Cnc routers are wonderful machines to create lots of amazing art and part. It’s not surprising that anyone that is a little bit creative would like to have one. Most CNC users will understand that cross road to buy a cnc router or to build a DIY cnc router. You may check our post If you need a brief introduction to what a CNC router is.
If you are in this dilemma read on. By the end of this post you will be more informed on the alternatives available and be more prepared to make a decision. You will also understand the implications of any of the decisions avoiding or anticipating discouraging surprises.
This blog post is based on my experience as someone that has built at least two DIY CNC routers and has bought ready made CNC routers. It is by no means final but you will be amply armed with enough information if you are planning to get into CNC routers by the end of this post.
Why do most users consider buying or building one?
The first reason is cost. It’s cheaper financially to buy the parts and build your desired CNC router. Even if you spend same amount on parts as the equipment manufacturer, you save in labour. For a lot of people going into CNC, there is always that temptation to build your CNC router. This is why there are so many DIY CNC router kits available in the market today.
The second reason is Customization. Some people love having their machine customized in such a way to fit the way they work. Some of these customization may cost more from the manufacturer. And sometimes the user prefers building the custom features themselves so as to have unlimited number of modifications when needed.
The third reason is the builder in us. A lot of us like to build things. Studying the CNC router it appears as a good challenge to build. There is that satisfaction that comes with watching your creation come to live.
These reasons vary for individuals and are not in any particular order. Many people who can afford ready built CNC routers prefer the experience of building one. It’s a wonderful experience if you asked.
Things to consider before choosing to build a CNC router.
The purpose for having a cnc router. This probably is the most important consideration when deciding whether to buy or build one. The purpose or your use case, is particularly important if you have never built or used a CNC router before.
Most cnc users buy their cnc router for four possible use cases:
- Hobby project
- Side hustle
- A business to provide services or extension of an existing business.
As a hobby project, you may decide to build your CNC router because you are most likely going to enjoy the process. Building a DIY cnc router is not an easy task and takes more time than anticipated for a newbie. While building it you dont have the pressure to start earning with it cause that was not the primary purpose. By the end of your build you would have more understanding of the how Cnc routers work mechanism, electronics and control.
When your purpose is side hustle, the pressure to get the machine ready and earning is higher. It will be very helpful if you have previous experience with electronics and mechanical builds. Building a first CNC router takes lots of planning and time. This could mean reducing time allocated to your primary work or hustle. It’s good to make a careful decision especially as it concerns your goals. Getting a new machine here could be better as it will save you time.
Setting up as whole business to provide services requires more urgency in getting your CNC router up and running. The time spent building one, may not be worth it considering the expected income your machine could bring during that time. As extension of an already existing business there could be even more urgency.
Conclusion
Which ever option most appeals to you should be parallel with your goal. Building your own machine will take a longer time to start making wonderful projects. Its your duty to decide if the extensive knowledge if the electronic and mechanical build of the machine is important in the long run. Hitting the ground running with already built machine is desirable if you cant wait to start creating those designs out of your machine. Note also that already built machines were built by teams that have had years of experience building CNC routers. Buying such machine will reduce your setup time to the barest minimum.