Like the title says……..these are just my first observations.
I have been cutting vinyl signs for 15 or more years, 3D printing for 7 or so years, and using lasers for a couple of years, so I have some experience with computerized things moving along 2 or 3 axises.
CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control which just means a machine is automated by a computer. I started this because I was making cool stuff in my laser but was limited by my woodworking skills. I was given a real life wood router which really picked my game up and keeps me from spending extra money on pre-routed wood blanks at the hobby stores. Anyway, I caught the woodworking bug and invested in an entry level CNC machine.
Enter the Sainsmart 3018 Prover. I must have caught it just right on a Black Friday Sale or something because I paid around $250 and the price immediately went up about $50 – $100 depending on where you buy it from. Before I talk about the machine I’ll throw down some general impressions of CNC.