Thoughts on a Desktop CNC Router 3018

[Lex_Peacekeeper]

so a few years ago I bought a desktop cnc router 3018-SE V2 from FoxAlien
the idea I had got it for was engraving some stuff for friends to upgrade some gifts for them
a few years later I figured, I paid a pretty penny for this thing maybe its about time to get some more use out of it
I have an idea on what I can do with it, need to figure out holding (will likely need to make something)
and where to get the base stock from

my ? for people who have used these what where you able to cut and how deep? (looking at brass or Aluminum as the stock)
are there any cheap upgrades that help with them?
are there any not costly bits for doing deeper engravings in metal something like 1-1.5mm deep
and what programs are beginner friendly as I was barely able to engrave line art and some text with the program it came with

stock photo of the CNC I have, and I do have that extra control panel


one of my engravings, seems I did not take almost any photos of the others

 

[pontiac428]

The fact that your engraver is an actual rotary cutter (that DC motor looks pretty stout), I think with enough passes you will absolutely be able to engrave soft metals. I don't think much of these machine kits when equipped with a laser, at least until you reach a high price point. But a rotary cutter is versatile. You'll have to experiment with materials, speeds, and cutting depth to find the rigidity envelope of the machine. For typical "trophy engraving", that should do!

The base extrusion is from 8020 and uses cheap 8020 t-nuts for hold-downs. You don't need much clamping force.

 

[Lex_Peacekeeper]

so just ordered some blanks for what I want to do as I found a place to get them at not $8 each (about $3 each after shipping)
once I figure out I can run some tests on this and hope for the best
I think I'll need to go slow and low depth of cut, likely will make a wood blank tester and slow down what works from there
hopefully one of these bits will work, only ones I have right now (other then some blow bits that may not fit)

 

[pontiac428]

Are those 1/4" tools? If so, the engraver is going to be your most effective bit. The side cutter might take more power than you have to do rock and roll with that machine, but you might get good results stepping small and slow to rough followed with doing a fine finishing pass in wood. I bet you'll be capable of making all kinds of things once you get going.

 

[Lex_Peacekeeper]

they are 1/4 bits, I have some collets that let me use other sizes as well but, the set was like $1 per collet so I dont have high hopes of them being to good

 

[Inferno]

I have one of those. Not the same name brand but the same thing. From Vevor. I haven't used it yet even though I've had it for almost a a year. I have another that's even smaller that I want to use as a laser engraver. I've had that one almost 4 years without using it.
Unimportant to the comments I'm going to make.

The main 2 upgrades, by research, has been a better engraver motor/head. And a laser. The steppers can handle the movement more than they do.

I plan on getting actual cutting bits. The engraver isn't going to work for my tastes, when I finally decide to use it.

This is what I'm looking at (or something similar) for engraving aluminum.

https://www.amazon.com/Spetool-Degree-Carbide-Coated-Chamfer/dp/B07Q3KWRSY

 

[Lex_Peacekeeper]

if you get that bit soon, try it out and report back please dont have alot of contact with people using close to the same size machines as this the few I know all have way bigger units