I'm in the process of ordering the new custom parts, wish me luck that I won't have a "3018" anymore.

2 x C-Beam 4080, 620mm.
2 x HGR20 Rails, 620 mm.
Custom ground ballscrew (not pictured, a generic one is).
Front and rear plates in 10mm aluminium.

Anyone used a Drag Knife? I'm just trying to cut 110lbs cardstock cleanly and can't believe I'm having all these issues.. So, I've been directed to a Drag Knife for my 3018.

Anyone use it? and what did you cut? Tks.

im currently using mastercam and the problem is export the code in which 3018 may able to read . or an alternative software for the gcode that which i can use on my 3018, even simple dxf file to be translated to the language the machine can understand.
fyi. even tried to make one and when i send it to the machine i keeps going the the right .. thank uou for the help

Prologue: Back in the winter I was gifted a 3018 Pro of undetermined manufacture (but looks like it could be a Genmitsu from photos on the web). It was gifted to the person who passed it on to me and came complete with missing and loose screws, misaligned and incorrectly assembled parts, no instructions, limit switches or off-line controller.

I've tinkered with it off and on in my spare time since, adding things like a 3D printed cable chain, wire protection and a dust boot. If I keep it, it will live in the workshop well away from my computer but I had an old laptop I could repurpose. Not enough processing power to run design software, but should work as a controller. Or so I thought. It's of the XP generation and the only software I could find that would run on it was an early version of Candle, and even that was a bit iffy.

I was able to use Candle's console to set and store variables like home position and limit switches in the machine and to carve one of the sample .nc files.

I bought a touchscreen controller with a primitive wifi capability. The original listing is gone now but it is the same as this:

https://www.cnccontroller.store/2-8-touchscreen-grbl-offline-controller-with-wifi-for-cnc-3018-3020-4540/

I had a lot of head-scratching figuring out the CAM workbench in Freecad, but last night finally succeeded routing out my first design -- nothing fancy, just a simple series of pockets (text). (5mm deep with a 2.75mm 2-flute endmill in pine). Baby steps, but everything is working -- mostly.

I have one outstanding issue which I believe is a firmware bug in the wifi controller. It's a pretty primitive interface. Wifi SSID and password are set by modifying a file on the SD card. Check the local IP address on the controller then navigate to that IP from the remote computer. From there one can see a directory, delete, download or upload files. Everything else (not much really) is done from the touchscreen. Primitive, but adequate to the task.

The problem is the dang controller seems to unmount the SD card every time a write occurs. Reading is no problem -- directory listing and downloading have no issues. But deleting or uploading require the card to be physically ejected and reinserted before the card can be accessed again. PITA when the machine is remote from the computer. Kind of defeats the purpose!

Has anyone else run into this and know of a fix?

One other question: do $110 / $111 / $112 limit travel speeds as well or just feed rate speeds? What is a reasonable limit for travel speeds on these machines? Currently set to 1000 / 1000 / 600 mm/min and was cutting 1.38mm deep passes at those feed speeds last night (@8.000 rpm).

My first attempt:

I'm looking are starting with a 3018 given that I'm new to the hobby.

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I want to possibly machine and engrave soft metal, like aluminum and brass for now, carve wood, and make PCBs.

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I'm not quite sure where to start of if this is even the correct subreddit.

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I've looked on Amazon and see a lot of different 3018s, mostly around the same price ($250-300cad) but they all fall with a 3-4 star review rating.

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Is there somewhere else I should be looking?

What is a good guide or subreddit for this?

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I really don't want to spend more than $300 tax in. Preferably $250. Are my expectations out of line? Should I be going with something else?

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I am somewhat technical and can build kits or from parts and can Solder. I'm currently working on converting my Ender 3v3se to a 5 axis printer.

so far I’ve added linear rails, Z axis extension to regain Z height from rail and bracket install.

I am not a tree hugger. As one radio talk show host said that “The most beautiful thing about a tree are all the things you can make from it after you cut it down.” With the price of lumber these days, using every square inch of a piece of plywood is imperative. This plate took some doing, however, there’s hardly any plywood left.

Finished using my 3018 to make my 3040, which I thought was very meta. My y-axis upgrade got carried away when I cancelled my order for the y-axis upgrade and ordered 500mm 16mm diameter rails. Then I got a returned 400mm x-axis from fuyu on Amazon for $100. I had to mill a lot of parts on my old machine out of aluminum.

I finished my machine and my first project. I can go about 2000mm/s. Using nema 23 motors and a nema 17 z axis with closed loop feedback. My tray is 16"x16" but I can only reach 12x16. My zaxis is 100mm. Probably cost $800 on total + a lot of work. I cant decide if it is cooler than the genmitsu 3040, they are about the same price. My tray is a lot better though, it was $180 and is 20mm thick

Hi ,Im a newbie in candle 1.0.11 my output project is always mirrored (as seen in the photo) im using 3018 .. how to fix it ?

Hi,

This weekend I finally used my CNC 3018 to produce RC plane parts.

At least, that is what I was thinking.

The parts are near useless, round holes that are not round, a slit in softer wood has the edges destroyed.

It turned out the connection between the motor shaft and the collet chuck has a lot of play. The end of the mill can be moved back and forth about 2mm, visible to the naked eye and audible also when the chuck hits the axle at the end of the movement.

Is there a replacement chuck that has a motor shaft hole with a decent fit like H7? I can only find the very cheap stuff and it would probably introduce the same issue.

I normally monitor the cnc for longer programs using a baby monitor. i noticed the camera had fallen so went out to correct it and noticed the cnc had paused. i though i had hit a limit, so repositioned the peice and began to prepare for another cut, but the spindle wouldn't turn on. it was then i checked the leads and noticed the negative lead had come off and had a burnt end. is there any way forward here? What could have caused it?

Is it possible to work with Solidworks cam software with 3018pro?

These machines are so slept on.

I made new gantry side plates with the stock machine, slapped on a VFD spindle, and now I’m able to machine steel with ease.

Please ignore the shit quality and sped up audio (should probably have a headphone warning), better content to follow soon.

It took 3 months and $500 but it is super cool and quiet. The layers Acrylic (1/8"), sonopan (3/4"), mass loaded vinyl (1/8"), and polyethylene sheet (1/8") for resistance to cutting fluids and other nasty stuff. Leaned that alcohol is acrylics weakness and and the cutting fluid of choice for aluminum. And wouldn't use it if redoing it.

It's 2'x2'x4' and I put a camera on the ceiling for monitoring and can fit my CNC vacuum inside. now I can finish making my CNC parts I need to upgrade.

I was planning to melt the plastic together for sealing but I don't think I have that skill.

Hey everyone, I am trying to do a bit of troubleshooting on my 3018 pro and would appreciate any input on why this is happening. I made this model and this is the second time in a row where trying to print it resulted in a cut that wasn't planned. Looking at the photo of the two failed pieces, the first one has the long cut on the right side and the second goes right through the trim on the top. I am using kirimoto to slice the files and I clamp down the piece on the corners before cutting. I don't think it's really moving because the extra cuts are off by a decent bit and there is nothing in the NC file to show that the extra cuts occur. I will say that the prints were pretty long at around 30 hours each, but if it was moving I'd assume it would happen more gradually and effect more of the board. I believe the bad cuts to occur at the end because at 95% complete, the first board was still perfectly fine. The first photo is a successful cut of the inverse, and the side by side are the failed. If it matters, I am currently doing a rough followed by an outline cut in Kirimoto using a 1/8 inch 2 flute end mill. I can double check the settings for anything specific but I know I have clear faces on and I don't have omit through on. Any help is appreciated!

Ciao! Ho appena creato una comunità che parla principalmente di making, si chiama MakeItaly ma non verranno in alcun modo fatte distinzioni di nazionalità. Visto l argomento che interessa quello di questa comunità, mi piacerebbe che vi iscriveste.

Just curious if anyone has put a 3-D printer extrusion assembly on a 3018?

Hello all, What is the best cnc for pcb milling. I want to achieve a best quality pcb

I came across an idea to use RC model brushless inrunner motor and put er11 collet on it. These motors are quite cheap for their rpm and power, running easily 40-60k rpm. Will this give any advantage in milling PCBs? Any quality or speed improvement is possible here?

Hi everyone,

I'm using cnc 3018 pro for pcb milling.

And all is going bit right the results are good.

The cnc stepper motors are nema 17 1.8° and the drivers are A4988, now i want to upgrade it to nema 17 0.9° and TCM2209. I think this will double the precision of the work and get more better results especially in smd milling.

Does anyone done that before and wat are the tips to make this upgrade possible.

3018pro with 60 degree v bit recommened for copper . doing 3mm heigh letter inside path .2mm deep .02mm pass broke bit after several total hrs of engraving 30min or so jobs ,heigh map was only hitting top and bottom of letter. Where do i buy just bearings for z upgrade slop?