Buying a pre-built unit
Once a selection is made, don’t rush off and buy it just yet from the first vendor you see (for a pre-built unit). Instead:
- Comparison shop and be open to giving up a nice-to-have feature (such as a dust vacuum head) out of the box in favor of a substantially lower cost.
- Consider the frame materials used; not all 3018 machines are alike. Some use aluminum extrusions, some use thick acrylic panels, and others (the more expensive ones) use aluminum panels for the gantry. Considering the materials you will be milling, is a less rigid machine (with acrylic or melamine parts) acceptable? What happens if the acrylic cracks? Will you be able to replace it?
