3D printing has become much cheaper and accessible, but there has been a lack of decent CNC routers at the same price point. Now the 3018 CNC Pro from Sainsmart aims to fill that void.
Featuring a working volume of 300 x 180 x 45mm, this CNC router goes together well and is capable of machining timber, acrylic and aluminium. It can also engrave copper to make custom PCBs. This machine largely succeeded with everything I threw at it. For this low price plus a one year warranty, I am very impressed and recommend this for beginners looking to get into the hobby.
I have done a fair bit of CNC machining over the years by am by no means a professional machinist. I look forward to the great tips knowledgeable viewers will post in the comments to assist others.
For any cutters you buy, ensure they are 1/8 inch or 3.175mm in shank diameter.
UPDATE: I have a follow up video upgrading this machine. https://youtu.be/Q4TrzshXV10
Purchase the Genmitsu 3018 CNC router:
Amazon (machine): https://amzn.to/2LANGFQ
Amazon (offline controller): https://amzn.to/2XINLOq
Amazon (laser add on, untested by me): https://amzn.to/2xqTIAv
If you can’t get shipping from Amazon, you can buy it direct from Sainsmart (unfortunately more expensive): https://www.sainsmart.com/collections/cnc/products/sainsmart-genmitsu-cnc-router-3018-pro-diy-kit
3018 Pro wiki: http://wiki.sainsmart.com/index.php/101-60-280PRO
Carbide Create: https://carbide3d.com/carbidecreate/
Pic to SVG converter: https://picsvg.com/
Kiri:Moto: https://grid.space/kiri
Lithophane creator: http://3dp.rocks/lithophane/
Easel Inventables: http://easel.inventables.com/
Tinkercad: http://www.tinkercad.com/
Previous video on lithophane maker: https://youtu.be/_-ckOocVFSs
Previous video on Kiri:Moto: https://youtu.be/IZ1VG07oFCo
Buy quality and affordable filament from X3D. Buy 3, get 1 free and a free sample pack with every order: www.x3d.com.au
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#3018pro #cncrouter #review
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UPDATE: I have a follow up video upgrading this machine. https://youtu.be/Q4TrzshXV10
Love your videos I want to buy myself a 200 $ CNC and I was wondering if it was worth it
would like to know if you would feel that this machine might be suitable for secondary operations.. ie i have 12 cribbage boards to make and drilling lots of holes in 1/8 inch diameter, and 3/8 deep in hardwood like maple or walnut? 150+ holes per board
it is not possible to have an unhealthy obsession with Chuck Norris. Did you know that Chuck Norris's tears cure cancer… too bad he never cries
FYI Carbide Create pay gated the g-code export.
Good video. Mentioned a few things not mentioned elsewhere. Will reset up my 3018 I boxed up do to frustration. You gave some helpful hints. Going to try again. Thanks.
Just bought my first cnc… 3018 like you showed… so do I need to get software to be able to engrave names and dates or is there basic software on the drive they sent?
Thank you so much for this, been looking into Cnc machines to make the trophies for a contest and I run and this one looks perfect
if you can strech your budget to 500€, get the 3020 pro cnc, the linear rail, full metal z-axis and all other upgreades are REALLY nice if you plan on doing alu and
Terrific video, thank you!
Hello and thank you for this video. Can you please tell me whether this machine can cut slots in a 3/4"-1" thick piece of hard wood? I am wanting to make soap dishes and I am unable to cut slots at this time and was looking at this machine.
it is a great learing cnc, but I found axis have to much play to machine anything hard, even aluminum has to much chatter, it is really an engraving machine not a machining center
What is the largest of sign can I cut
carbide create is unusable
Watching this in the middle of 2022. The price has nearly doubled.
Why are the links for Amazon US?
508 take work off then shows other one not one currently cut
Hoping sainsmart and/or genmitsu comes through for me. Just put one of these together, and the spindle pulses about 5mm above the work (1 second on, 1 off). The x&ys both move, but just barely and nowhere near what the visualization says it does. ?
Fantastic video. I'm giving one of these a try. I found one on AliExpress with an all-aluminum frame. So sorry about Webber's passing. He looks like he was an amazing pupper.
Sorry for the loss of your dog.
What the hell is Al you minium
sorry about your dog god blesshim
What CNC router is the bigger one you have?
For 200 bucks you can't beat it as a hobby grade cnc, I'll take deburring all the parts and making my own steal brackets. As an experienced machinist, I'll be using it to learn cnc programming from a cad/cam perspective.
thank you a lot !!!
Weird that the link now takes you to a $400+ dollar item. Looks the same, but it's almost doubled in price???
Apparently the English 2×4 is 38×89 mm, whereas our (in Finland at least) "twobyfers" are closer to the actual 2×4 inches, meaning 50×100 mm.. So am not gonna order this no matter how much I'd like to, because there isn't a viable middle ground between a board and one. Maybe a batten, but the thinnest ones I can find are exactly 45 mm, and I won't risk it. Shame, since the price sure is attractive.
So I tried to order but the supplier can't send to my country …..
M in Ghana
Do you have a shop I can buy from that support my country Ghana
What's included? What's not?
Can I use my 6kw spindle motor on it?
Hi, I Would like zo know if this machine can cut perfect circles out of 4mm wood?
Webber! <3
This is brilliant. I am waiting on my go fund me CNC machine you reviewed and recommended earlier and this would be a perfect lead in. I noticed you used water with aluminum as a lubricant and coolant, wouldn't that also be effective on acrylic? And what settings did you find effective on acrylic, for rpm, feed rates, etc.
I just found this video and had a question regarding Model Train Linkage for the wheels on Steam Engines. They are 2 to 5 inches long and about 1/2 wide. Made from miild sheet steel about 1/8 inch thick. Could this machine handle such work???