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Deciding Between Industrial CNC and ShopSabre

JBHorseStandards

New Member
Hi Everyone,
We manufacture custom equestrian equipment, especially branded jumps for sponsorships at professional shows. We spent $20k last year in outsourcing our CNC work to a local shop, but I want to bring that in-house. We were charged $135 an hour of machine-time before, but he has raised it to $150/hr. We are getting busier and we are wasting money on outsourcing.

I need a 4x8' table, but it needs to able to "tile", or step workpieces a couple feet down after the first cut, so I can cut larger pieces 4x10', 4x12', etc. We probably cut a 3-4 hours a week through 0.75" thick marine plywood (cuts just like regular plywood) and 0.5" thick solid PVC sheets. After purchasing, however, we will probably increase our machine-time and cut 6-8 hours a week.

I am trying to decide between the Industrial CNC Artisan 408 ($24k) or the ShopSabre RC-8 ($33k).

The Industrial CNC guy acted like I had to purchase immediately or they might not have one in stock for me, which I did not appreciate the sales technique. They did have good financing thought.

The ShopSabre guy seemed real cool, like he didn't care one way or the other because he knew his machines were solid. Got a good vibe and I can respect the confidence. I am waiting to hear back about financing.

What are everyone's thoughts on these machines and companies?

Thank you in advance. I am an obvious novice on the machines and grateful for your feedback.

- Jonathan, JB Horse Standards
 

SignEST

New Member
Consider the dust mitigation and hold down solutions such as a vacuum pump. Electrical upgrade of some sort is probably in store. What might take that $150/h guy 3-4 hours could possibly take you 8-16. It's not an arduous task to run one after it's all set up and done.
At 33k USD you could add extra 3 for Axyz Innovator series with a proper spindle and tool changer option. Possibly an entry level Multicam. I'm sure the bigger CNC companies like Multicam or Axyz would be interested in financing.

It's tedious to manually swap tools between the carving and cutting tool. It also means you have to write seperate programs or pause it in the right spot.

Both those machines are hobby level at a relatively high cost. If you have to choose between the 2.

Whichever company offers the best support after you buy their hyped up golden turd.
 

JBHorseStandards

New Member
SignEST,

Thanks for your message. Both setups include dust collection attachments, vacuum hold down tables & pumps, and tech support.

I am open to other brands at different price points, but I don't want to get more than we will need.

Also, my other guy will be retiring in a few months, so beyond the cost, I don't really want to find another machinist.

Thank you for your feedback. I will look into Multicam and AXYZ.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
$135 up to $150 is nothing, in today's world. Why not just pass your costs onto YOUR customers ??

Buying right away is very normal also today with costs going up and up every other day, he needs to know. I used to quote based upon what we paid for things. Today, I must call the vendors on almost everything to be sure I'm not screwing myself.

Your amount of time using this table does not warrant bringing that sh!t in-house full time, even if it is low end equipment. You won't even be using it on a part-time scale. Do you know anyone who knows that kinda software and how to run one of those things ?? It's not gonna be an overnight learning curve.
 

JBHorseStandards

New Member
$135 up to $150 is nothing, in today's world. Why not just pass your costs onto YOUR customers ??

Buying right away is very normal also today with costs going up and up every other day, he needs to know. I used to quote based upon what we paid for things. Today, I must call the vendors on almost everything to be sure I'm not screwing myself.

Your amount of time using this table does not warrant bringing that sh!t in-house full time, even if it is low end equipment. You won't even be using it on a part-time scale. Do you know anyone who knows that kinda software and how to run one of those things ?? It's not gonna be an overnight learning curve.
Thanks for your message.

We do forward the costs on to our client's but the work is often very custom and the CNC work is the largest cost, next to materials.

My CNC router is retiring in a few months and I don't want to find another, if I can help it. There are projects we haven't attempted because we can't afford the machine-time, so I was looking forward to being able to expand our products with more cost-effective CNC work, plus having a bigger margin on our custom products, which is our least profitable side of our business currently.

I could see running the new machine a couple days a week all day.

I have a few friends with large tables and they love them. Different types. I feel like I've needed one for a while.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
So........ why not visit your friends and ask them for some pricing and see how affordable they might be ?? If they can't do your type of work, maybe there's more to it. Then, ask them for their insight to these machines and get it directly from friends. People here are either gonna be emotional about what they use or be on a more professional level than what you sound like.

I just don't understand having friends, (plural) and not turning to them ??
 

White Haus

Not a Newbie
I just don't understand having friends, (plural) and not turning to them ??

Not to mention that this has absolutely nothing to do with sign-making or a sign company.......................but I guess anything goes around here these days. :rolleyes:
 

Notarealsignguy

Arial - it's almost helvetica
I think that you are really underestimating the time for file prep, setup, tweaks etc. $20k isn't really much money either.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Not to mention that this has absolutely nothing to do with sign-making or a sign company.......................but I guess anything goes around here these days. :rolleyes:
Well, I'm trying not to p!ss new members off with the obvious, since so many of the rules and policies have changed, so I don't wanna step over the boundary lines. It really amounts to another person trying to cut yet another signshop outta the picture by coming to a professional sign forum, not for profesional sign people. There's no end to this bullsh!t lately.
 
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