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Hey Guys, today I'm reviewing the 3018 CNC Router/Mill from Banggood!

This is a little bit different to my normal 3D printer reviews, but it is definitely cool, and I look forward to reaching out into the CNC space a bit more.

Lets get into it!

Unboxing
The box came in okay condition, and is actually smaller than I expected.



The parts are well protected and appear to be in perfect condition.

Everything unboxed

Manual
This unit had a very basic manual, not much writing so I guess you are just meant to follow the pictures.





The Build
Assembly of this machine actually took a while, it took time to get all of the T Slot nuts sitting correctly and making sure everything was square. It was nice that the manual showed some dimensions so I was able to make everything line up nicely.

The Parts for the first step:

The Base frame assembled

The Gantry frame assembled (is this still a Gantry? Not sure)


The two frames joined together, the injection moulded angle braces are a nice touch. I used my square at this point to make sure everything was straight.


Addition of the linear rod holders. They were just loose here, I lined them up exactly as I assembled the rods.

The bed needs to be assembled using two plates, and all the parts pictured here attach to the bed.

Bolted the two bed parts together with the plates

I soft mounted the linear bearings, and hard mounted the lead screw exactly in the middle using my ruler.


I slid the linear rods through two of the mounts and then slipped them through the linear bearings loosely attached to the bed.

I then slid the linear rods the rest of the way through, and then used my ruler to centre all of the parts and tigten them down. It's important to fasten the bearings to the bed first, then roll the bed to both ends of the linear rods to make sure it doesn't bind at either end, then the mounting points can be fastened down to the base.


I had it tipped like this to tighten the linear bearings to the bed.


Repeating the same process with the X-Axis linear rods


Fitted


Next step is the lead screws, they have anti backlash nuts so you have to thread the leadscrew into the loose part of the nut, and then push it in with the spring and thread it the rest of the way.


This is where I pushed the anti backlash part of the nut in and then kept threading the lead screw into the fixed nut.


Lead Screw fitted


Same process for the Y-Axis lead screw





Next up was mounting the motors, I put them on these plates and then soft mounted them to the frame.


Mounted the y-axis motor with the T slot nuts, and put the coupling on. I then wound the bed as close to the motor as possbile and then tightened the T slot nuts. This enabled me to get the motor nice and inline with the lead screw.


Same process with the Y axis.


Put on the bearing to hold the other end of the Y-Axis lead screw


And the X-Axis lead screw


Mounting the control board was a bit funny, I think the acrylic piece should really have spacers under it because the nuts for mounting the PCB touch on the frame, but it still fits so whatever.

Stepper motors plugged in
I did miss the motor plugging in here, it goes from a barrel plug on the board to two blade terminals. There is a small + printed on the top of the motor to denote positive, but you really have to look for it.


These are the included bits, I guess they are for wood, but I will order some more different types to try.


Here I mounted the work piece clamps, I think I will need to 3D print some modifications here, maybe some custom clamps... More to come on that though.


The included chuck is actually pretty nice looking, I like it


Thoughts after assembly
In my next post I will dive into the first job with this machine. After assembly I can definitely say you get a lot for a very small amount of money, but it shows in some places.. Like the Aluminium extrusions come with the plastic covering still on them, and all inside of the plastic is shavings.. So I recommend you take the plastic off outside as you get shavings everywhere! Also the ends of the extrusions could do with a deburr in places, but it doesn't affect use.. I might just print end covers similar to what Creality uses and push in.

Overall the machine actually comes out really solid and i think it's a great option to get into and learn about CNC because I believe it will do a good job for a low cost.

The other thing about this machine is that it has a lot that can be improved, and that can be done quite easily. There are some pretty common motor upgrades (watch this space, I have one ready) and I think the frame can be made WAY stronger for not much cost at all.

See, the frame is held together by these 90 degree brackets and T slot nuts, which is great but not super strong. I will order a M5 tap and Die set and a bunch of M5 screws as I want to try tapping the extrusions and bolting it all together.. I think that in conjunction with the corner brackets will make this small machine very very strong and I'd like to get it to the point where it can cut steel!! We will see though

Let me know what you think of this machine, I think it's pretty cool.. Would be nice to get a little custom mod group going here... We could make some cool stuff with these and printers!

Looking forward to see some CNC items you created on this machine.

Looks a nice bit of kit for the money I hope you washed out the transport oil from those linear beatings and filled them with lithium or synthetic grease before you fitted them

(16-Oct-2020, 09:20 AM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: Looks a nice bit of kit for the money I hope you washed out the transport oil from those linear beatings and filled them with lithium or synthetic grease before you fitted them

I just washed out the oil with a bit of nice rail certified synthetic grease....

Well, at least there is someone on here with a bit of sense. Unlike someone else who shall remain nameless 

(16-Oct-2020, 10:04 AM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: Well, at least there is someone on here with a bit of sense. Unlike someone else who shall remain nameless 

Honestly I think prusa should supply a tube of grease and an applicator with instruction of what to do.

A small few dollars there could drasically improve the longevity of their product....

(16-Oct-2020, 10:57 AM)bffigjam Wrote: Honestly I think prusa should supply a tube of grease and an applicator with instruction of what to do.

A small few dollars there could drasically improve the longevity of their product....

It seems that they do now...

https://youtu.be/xTn74yaqXeo?t=408

But that wasn't included when I got mine and there was nothing mentioned in the instructions about greasing up the bearings, but just to fit them as is out of the packet. Obviously anyone with no previous experience of linear bearing is none the wiser and just follows the instructions.

(16-Oct-2020, 11:34 AM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: It seems that they do now...

https://youtu.be/xTn74yaqXeo?t=408

But that wasn't included when I got mine and there was nothing mentioned in the instructions about greasing up the bearings, but just to fit them as is out of the packet. Obviously anyone with no previous experience of linear bearing is none the wiser and just follows the instructions.

good to see they are making improvements to their product still

nice little machine if you have practiced with it for a while, you can make the best parts yourself
made a similar CNC in the first covid period

https://intofpv.com/t-building-frame

Wr Henk

Here's my current machine. It has a build area of 10.25" x 16".


This was built by converting a smaller CNC router (the OpenBuilds MiniMill) to gain more build area.  (For those interested, the full details of the build/conversion are at: https://openbuilds.com/builds/mmxl-a-min...sion.5813/ )

(16-Oct-2020, 02:18 PM)sloscotty Wrote: Here's my current machine. It has a build area of 10.25" x 16".

This was built by converting a smaller CNC router (the OpenBuilds MiniMill) to gain more build area.  (For those interested, the full details of the build/conversion are at: https://openbuilds.com/builds/mmxl-a-min...sion.5813/ )

this is what a real man cave looks like  

Wr Henk

Damn it another thing to get lol. This is very cool.

Will be watching with interest. I'd love one that could do metal as well at a reasonable price point.

I just started looking into building a diy cnc this last week and came across these on banggood and amazon. I watched a few reviews but most seem to focus on what it can cut or how deep/fast it can do it.

How accurate is this? Would you recommend buying this or still to be determined? I was thinging of trying one out to cut carbon frames.

(16-Oct-2020, 02:18 PM)sloscotty Wrote: Here's my current machine. It has a build area of 10.25" x 16".

This was built by converting a smaller CNC router (the OpenBuilds MiniMill) to gain more build area.  (For those interested, the full details of the build/conversion are at: https://openbuilds.com/builds/mmxl-a-min...sion.5813/ )

I like it, I'm currently in the market for some woodworking and aluminium working bits.. mostly end mills really. 

Do you have any recommendations?

(16-Oct-2020, 10:27 PM)UrbanJungle1966 Wrote: Damn it another thing to get lol. This is very cool.

Will be watching with interest. I'd love one that could do metal as well at a reasonable price point.

This is a whole nother ball park and a complete different thing to learn about... I love it.

Definitely useful, I'd love to strengthen this to the point I can use it to make carbon quad frames.

(18-Oct-2020, 04:29 AM)EVILsteve Wrote: I just started looking into building a diy cnc this last week and came across these on banggood and amazon. I watched a few reviews but most seem to focus on what it can cut or how deep/fast it can do it.

How accurate is this? Would you recommend buying this or still to be determined? I was thinging of trying one out to cut carbon frames.

I have a post to come on this once I figure out a few things, accuracy is pretty nice when cutting wood, but I think it would be like +-1.5mm when cutting really hard stuff, but I think this can be fixed by shimming the stepper motors (They have a wave washer to keep tension on the bearings but it gives them shaft play).

If you wait maybe a month or two I plan on doing just this with it and I will check the tolerancing.. I even have a cordless stick vacuum I am going to fashion into a extraction unit

That quite discouraging accuracy.
Any router bit should fit for wood and bolt / industrial supply places should have an assortment of end mill bits. You'd have to get a collet set for a range of different sizes or just use an end mill bit in the standard router shank size. Those bits it comes with I would not use for any wood working I do, a cheapo depot Freud bit would likely have much better results for wood.