamers into the wonderful world of CNC !!!
Keep up the brillient job on your video's techydiy - you are a massive inspiration for me - i cannot thank you enough !
Excellent instruction video. I have a similar engraver I bought a year ago, that is binding on all axes, and the Arduino operation is crappy. So it's been standing on the shelf for many months. This is very helpful, and I'm inspired again to work it over into a functional machine.
Banggood should absolutely pay you to make instruction videos for their gizmo's!
I got one and here are my inputs:
1> the t-nuts are real hell to adjust; most of them fit at 30-45 degree;
2> the clamps (for the guide rails) cannot be tightened enough; I broke the thread because the rod is still loose;
3> the spindle is not heavy but lacks power.
Generally ok.
I agree. It is more an initiation first experience tool that can do some superb work in carefully chosen situations. But it is not a professional CNC.
I like your styles, informative and straight to the point with no 10 minute into and bullicks
I bought one of these last April. It came with grbl 0.8 and would not update to 0.9 as stated in the instructions. I found it to be erratic. When repeating a program it might just run off in an odd direction. When it worked it was great but I was getting success about 1 out of 3 tries. I just wanted it to learn a few things about CNC and to label drawers. I bought another tool a plasma table (what I really wanted) that runs on Mach 3 and it's been a success. This was my first time using CNC and the learning curve is steep but worth the effort.
I have not had any repeatability problems or random errors so i think something was probably faulty there.
They did change the default baud rate between 0.8 and 0.9 which probably didn't help.
Carl, what plasma table did you end up using. What cam software did you end up using also. I got mach 3 and a cnc router. Awesome investment. Using it more and more. I'm using v carve pro for my cad/cam as well as a free cad program for 3d parts (for my 3d printer).
It's probably because you got one with a ch340 usb-to-serial converter. These are highly unreliable. I've had the same and crashed the cnc several times because of it. The one in the video looks like it has an replaceable arduino with an atmega32u4. If you can't replace it, try a better shielded USB cable first (the chinese cables are often very bad). You can also try to shield the Board and check if the spindle motor has a filter cap, maybe even ground the motor housing.
Carl Brunberg p
Same, thank you!
Excellent video. So easy to follow and a pleasure to watch. I am new to CNC so knew nothing, you have covered everything to get people up and running, Banggood should be very grateful for your work. Thank you!
The Z axis on these 3D printed parts is actually assembled wrong in the factory. That's where your problem came from, not the stepper. You have to take the Z axis apart, flip around the grey carrier block, and the z axis preloading will then function as intended. It is wrong for a stepper to carry axial loads (or even radial loads for that matter). They don't have suitable bearings for that. The brass lead screw nut mechanism should carry that spindle load on the lead screw, with the anti-backlash spring action acting downwards, not upwards, if that makes sense. So, when you push up on the spindle, you have a solid coupling to the brass nut, and when you pull on the spindle, you'll pull against the backlash spring. If you fit the blue coupling neutrally to the stepper, you should have no axial forces on it during operation.
Yes you are 100% correct. The z axis motor holder was the wrong way up. On this particular machine the stepper motors supplied had a large amount of play and that made it even worse. What I did in the end was to flip the motor holder and secondly to install a washer and a small thrust bearing between the blue coupler and the stepper motor. This resulted in a huge improvement.
Amazing catch! I'll have to check my Z Axis lead screw for this. I've replaced it a few times and am having Z-height issues. Thank you for nailing this for me!
Thank you for one of the best produced Build, Test, Review videos I've come across, was able to watch the entire video without banging my head on the bench as most DIY and how to videos do. Video was very helpful in assisting in my decisions on what direction to head in.
A really good tutorial, well explained and also good to understand by people with another mother tongue. And thank you for NOT using stupid music as often used.
Regards, Otto
I think this may be the best reference video I have ever seen - well done .
Thanks
Excellent, clear, nicely paced video. Thank you.
Just got one of these and this has helped heaps thanks to the lack of institutions in my kit
You should do a tutorial on how to make videos. Fantastic content ! I am looking into making a CNC and this video has helped enormously.
I have a similar machine with the exact same controller. It's difficult finding some of the functions, but you showed them well and now I shall install my end-stop limit switches!
One of the best videos of cnc videos I have seen nice job👍🌟 is this cnc ok for making small letters ?
Thanks. Yes, you do have to practice and experiment to get good results though.
techydiy Thank you so much for the great answer😊👍
I just got this thingy. Thanks, this guide helped a lot. Plastic parts are molded now, not 3D printed which is nice change. The rest is more-less the same.
Really helpful video thanks. I notice your spindle mount has metal strapping around it, is this a precaution/improvement or a repair?
I am addicted to this channel!
Thanks... this is the best most complete videos I've watched. All the others are either hard to understand or the creator rambled too much.
What kind of bit did you use for aluminum? Number of flutes?
Use a 3 flute endmill
That "collet" if you can call it that, that's provided with the machine is giving me goosebumps!
Excellent video, you are concise and systematic, no doubt a good engineer. Thank-you for your great work here, in making this well planned & informative video.
Hi. Thank you very much, I found this to be the best introduction to using a 3018 type CNC. I have already built the machine but I'm not the cleverest guy with computers, so your programme explanations were very helpful and clear. 10/10, go to the top of the class!
Very nice and clear building process and review!
I stumbled into this video and I muist say, it is exactly what I was looking for. You literally covered everything I wanted to know on exactly the level I needed. Incredibly well done. Subscribed!
I got one of these a while back to mess around with and here my input:
The extrusions are ok, however the brackets are cheap cast units, and the arent square and have flash. The drop in tnuts were very annoying because they didnt bind up at all and spun free leading to a false lockup.
The Y axis is actually great, the bed is nice and the is minimal backlash and deflection
The X axis is slightly worse because the rods are long and unsupported. The seperation between the rods, and short length of the bearings makes it flex quite a bit compared to the y axis.
The Z axis is terrible, it flexes badly which means it flexes while plunging into material, and depending on the direction of feed will dig in or pull up.
The spindle is fine, but underpowered, and the er11 collet is very usable.
The control board that came with mine was a knock off atmel based affair, and we had to be creative to flash the latest version of grbl onto it.
GRBL is great, however when the motors stop they don't remain on and then shift micro-steps, which can easily add up over multiple runs.
My machine came with a CD which was a pain to find something that could actually read it.
I ended up turning mine into a one axis machine that just moves the bed back and forth, its pretty great at doing that.
I have a very similar laser-only version of this, and had to change my GRBL settings to always leave motors powered for this reason. It added up to cuts being tens of millimeters off by the end of a job.
Nice work.
Rule of thumb though....always use the fastest possible travel speed that the job/material/machine can handle.
Thanks for your review! Would you personally recommend this product?
Thank you very much. Just bought 3018 and your video is very helpful!
Amazing video. I have been doing research and couldn’t find any good reviews on the machine. This was very detailed and a good video. I think after this though, I’m still going to get a K40 laser cutter instead
If you do - use k40 whisperer. Whole new device with this software.
Thanks. Very complete and great for the novice who is trying to understand everything before spending the big bucks.
Thanks, I am videoing another mini CNC build shortly.
Very well and professionally made video
Is there a comparable machine with a larger work surface?
Awesome video! Hope to see more on this machine soon! :)
Thanks for the comprehensive video showing the assembly and the functions of the machine.
Nicely explained! Was watching it, while putting mine together :)
By the way, all nuts on the profiles are now T-nuts.
2 yrs later, how was your experience with the machine? Would you still recommend?
@@lancevanvelzen4832 Oh, already 2 years ago 🙂
I'm still using it and it still works fine. It took some time to find the right settings for the tools, like diameter a bit really cuts, but then it gives good results, also in combination with 3D printed parts.
I'm surely not a power-user but I used it to cut parts for 2 RC-planes and a couple of boxes and storage thingies.
Mostly parts which are flat and would take hours to print.
Still a recommendation for this kind of use.
@@M0rdH0rst awesome, thanks. I'm thinking of getting one with an upgraded spindle for some light aluminium machining
Excellent video. I would suggest an improvement is to replace the 3 short plates that hold the 2 halves of the bed, with much wider"battens" that extend to the full width of the bed. This will prevent the bed flexing especially when working in the centre of the bed. Most important when doing 3D work.
wow, such a great content, haven't seen anything this complete also very high quality
Thank you so much for this video. I never would have got this together without it!
Mines a few years newer, but virtually the same. The instructions came on usb drive, but weren't even for this model, a completely different style.. lol
Thank you so very much again for the very detailed directions!
very good video- professional!...from someone who has done video prod for over 40 years....!
vicomedia1 phone nambar...
just wow, it should be mandatory for every wanna be UA-cam reviewer to watch and learn this is possibly the best review I have ever seen A++
I would really be interested in assembling one by myself. Seems to be a very sturdy and robust machine. Very well done video!!
very sturdy and robust?
Not at all. I bougth one and was very dissatisfied. Good for learning though.
@@jw200 what are the problems u experienced?
Received mine the other day still have to assemble it. With your explanation I'm sure i can manage thanks a mill!
Thank You. Very Interesting.
Great diy tech tips, I guess maybe the CNC would have been 5 times its original cost if some of its components were a bit more robust. However the possibilities are obviously there for the person willing to follow through with a great build instead of honksquabbling about its limitations. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for "Honksquabbling" that's a new one for me 😀
Did anyone else blow on their screen when the CNC was milling out the PCB?
Thank you very much! I made an informative choice buying this cnc kit after watching your video.
Banggood 3018 Mini Cnc Router Kit:
www.banggood.com/custlink/K3mKbMkHyf
ER11 Collet Holder 1-7mm:
www.banggood.com/custlink/DDK32OntlI
(To install the collet holder, heat it up and tap it onto the spindle motor shaft)
End Mills 1 - 3mm:
www.banggood.com/custlink/KG33MjQ54p
22mm surface planing bit:
www.banggood.com/custlink/vGvE8OZoK2
(Use with an ER11 6mm collet for spoil board surfacing)
Other info:
www.techydiy.org/banggood-3018-3-axis-mini-cnc-router-build-test-review/
Informative, thorough and you've filled in important missing information not in the supplied "manual". Very well done. Thank you.
Very useful tutorial and build. Thanks for this.
Excellent video. Great clear and precise documentation of the build. I wish all instructional videos were this tight. Thank you!
..great video, very relaxing and organised, well done and thank you :)
Great video, shows entire process from construction to using it - great information in a very pleasant and calm voice. The included paper manual is not very helpful (shows old mainboard, later pictures are missing some parts which were added earlier, no info on wiring the electronics, dimensions shown earlier changing on later pages and being plain wrong), so just watch this video. Additional Notes: Be careful tightening the plastic mainboard holder to the machine, the screws stick out and it's easily overtightened, resulting in it cracking. When adding wires to the drill engine, there's a little red dot showing where the + (red wire) should go (took me a second to figure that out). For using a custom VBit in easel you need the "pro" version (there is a free trial you need to opt into first), otherwise you can't export the gcode.
Fyi Carbide create gives you free v carving.
Great for luthiers to make inlays!!!
You read my mind :-)
Thank you - this review was excellently done. Clear, concise and easy to follow.
Could you possibly make breakdown tutorials to compliment these reviews so that you can spend more time with each stage or function?
Good video on this mill I have and built this CNC mill. Having this video would have saved me some frustration.
Excellent tutorial and crisp narration. Thanks a lot
This was thorough and informative which I’m not used to on UA-cam thank you.
Thanks
Thank you very much for the instructions, I would not be able to put together without it as no instructions came in the box. appreciated very much.
Excellent video I assembled one of these today mine is a cronosmaker but I can’t get the thing to work will just have to keep trying
Very helpful video, thanks. Just finished putting mine together and, as you said, the instructions are terrible. Mine were in colour at least. The screws supplied with mine were flange screws so no need for washers but I replaced a majority of the T-nuts with better ones from Amazon, they were poorly made and didn't fit the slots in the aluminium extrusion properly. Seems to be a decent machine so far.
Is it possible to extend the size bying longer aluminium bar and such ?
Are Arduino open-source to sell with local products?
Thank you for your video. Mine is working except for the work coordinate boxes. What am I missing? Thanks for your response
Explain further
I'm wondering just how it might work on harder materials with the correct tooling and/or cooling/lubrication. Also how efficient is the laser facility?
Then I have work what *I* might use it for.
I think seeing the bit change out then going back would help me.
Very simple and concise. Excellent video. Thank you.
Thank you for your video.
I have 2 question
Can İt engrave gemstone ?
I thinking use it in my house.
Does it work şilently ?
Wish I found this well made instruction video earlier, great video and software info! The documentation that came with it is really poor. I had only T-Nuts for everything and too many screws and screws I don't need, very confusing. The provided screws didn't fit some of the plastic PLA parts. Ordered with a laser, also no info at all. Paided 190 euros for the whole set with E11 chuck and a 2.5 blue laser (included wrong RED glasses). The board I have is not listed in the documention and no info how to mount it. It takes me three evenings to complete the whole set.
I place the mainboard in the middle and used plastic tie-bands instead of the screws and no cable mess. The plastic tie-bands isolate the board from the frame because it easy to fry something when the positive lead of the spindle touch the frame by accident. It also prevents ground noise.
The limit switches is absolutely a missing feature because it is very easy to drive outside the limits (because of wrong settings) when you don't know what you doing exacly like me. That is the first thing I want to add. A power switch is also a handy feature.
It is a pretty and nice machine, pretty noisy too. I don't think the brush spindle motor last that long, see many sparks inside when operating. Very cheap motor i guess.
Thank you for the nice video!
Thank you because of your video tutorial, I decided to purchase this one... such detail and how to, thnx
Brilliant video tutorial, just managed to assemble mine with your help and it is all working as it should. Mine was from KKmoon but seems identical to this just with Tnuts and allen head bolts which seems a sensible progression.
Thanks for posting this video, i can't tell you how many times i've refered to it. i got to page 2 of the assembly guide and threw it away in favour of your video. Its perfect. Now I refer beck to the software part of the video while i'm still learning what to do.
There are several 3018 mini CNC machines on Amazon UK for well under £200. Very tempting...
Thanks for such a clear and concise video, confident I could easily build machine but when it comes to computer side I'm totally lost.
Just One Question. did you ever measure the spindlee speed? As that is criticle in working out the suitable feeds and speeds for various materials. Our Mens Shed has one from woodpecker. it looks the same but the documentation was useless. Ancd we cant find the specs on the motor. and we dont have access to a rpm metre ourselves to check the speed.
775 motors are normally 10,000 rpm
@@techydiy Thanks. Very much appreciated.
they are a great little machine with a few cheap upgrades. i have one dedicated to milling timber fishing lure bodys with a diy 4 axis addon. cost $350Aud for the lot and i made my money back in a week selling a hand full of lures.
it makes me $35 a hour
Very helpful. I have been looking for a cnc router for some simple work to support my main projects. From your review it looks like this machine might be useful. Obviously not for high volume work but to create a few templates at low cost. I'm on a tight budget so didn't want to waste money on a useless machine. This looks ok for simple projects and would serve as a learning introduction to the process.Thanks for this
Great video. Thanks for this step by step instructions.
Would this cut through 3mm carbon fiber sheet
Can you explain how to implement limit switches?
I have a video in the pipeline
I'd appreciate that!!! I'm considering buying one of these, but after setting up and using a 3D printer kit, it's hard to think of using a CNC without the protection of limit switches!!! If your video is only half as good as this one, it should be very easy for anyone to follow ... :-)
WAYYYY more assembly compared to my CNCTOPBAOS. Like a lot. How much did this cost? $100?
Mine should arrive on Friday! Any comments on the quality of cut on acrylic? This is the main use for mine, cutting and etching small acrylic plates as part of a larger project.
Cast acrylic cuts fine. Extruded acrylic just melts on the bit. Start with very moderate settings and work upwards. Say 50 mm / min feed and plunge rates. 0.2mm cut depth per pass. Which is very slow but it's best to start there and test how far you can increase it. Also use the er11a collet and holder. The PCB mill sets commonly available seem to work well on most materials. Avoid using any long bits with the brass collets, they can't handle much leverage and deform.
Also the grub screws come loose and disappear, I put a band of heatshrink tube or tape over the collet. I don't use threadlock because I know I am going to change the collet at some point.
Lastly check for play on the z axis stepper (and the other axis), any play will make engraving difficult.
How does this CNC compare to the Sainsmart ?
Would this work well on rubber sheets?
What is the maximum price of this type of CNC machine for project work