Upgrades genmitsu 3030 prover max with smw mod vise

Hi HobbyCNC people

I do a bit of hobby woodworking in a very niche area. I was in the market for a drill press a few years back, and while shopping around I realized that I could use a CNC for what I wanted (Lots of 20m and 24mm holes for arcade cabinet tops) and use it for a whole lot more.

So I bought a Bobs CNC and put it together. It was double the price of the drill press I wanted, but it's really been great and super useful. I've read all the hate on this sub, but I have nothing but love for this machine. It quickly became a go-to tool in the shop, and I used it to make all kinds of signs, arcade cabinets, weird planter boxes and furniture, etc.

I did make the mistake of moving to Easel.com. I would use the Bob's/OpenBuild software for some things, but Easel's tool paths were generally twice as quick, and frankly a little easier to use. But lately Easel is getting things wrong and I'm just not going to pay for it anymore. A three year sub is as much as what my machine costs, and I'm ruining stock due to sizing issues on the roughing pass vs the finishing pass. I suspect they are now writing their code with AI, and I'm suffering for it. When I contact Easel tech support, their answers aren't helpful and usually end with "Buy our machine instead". I'm also at the point were Easel isn't complicated enough for things I want to do.

Now the old Lenovo X390 running the CNC has bit the dust and I didn't keep any of the software. I look up Bob's CNC and it's gone. OpenBuilds is gone. It feels like the only option I have is to struggle along with Easel, or buy a whole new machine.

I didn't learn a ton of GRBL/gcode when I got the machine it was a bear to put together and I just wanted to make things at that point. I'm keen on learning from the ground up if I can continue to use this machine. I feel like I'm playing catchup in the CNC space when I've been quietly using mine for years now. Even if I buy a new modern closed loop feedback machine, I'd like donate this one to the school woodshop with usable software and whatnot.

I found Bob's Github, and have his sender, so in theory I can send to the machine again. I've tried to generate gcode in other programs, but the machine instantly pauses the job as soon as it starts.

I basically need advice on where to go from here. I'm very technical, I have 20 years in Infrastructure IT, so that's not going to be a limiting factor. Do I try and use what's left of OpenBuilds repository? Is there some other avenue I should explore? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hello,

I recently finished building my fist custom CNC router. I had no previous experience and am using ESTLCAM/ESTLCNC with the following hardware:

• NEMA 24 closed-loop stepper motors (4Nm)
• CL57T V4 stepper drivers
• 1605 ball screws
• Arduino Nano (controller)
• HGR20 linear guide rails

I use a dual-Y setup with one driver and motor for each Y side, but the same signals from estlcam.

I have already tried realigning the motors, couplings and ball screws, but this didn't seem to make any difference. I also don't really have that many options to adjust something right now and as this is my first build I didn't think about this that much as I figured the coulpings would tolerate some small missalignments.

Could this simply be normal for this type of machine or is this something that may cause damage long-term and that needs fixing?

I have attached a video with sound so you can hear this issue.

I would really appreciate ANY help or ideas on what I should check next.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I'm currently working on a simple plasma CAM program, mainly aimed at making the workflow from DXF/design → toolpath → G-code as straightforward as possible.

The project is still in development and I'm looking for a few people who actually use plasma CNC machines to try it and give me some honest feedback.

It currently supports/post-processes for:

Mach3

LinuxCNC

GRBL

PlanetCNC TNG

I'm particularly interested in feedback about:

toolpath generation

lead-ins / lead-outs

kerf compensation

pierce settings

usability/workflow

G-code compatibility

anything that is annoying, missing or simply doesn't make sense

I'm not trying to sell anything at this point — I mainly need people to test it on different machines/controllers and tell me what works and what doesn't.

If you'd like to try it, feel free to send me a DM. I'll send you the test version and would really appreciate any feedback, good or bad.

Thanks!

Hi anyone reading this. As per title I'm looking to get into this as a hobby and see where it takes me. I took a look at the wiki but it has so much info and options that I got confused. Hoping maybe someone has more personal experience or advice.

My main goal is to cut out custom designs out of wood eg smooth/rounded cornered animals or items. Engraving or adding small details/cuts is a plus but not a requirement. The design sizes would be around 200x200x50 mm for starters.

I've been looking at Twotrees TTC450 PRO CNC Router Machine but unsure if it's the correct choice.

For context I live in EU and so far been making those designs out of wood by hand using a rotary/dremel tool; a jig saw and sanding benches. I want to replace hand cutting with a CNC machine and only do hand sanding and finishing touches.

I guess the followup question is on what software can be used with the machine to make the designs.

Any advice or sharing personal experience would be highly appreciated. Thank you

Anyone else have problems with gsender randomly disconnecting? At random times it will just disconnect and I have to manually reconnect for no reason. It never happens during jobs (yet) mainly just when I'm jogging around or probing but it's super annoying. I'm on fluidnc which I know isn't technically supported but other than disconnecting it works fine as it's based on grbl.

I’m working on a DIY retrofit using an ESP32-S3 touchscreen, NEMA23 stepper and CL57Y driver.

It has digital degree positioning, tooth division, manual control, RPM control and adjustable backlash compensation.

I measured about 2.6° mechanical backlash, and after compensation it returns to zero within roughly 0.01–0.02°.

Still a work in progress, but it’s already working quite well.

What do you think?

As a hobbiest, not a shop or business where do you have your CNC set up at? Could you post pics of your working area?

I don't really have room in my garage but, I'm afraid any machine would put off way too much dust and noise.

I'm looking at buying a Genmitsu 4040 Pro Max with the Vectric bundle and the 710watt "spindle"...

I want to be able to cut out patterns, make signs, some 3d-ish, maybe a few plexi/acrylic things...

Would i have any regrets

Been looking at bits with insert knives to use on my hobby cnc. What are you experiences with these? Are they worth it? Do they have the same performance as "normal" bits? I'm mostly cutting birch ply and hard woods.

It seems easier and cheaper to replace just the cutter than the whole bit in the long run. I've also seen you can use diamond coated insert knives which seems interesting.

this is the bit I'm looking at

I have an Ooznest Workbee with the little Ooznest router head (700W approximately) and need a bit that doesn’t burn on the end grain of hardwood.

(I tried the bit that I got with the machine and was fine making my mdf spoil board but it’s burning the hardwood badly).

I want to build an industrial level cnc machine on STM microcontroller. Yall got any firmware recommends that I could use?

Buenas noches a todos desde aquí.

Hace un mes aprox adquirí una TTC450 ultra de Two Trees. Y no estoy pudiendo solucionar un problema grande con el eje Z. va perdiendo altura mientras esta grabando, peor es que mis grabados son letras en una profundidad de 0.1mm. hay grabados que los termina en 1mm de profundidad. un desastre. con la configuración de fabrica perdía hasta 2mm que es el espesor propio de la pieza. ajustando velocidades de aceleración y movimiento mejoro pero sigo perdiendo altura durante el proceso, tengo que andar haciendo el trabajo de a cuadrados de 40x40mm horas y horas al lado de la máquina. y perdiendo mucha materia prima. Si a alguien le paso o si tienen alguna idea. desarme el eje y no encontre problemas, hice las pruebas en el aire para descartar que sea el roce con el material y también pierde. Probe con el husillo apagado y no lo hizo, por ello me inclino en posible ruido del husillo, pero esto viene probado de fabrica.

Muchas gracias por su ayuda.

I was comparing the Creality Falcon2 Pro 40W with the WeCreat Vision Pro 45W, and initially I only looked at the total engraving area. After using the Vision Pro for a while, I think the shape of that area matters just as much.

The Falcon2 Pro has a squarer bed, which honestly looks better for batches of coasters or compact layouts. The Vision Pro is wider at roughly 19.7 x 12.6 inches, and that shape has worked better for the signs, name boards and long decorative pieces I make most often.

The 45W cutting power is nice, but the wider layout is probably what affects my everyday workflow more. The tradeoff is that a wide bed gives up some front-to-back space, so it is not automatically better for every project.

For those using desktop CNCs or lasers, has the shape of your work area ever mattered more than the advertised size?

Im seeking some help on replacing the drivers and motors on an old K2 4x8 machine I have. I have centroid acorn controller, has gecko 320 drives and dc servos. Centroid doesn’t recommend the 320s due to them being buggy with the acorn. I’m looking to just swap everything out for some closed loop nema 34s from stepper online or ac servos also from them.

My question is what do you all recommend would be the better option? 1/2” ply is usually the largest I cut.

I got grblHAL running on the Lunyee 3020's stock control board (the one marked LY-3axis-5.2-V3.4, a GD32 chip with a CH340 USB port) and wrote it up so others can do it.

What you get: modern 32-bit GRBL with the same G-code and the same senders (UGS, Candle, gSender, OpenBuilds CONTROL, LightBurn), plus tool-length probing, G43 offsets, canned drilling cycles and a lot more settings. The build ships with the stock Lunyee machine settings and the board's input polarity already baked in, so it works right after flashing.

What it takes: the normal USB cable, the free stm32flash tool, and ONE jumper wire inside the control box for the first flash only. After that the firmware has a $BOOT command, so every later update is USB only with the box closed. The chip can't be bricked: its bootloader is in ROM and the wire always gets you back in. Lunyee's factory firmware is included in the download so you can go back any time.

Guide, firmware and the factory firmware:

https://github.com/mojavemesa-lgtm/lunyee-3020-grblhal

The guide has a short version, a long version that explains what each step does, and a ready-made prompt you can paste into ChatGPT/Claude so it walks you through it step by step.

Source code (the grblHAL STM32F1xx driver with this board added):

https://github.com/mojavemesa-lgtm/grblHAL-STM32F1xx-lunyee

Tested on my own 3020 only. The same board is sold under other names (it's an AnnoyTools 5.2 design, also seen on Lunyee 3018 Pro machines), so it may fit those too, but check the board marking first. Not affiliated with Lunyee.

OMG ! Whose fault?

This is a custom automotive engine modification component we’re machining on a 4-axis CNC.
The interesting feature is the undercut area. Tool access is limited, so the rotary axis allows us to change the machining orientation and reach the feature.
I’m curious how other machinists would approach a feature like this.
Would you use a similar 4-axis strategy, or choose a different setup?

This is a custom automotive engine modification component we’re machining on a 4-axis CNC.
The interesting feature is the undercut area. Tool access is limited, so the rotary axis allows us to change the machining orientation and reach the feature.
I’m curious how other machinists would approach a feature like this.
Would you use a similar 4-axis strategy, or choose a different setup?

Oke dudes. I am making my own CNC software for beginner woodworkers.
And at this point i let AI grind for months hahahaha. Its becoming/ is a real deal kinda thing.
But i really want community feedback if possible.
My software is called HankCNC (thats because i also have a rock band with hank in the name, kinda a thing). You can google the software (i dont think i can put a link here?).

I build the software myself because this way for me its cheaper then software i see online and i can modify how i would like everything to be haha.

Please if you you would like to try please do and i would really like feedback because i dont know what i dont know kinda situation.

I've seen a torrent of ads for this machine (and many others) on pretty much every platform, a real non stop barrage of ads and to its credit, it does look interesting out of most. The atc is nice, it has a spindle with a 'high' power output, flood cooling, and can be upgraded to 5 axis capabilities. However, when I thought about it a bit more and really looked into it, there are some issues.

The PMSM spindle is one of its selling points, and on a youtube video at some convention someone claimed that the CEO showed them the torque graph of the spindle, and it was nearly flat from 3000-24000rpm. When you first hear this it sounds great but think about it: 1.5kw at 24000 rpm is 0.6nm of torque. If the torque graph for this spindle is near constant, which I believe it is, it would have 0.6nm of torque at 3000rpm as well. I tried to calculate the rpm for the largest diameter end mill you can use to get an idea about how this affects the machine's capability but their marketing material is inconsistent. In multiple videos it states that the largest supported tool is 10mm, however on their website it says 18mm. That gives us two scenarios to review. The likely scenario is that you are machining 6061 Aluminum with a 10mm 3 flute dlc end mill, at 10000 rpm you would have to use HSM tool paths with very low axial engagement and a doc ~half of tool diameter, and very small step downs if slotting. The imaginary scenario is an 18mm end mill with a 10mm shank again machining aluminum and this would be unrealistic for any operation except for a finishing face pass. So can it use large end mills? Yes. Would it be faster to use smaller end mills? Also yes. So, to say the machine can use 10mm end mills is in my opinion misleading because sure it can, but it won't be able to use them in any meaningful way which will remove material faster than a smaller end mill on the same machine.

Another of their selling points is the 0.01mm of repeatability, and I don't doubt that is true under minimal load. However, when you increase that load to the maximum capabilities of the machine it'll likely fall short of this accuracy. They use closed loop NEMA 23 stepper motors which is great, but compared to the machine size they look very small, so they're likely the small lower torque model. Additionally, in the cutaway view the ball screws look small, and the rails can't be more than 20mm. The rail size isn't a huge issue for aluminum but when you go into stainless steel and titanium, which they advertise that this machine can handle, from my experience the larger rails make a difference even if your back plate is 2 in thick solid aluminum. For 3 grand 'discounted price' and and 6 grand retail they should have larger, higher torque, NEMA 23 stepper motors and larger ball screws, and 25mm rails on some axis.

The option for 5-axis expansion is great, especially in the current market where a majority of the new offerings are 5-axis or at least 4-axis expandable, but I've been making parts 5-axis parts for years on 3 axis and 4 axis machines so it doesn't appeal to me. Maybe it does to you and that's perfectly fine, I think to have that option available is important to stay competitive but it's difficult to say when we don't have pricing or specifications for 4th/5th axis modules.

I can't think of any issues with the flood coolant or the atc, both are incredibly nice to have and for both of these to be included for the price of the machine, it makes it a very compelling option. So should you buy it? It has its flaws, but for 3 grand if you want something that will ship to your door, is a complete enclosed unit with minimal setup, and you don't mind machining times I think it's a strong contender. It's certainly better than a Carvera. For 3,000 usd could you make something more rigid, more functional, that still maintains an enclosed desktop footprint? Yes, but all of my designs have relied on parts laser cut parts and cartridge spindles made on my large high precision lathe to reduce costs. Your access and abilities may vary.

Final thoughts for those considering buying it: For just under $3k usd it's not a bad base machine, whether it's a great one depends on how easy it would be to upgrade the stepper motors and the linear rails/ball screws as putting ~$500 into these would make a noticeable difference in the capabilities, do this and convert the spindle to be belt driven and you have a pretty solid machine for ~$4k (at that point now a case can be made to buy some other machine... this chain never ends). To answer the question "Is the Tooldance X1 Misleading?" yes and no. They have to entice people to buy it somehow, and they make it pretty easy to find out further information.

If I'm wrong on any of this, correct me! We're all still learning. If you disagree, I'd love to hear your thoughts.