2024 Best CNC Routers for Beginners & Professionals

Modern-day is all about saving your precious time. Precision within the shortest possible time always brings the maximum profit. No matter whether you are a hobbyist or a business owner, when it comes to bringing the sleek professional look while cutting or carving your design on wood or metal, a well-chosen computer-controlled router machine is always the perfect tool to give a go. We know it is never that easy to find the right computer numerically controlled machine tool kit for business automation, especially as a beginner. No worries, with well-categorized segments, STYLECNC has gathered most of the best CNC routers that can easy to get the job done both for a hobbyist and a professional business owner.

Interested? Here begins the discussion.

Why Should You Rely on STYLECNC?

The market is flooded with thousands of precise cutting tools, making it a tough choice to get the desired item you want to have. No worries, STYLECNC is here to be your counsellor.

STYLECNC will provide customers with a variety of practical and inexpensive automatic machine tools. No matter what you think, you can make a final price and service comparison, which brand or supplier will be your ultimate choice, just get free quote from the merchants that fit your plans, you ultimately have to decide on your own needs. We integrate R&D, design, sales, manufacturing and service, and have an all-round 24/7 online & offline service system for pre-sale, in-sale, after-sales service and support. You can buy custom CNC routers with free designs from us. Compared with the local services near you, you can also get door-to-door service from STYLECNC.

What Is It?

A CNC router is a professional automatic machine tool that comes with a computer numerical controller to drive the X, Y, and Z axis to move, works with G-code commands to control the router bit cutting along the toolpath generated by the CAD/CAM software, and removes the excess parts on the substrate to achieve the final results of designed texts and patterns.

A CNC router machine is a smart power tool capable of working with DSP, Mach3, Mach4, NcStudio, LNC, OSAI, LinuxCNC, PlanetCNC, Syntec, Siemens, FANUC, and more controller systems based on your business needs for relief carving, rotary carving, flatbed cutting, 3D routing for wood, aluminum, copper, brass, stone, glass, PVC, MDF, plastic, acrylic, and foam with extreme precision and complexity, which is an automated kit compared to a handheld router.

A CNC router kit is a machine tool combination consisting of all required parts such as controller, software, operating system, machine frame (bed), spindles, gantry, motor, driver, guide rail, ball screw, power supply, T-slot table or vacuum table, vacuum pump, collet, limit switch, rack & pinion, and additional accessories. Every component works together to automatically complete various tasks such as carving, engraving, cutting, milling, drilling, and slotting.

Technical Parameters

How Many Types?

When it comes to grow your own business or to showcase your creativity, it is essential that you choose the right type of the machine that is only destined to do the thing that you want to be done. In general, a computer controlled cutting machine is categorized according to the axes types that the machine has. Many other sub categories can also be made. Here are some of the popular categories that will sum it all.

Hobby Router Kits (mini types, small types, portable types, desktop types, benchtop types, tabletop types)

Large Industrial Router Kits (wood, metal, stone, foam, plastic, aluminum, and glass).

Based on Axis Features (3 axis types, 4th axis (rotary axis) types, 4 axis types, 5 axis types, and multi axis types.

A CNC router table is a type of automatic workbench kit composed of all the parts and accessories needed to build the complete mechanical portion of a standard machine tool. The most common types of table kits (by feet) include 2x2, 2x3, 2x4, 4x4, 4x6, 4x8, 5x10, and 6x12. The types are also known as 16x16, 16x24, 24x24, 24x36, 24x48, 48x48, 48x96, 60x120, 80x120, 80x160 in inches. Someone might refer to a table top as 4040, 6040, 6060, 6090, 1212, 1218, 1224, 1325, 1530, 2030, 2040 in terms of millimeters (mm).

Pick Your CNC Router Table

Most hobbyists at home typically choose a small-size 2x3 or 2x4 CNC router table kit that can works on desktop, and most of the craftsmen working on small projects would like to pick a medium-size 4x4 table kit as one should go, while double that size, the most popular 4x8, forms the upper end of what a full-size table kit can be for both small business owners and industrial manufacturers alike. However, some large-format CNC routing table can be customized as you desire, including 5x10, 6x12 and more sizes for those who have special needs.

How Does It Work?

A CNC router machine is a smart computer controlled cutting tool that works automatically with at least three axes of X, Y, and Z to get the job done, which is an upgrade version from the handheld router and digital router. The X-axis is horizontal, the Y-axis vertical, and the Z-axis refers vertical to the other two axis. A computer controller reads G-code or other machine language instructions and drives a tool for motion control. The spindle holds the tool, moves along X, Y and Z axis, following the tool path generated by the software. In the 3-axis machine, the tool is always vertical, and undercuts are not possible. In addition, the 3-axis kit can be equipped with a rotary axis (4th axis) around the X, Y and Z axis, which is known as an automatic lathe machine. It is mainly used for cylinder carving & cutting projects and some 3D projects. A real 4-axis machine has one additional axis, which refers to X-Y-Z-A, X-Y-Z-B, X-Y-Z-C. Four axis are linked, which can work at the same time. 5-axis has two additional axis, which refers to X-Y-Z-A-B, X-Y-Z-A-C, X-Y-Z-B-C. The machine moves a tool on five different axis at the same time. The spindle can be rotated left and right by 180 degrees around. These additional axes allow for shorter project time due to their capability of carving five edges of the material simultaneously. The position is determined by a computer. The computer will tell the motors how much to move in each direction. Any location within the work area can be defined by using the method of positioning. The machine can be moved within that space, and the machine is connected to a computer, the computer will tell it where to move. First, the operator should do the tool path creation, the operator uses CAD (Computer-Aided Design) & CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) software to draw the shapes and create the tool path that the machine will follow.

Overall, when you have plans in your mind, what kind of table sizes should be chosen? Which all depends on your needs and budget.

What Is It Used For?

Computer-controlled router machines are used for woodworking, sign making, furniture, cabinetry, fixtures, custom millwork, channel letters, model making, joinery, orthotic manufacturing, point-of-purchase (pop), jewelry manufacturing, CAD/CAM instructional, prosthetic manufacturing, educational, solid surface production, prototyping, radius mouldings, aerospace, foam packaging, countertop production, plastic packaging equipment manufacturers, mannequin production, metal working, musical instrument manufacturers, packaging, store fixtures, boat building, extrusions cutting boards, PCB fabricators, safety enclosures, conveyor manufacturers, engraving, pool cues, magnetic, gun stock manufacturers, knife template manufacturing, fan blade manufacturers, pistol grip manufacturers, korbal manufacturers, kneuls manufacturing, artistic carvings, name tags, MDF doors, puzzles in industrial manufacturing, small business, small shop, home business, home shop, school education, hobbyists, and SMBs.

Applied Materials

CNC routers are fully automatic computer numerical controlled machine tool kits used for cutting & milling a variety of materials such as wood, plywood, MDF, foam, plastic, acrylic, stone, aluminum, copper, brass, and many more soft metals.

Solid Wood & Hard Wood: Redwood, cherry, cottonwood, ash, oak, pine, birch, mahogany, poplar, beech, hard maple, walnut, teak, purple heart, tigerwood, hickory, leopardwood, cocobolo, bloodwood, aspen, basswood, alder, yellow birch, red elm, beech, cypress, gum, hackberry, pacific coast maple, pecan, red oak, bolivian rosewood, sycamore, sassafras, white oak, hondura mahogany, black walnut, spanish cedar, african padauk, willow, wenge.

Soft Wood: Soft maple, pine, fir, hemlock, cedar, spruce, redwood.

Composite Wood: MDF, OSB, LDF, plywood, masonite, particle board, melamine.

Plastic: ABS, PVC, PET, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polystyrene, cast and extruded acrylic, uhmw, phenolic, luan, vhmw, hdpe, mica, acetate, sintra, lucite, marine PVC, nylon, lexan, wood plastic, solid surface materials.

Stone: Tombstone, granite, natural marble, milestone, jade, artificial stone, bluestone, sandstone, ceramic tile.

Metal: Copper, brass, bronze, aluminum, honeycomb aluminum, mild steel, stainless steel.

Foam: Sign foam, polyethylene, polyurethane, polystyrene, EVA, styramfoam, urethane, precision board, foam rubber, silicone rubber.

Other Materials: PCB, ren board, fiberglass, vinyl coated panels, machinable wax, mat board, butter board, gypsum, magnetic rubber mats, composites, leather, wood veneers, mother-of-pearl, delrin, rubber, modeling clay.

How Much Does It Cost?

Different table sizes, features, durability, performance, quality, assembling, and other optional accessories are some of the important aspects that determine the overall costing of these programmed machines. Machines from different manufacturers and brands have different customer service and support, which will result in different costs.

Machines from different countries have different tax rates, different customs, different shipping costs. All of these factors will result in the final price. All depends on your specific needs.

The cost of DIY a CNC router kit starts at under $1,000 without an maximum price for your own building plans. Most small-size entry level CNC routers for hobbyists are picked up from $2,380 to $5,080, while some large format full-size models can be as expensive as $6,780. The high-end professional CNC router tables for enthusiast cost anywhere from $3,280 to $18,000, depending on the machine's features and capabilities. The enterprise and industrial CNC machines range from $16,000 to $150,000 for commercial use, which are pricey to own and operate for beginners.

Pick Up Your Budget

Parts & Accessories

A programmed CNC kit is built with machine bed frame, X, Y table (T-slot table or vacuum table), spindle, gantry, ball screw, guide rail, vacuum pump, driver, motor, controller, operating system, software, collet, rotary 4th axis, limit switch, power supply, rack and pinion.

The best machine tool kits are built on the brand and quality of the core hardware, and what software is used.

Spindle Motor

A spindle is the core part of a CNC machine for high-speed cutting, milling, carving and drilling. A computer-controlled machine tool typically comes with a high-performance spindle to work. The high-speed rotation of a spindle can produce a lot of heat. Failure to dissipate the heat in time will reduce the service life of the spindle, and in severe cases, the spindle will be burned. Therefore, a spindle usually uses water or air cooling system to dissipate heat.

How to choose the right spindle?

The higher the hardness of the material, the lower the speed of the spindle. Harder materials need to be ground slowly - if the speed is too fast, the router bit will be broken. The higher the viscosity of the material, the higher the speed of the spindle, which is for some soft metals or man-made materials. The diameter of the tool used in the computer-controlled machine tool is also an important factor in determining the spindle speed. In fact, the diameter of the tool is related to the material. The larger the tool diameter, the slower the spindle speed. The determination of the spindle speed also depends on the purpose of the spindle motor. It can be seen from the spindle motor power curve that when the rotation speed decreases, the output power of the motor also decreases. If the output power is low to a certain extent, it will affect cutting and have a worse impact on the service life of the tool. Therefore, when determining the rotation speed, attention should be paid to ensuring that the spindle motor has a certain output power.

Bed Frame

The high-power machinery requires the bed frame to be precise and stable when working. Therefore, long-term high-power machining should use the casting body to ensure its accuracy and stability.

CNC Controller

CNC controllers come into two types: one is driving, and all computing operations are completed with a computer. The computer is in a waiting state while the machine is working, and cannot perform typesetting job. Another is controlled by a single-board computer or a single-chip computer.

This controller is actually a computer, so as long as the machine starts working, the computer can immediately perform other typesetting job, especially when working for a long time, the advantages are particularly obvious. The mostly used controllers include DSP, Mach3, Ncstudio, OSAI, LNC, and Syntec.

Ball Screw & Guide Rails

Ball screw and guide rails are also important parts. High quality ball screw and guide rails are the guarantee of machining precision and performance when the machine is used for a long time.

Table Kit

The table kit is mainly divided into the table top of aluminum profile (T-Slot fixturing table) and the table top of vacuum adsorption. The work piece on the T-Slot table needs to be fixed manually with rivets, while the vacuum table can automatically fix it. Relatively speaking, the vacuum table can save time and be firmer. The structure of the vacuum adsorption table is mainly composed of a vacuum pump and a high-quality electric board, so compared to the T-Slot table, the vacuum adsorption table is relatively more expensive.

The vacuum adsorption table can be divided into six partitions or eight partitions for vacuum adsorption, and the adsorption capacity can be enhanced by the partitioned vacuum adsorption table. When we need to cut woodworking panels, we now place the panels on the table, then open the vacuum suction valve, and the panels are directly fixed to the vacuum suction table. It is mainly suitable for large-area flat panel machining.

Software

The CAD/CAM softwares are free, cracked, or paid, all depends on your requirements. The most common softwares include Type3, ArtCAM, Aspire, AutoCAD, Cabinet Vision, CorelDraw, UG, Solidworks, PowerMILL, and Fusion360.

How To Use?

The operation has always been a concern for many prospective customers. In everyone's impression, it's a fully automated machining equipment to make accurate cuts, and difficult to operate this high-precision computerized router machine. So many people retreat before they understand and learn, fearing that they won't be able to use. In fact, CNC routing is a very complicated and cumbersome operation. As long as you learn it with your heart, it is easy to use for beginners, and there is nothing difficult to understand.

Now STYLECNC will introduce the 5 operation steps in details as your reference.

Step 1. Turn On to Start.

1. Turn on the power of the control computer and monitor, and start the software

2. Press the power switch.

3. Turn on the spindle motor cooling water pump and check the cooling water flow.

4. If the machine is turned on for the first time today, depress the handle of the lubricating oil injector once, and add lubricating oil to the lubricated part.

5. Perform the mechanical origin return operation in the software, and eliminate possible collisions before the operation.

6. Manually move each feed axis 1 to 2 back and forth within the full stroke.

Step 2. Workpiece Clamping.

1. Place the cushion material in the center of the workbench.

2. Place the workpiece to be processed on the mat.

3. Use at least 4 sets of pressure plates to fix the workpiece on the worktable.

4. Is the workpiece clamped securely?

5. Find the edge and set the workpiece origin:

5.1. Move the spindle along the feed axis that accurately sets the origin until the tool will touch the workpiece.

5.2. Start the spindle.

5.3. Switch to single-step movement with step size 0.01mm or 0.05mm.

5.4. Move in one step until the rotating tool touches the workpiece. At this time, a slight noise will be heard.

5.5. Zero the workpiece coordinates of this axis or record the current machine coordinates.

5.6. Move the axis to move the tool away from the workpiece, and pay attention to confirm that the moving direction is correct.

Step 3. CNC Tool Changing.

1. Disconnect the power to ensure that the spindle motor stops.

2. Move the spindle to a position where it is easy to change the cutter, and place the soft material directly under the cutter to avoid damaging the cutting edge when the cutter falls.

3. Fix the spindle with a small wrench, and turn the chuck nut clockwise (viewed from top to bottom) with a large wrench, taking care not to hit the cutting edge with the wrench.

4. If you need to replace the chuck, unscrew the chuck nut and replace the chuck to remove foreign objects in the machine chuck and chuck nut.

5. Check whether the cutting edge of the router bit to be clamped is intact.

6. Install the collet and nut on the spindle.

7. Insert the bit to be clamped into the hole of the chuck, as far as possible according to the actual situation (but the cylindrical part of the bit cannot be fully inserted), and tighten the nut by hand. This step cannot be reversed from the previous step: do not insert the bit before installing the nut on the spindle.

8. Tighten the nuts with two wrenches, being careful not to use too much force, and also being careful not to hit the cutting edge with the wrench.

9. Confirm that the wrench is away from the spindle, and turn on the power.

10. Set the bit again and set the Z coordinate of the workpiece origin.

Step 4. Start CNC Programming.

1. Confirm the following work:

1.1. The bit is firmly clamped.

1.2. The workpiece origin is set correctly, especially the Z coordinate of the workpiece origin after tool change.

1.3. Workpieces are clamped firmly.

1.4. The NC program is loaded correctly.

2. Adjust the feedrate override to about 30% in the software and start programming.

3. After confirming that there is no abnormal operation, adjust the feedrate override to the normal value.

4. Someone must be on duty during operation.

Step 5. Shut Down to Stop.

1. Return to the mechanical origin.

2. Remove the bit and the chuck nut is allowed to stay on the spindle.

3. Turn off the machine.

4. Turn off the computer, this step cannot be reversed with the previous step.

Router Bits & Tools

The installation and operation of bits is a very important job for accurate cuts. If the bits are not installed correctly, it will not only increase the wear of the bits, but also cause inaccurate accuracy and difficulty in routing. Therefore, sufficient attention must be paid.

STYLECNC summarizes the following methods to install bits & tools correctly.

• Before installing the tool, check the wear of the bit first. If there are defects such as chipping or severe wear, replace the bit with a new one or use it after it is repaired to make accurate cuts.

• The relevant surface must be cleaned and wiped clean before installation, and the gasket and hole burrs must be carefully removed to prevent dirt and burrs from affecting the accuracy of the tool installation position.

• When clamping the tool with a washer, the two ends of the washer must be as parallel to each other as possible. If it is found that the bit is skewed after installation, the position of the washer should be adjusted to minimize the cumulative error of the washer. Until the bit does not shake after driving.

• Straight shank milling cutters are usually installed with spring chucks. When installing, tighten the nut to make the spring sleeve shrink radially to clamp the shank of the milling cutter

• Installation of taper shank milling cutter: When the size of the taper shank of the milling cutter is the same as the taper hole at the end of the spindle, it can be directly installed in the taper hole and tightened with a tie rod. Otherwise, use transitional taper sleeves for installation.

• After the tool holder is inserted into the spindle, tighten the bit with the tightening screw. It should be noted that the direction of rotation of the bit must be consistent with the thread direction of the tie rod, so that the thread of the tie rod and the milling cutter can be connected more tightly during rotation, otherwise the milling tool may come out.

• Without affecting the routing, try to make the bit as close to the spindle bearing as possible, and make the hanger bearing as close as possible to the bit. If the bit is far away from the main bearing, a rack bearing should be installed between the spindle bearing and the milling cutter.

• When installing the bit, the key should not be removed. Because there is no key on the cutter shaft, if there is uneven force during milling or under heavy load cutting, the bit tends to slip. At this time, the cutter shaft itself bears great radial resistance and resistance, which will easily cause the cutter shaft to bend, and damage to the fixing gasket.

• After the bit is installed, check all the related washers and nuts again to prevent loosening. And use a dial indicator to check the radial jump or end jump of the bit to see if it is within the allowable range.

• After the tool axis shaft is removed, it should be hung on the rack to prevent the tool axis shaft from bending and deforming. Under special circumstances, when it needs to be stored horizontally, wood chips or soft items should be used to pad it to prevent scratches and deformation.

Buyer's Guide

Considerable aspects are many when it comes to choosing the right CNC kit for your desired need. For example, a hobbyist can do the woodwork with a small or mid-sized Computer-controlled router, whereas a professional business owner will opt for larger or multiple machines.

Whatever may be the reason, here are the top five aspects that will always help you to find the perfect machine for your desired application:

Step 1. Consider Your Field

Yes, not everyone demands to have a heavyweight machine to do woodwork. Unlike professional business owners, a small or mid-sized machine can do it all if you are an enthusiast wood engraver. With proper care and maintenance, it is possible to get a long time service even from a smaller item.

But if you are a business owner who needs to perform heavy wood carving every single day, heavy-duty items are always recommended.

Step 2. Assembling The Machine

Almost all computer-controlled machines come with a complex assembly process. Therefore, it is more than necessary that you know how to assemble all the parts of the machine. In any case, if you think that it is none of your business to do the assembles, a professional mechanic will come as a good help.

Step 3. Where Would You Cut Your Design?

Not necessarily a Computer Controlled router will always cut wood. Some of the affordable machines can bring excellent designs on plastic or aluminum. Heavy-duty machines are better for hardwood and hard metals.

It is thus always recommended that you always consider the material to cut and in accordance with the type of the material, you buy the right machine.

Step 4. Look at The Extra Features

Nowadays, some modern machines come with laser engravers, which can make the design even more apparent. Therefore, it is always recommended that you check such additional features to get the maximum production output.

Step 5. Price, Price, and Price

We can suggest you a thousand things to check before buying a computer-controlled machines. But without affordability, everything is just vague inclusion.

Do a little research about the machines that are working great within your budget.

Troubleshooting

In the use of a CNC machine, you may be troubled with a variety of problems. How to determine why the machine does not work as expected? Let's list different problems and explain how to resolve them.

Alarm Failure

Over-travel alarm indicates that the machine has reached the limit position during operation. Please check according to the following steps:

• Whether the designed graphic size exceeds the processing range.

• Is the connection line between the motor shaft and the screw loose? If so, tighten the screws.

• Are machines and computers well grounded?

• Does the current coordinate value exceed the value range of the software limit?

Overtravel Alarm Released

When overtravel, all motion axes are automatically set in jog state, as long as you keep pressing the manual direction key, when the machine leaves the limit position (that is, out of the overtravel point switch), the connected motion state will be restored at any time.

Pay attention to the movement when moving the workbench The direction must be far away from the limit position. The soft limit alarm needs to be cleared to X, Y, Z in the coordinate setting.

Non-Alarm Failure

• Insufficient repetitive processing accuracy, please check according to the second item of the first unit.

• The computer is running and the machine is not moving. Check the connection between the computer control card and the electrical box. If it's loose, plug it in and tighten the set screw.

• When the machine cannot find the signal when returning to the origin, check according to the second unit. The proximity switch at the origin is out of order.

Output Error

• If there is no output, check the connection between the computer and the control box.

• Check if the space in the routing manager settings is full and delete unused files in the manager.

• Are the signal cable connections loose? Are the lines connected properly?

Routing Failure

• Are there any loose screws in various parts?

• Is the tool path you are processing correct?

• Is the file too large?

• Increase or decrease the spindle speed to adapt to different materials (usually 8000 to 24000).

• Loosen the tool chuck, turn the tool in one direction and clamp it, and put the bit upright, so as to avoid the routing object is not smooth.

• Check the tool for damage, replace it with a new one, and start working again.

Care & Maintenance

Maintenance is a good part to consider when you really want to get a long time support out of your kit. With an experience of over 10 years in this manufacturing field, and thousands of sales and after-sales of CNC machining, STYLECNC has summarized some experiences and hopes that those users who own computerized router kits can do correct daily care and maintenance.

Spindle - Core Parts

• Provide reliable lubrication adjustment.

For the spindle with oil-air lubrication, reliable and stable lubrication conditions should be provided. The lubricating oil injected into the oil-air lubricator needs to be filtered to avoid mixing of impurities and mixing of oil types. Regularly observe the amount of oil and add oil to avoid oil cut, and clean the filter element and filter screen regularly.

• Provide reliable cooling conditions.

The cooling methods of high-speed spindles include water cooling and air cooling. Water cooled spindles need to regularly check the use of coolant and supply them in time. Air cooled spindles need regular maintenance of the spindle air cooling system to avoid malfunctions.

• Follow the manual instructions to standardize the operation.

The operator should have a basic understanding of the selected spindle and accessories, including the spindle's rated power, speed and other requirements, so that it does not exceed the rated power operation. Overload operation may cause damage to the spindle, resulting in higher maintenance costs. Therefore, before using the spindle, be sure to read the manual carefully and perform standard operations.

CNC Controller Box

According to the dust in the working environment, clean the dust in the controller box regularly and timely.

Note: The power must be cut off, and the operation can only be carried out after the inverter has no display and the main circuit power indicator light is off.

The inside of the computer should be cleaned. Excessive dust in the electrical box may cause the wire joints to ignite and cause a fire. Excessive dust in the computer will cause the computer to malfunction and signal errors will cause the machine to be misaligned.

Transmission Parts

The transmission parts include the guide rail rack and ball screw. Whether it is a rack machine or a screw machine, after using the machine every day, be sure to clean up the dust from all parts of the machine. The machine with automatic pump oil lubrication will automatically oil, check the guide is there any oil in the rack and screw part? It takes 3-5 days to manually pump oil once installed with a manual oil pump. For manual oiling machines, it is necessary to manually lubricate the guide rail rack and screw rod every 3-5 days.

Note:

The guide rail and rack must be maintained with engine oil. The screw part should be greased with high speed. If the working environment temperature is too low in winter, the rods and polished rods (square rails or circular rails) should be washed and cleaned with gasoline first, and then oil is added, otherwise it will cause excessive resistance in the transmission part of the machine and cause the machine to dislocate.

Motor Drive

At present, the drive motors of CNC machines are divided into stepping motors, hybrid servo motors, and pure servo motors. If abnormal noise is found in the machine during daily work, it must be shut down in time. Run the machine manually to find the source of the noise, and then contact the maintenance personnel or the manufacturer to repair or replace the motor in time.