Somewhere in the middle

What exactly is a ‘small-format’ CNC? The industry has a little leeway in its definition, but a good rule of thumb is that it’s larger than a desktop unit and smaller than a full-sheet (4’ x 8’) processor.

While desktop or benchtop units are well suited to carving and artisan work, a small-format CNC is a better entry-level machine for a cabinet shop. It’s big enough to make doors and panels, and rugged enough to do short production runs. The spindle can be liquid or air-cooled, and some can handle an aggregate head or a rotary axis for more complex machining. Automatic tool changers (ATCs) can be optional or included, and that’s also true of upgrades such as vacuum tables and automated positioning systems.

As an entry-level CNC, the right small-format model can deliver professional results but there are some limitations. The most obvious one is that full sheets need to be broken down into smaller panels before being processed. That means the shop needs either a panel saw or a sliding table saw, so that’s something that might have to be factored into budget and space calculations. It’s also a good idea to add an optimizing module with an inventory function to the shop’s CAD software, to get the most out of cut sheets. That software keeps track of partial sheets and lets the operator know what’s in stock.

A good place to start the search for a small-format machine is in the woodshop’s accounting software. Looking at sales over the past couple of years will tell an owner how much production the shop is doing, the patterns of any cycles, and also what kinds of projects are being built. Assuming the CNC will boost production, a sales report will eliminate any machine that can’t handle more than the existing workload.

Woodworkers who are getting into CNCs for the first time are trying to solve either an employment issue (can’t find anyone to hire), a physical space restriction (too many traditional machines eating up floorspace), and/or a volume issue, where the shop simply can’t keep up with demand. If the wait time for delivery on jobs is closing in on a year, it’s definitely time to change the way that things are being done. Even the nicest customers have deadlines.

The instinctive choice for an entry-level machine is a very basic full-sheet platform without the bells and whistles to keep the cost down. The appeal is that such a workhorse won’t be overly confusing and will also be reliable. The problem is that it takes up a lot of space and also consumes a lot of power, especially if it’s equipped with a full-sized vacuum table. Plus, it will probably cost a lot more than a small-format machine.

Beyond affordability, a less than full-size CNC offers a lot of other advantages. There is, of course, the smaller footprint and the fact that many of these routers run on standard household current. But there’s also the lack of intimidation. They are easy to learn and use, which contributes to their popularity among serious hobbyists and busy one-man shops. Plus, individual users and groups of brand enthusiasts have created a wealth of support data online, from workarounds to inventive solutions and routine problem solving.

After a potentially overwhelming few days (as there is with any new machine), most owners become comfortable very quickly with smaller CNCs because the controls are intuitive and quite familiar. That’s because we’re all so used to cellphones and laptops, and the CNC controls generally parrot that methodology. Making the leap from router tables to CNCs is like riding a bike. At first it’s a bit scary, but the learning curve is short and once mastered, there really isn’t a whole lot more to absorb. Yes, there will always be tweaks, but a shop can be up and running (and potentially profitable) far sooner than one might suspect.

The downside to a small-format machine is that it may become underpowered and undersized quite quickly if the transition to automation increases passthrough. That is, if the CNC helps production so much that the shop’s volume significantly increases, the machine’s lack of size might ironically make it obsolete.

Choosing the right small-format CNC can be challenging because a lot of the units look alike but come loaded with different features, and many offer basically the same machine with a range of table sizes or spindles. Plus, each woodshop has a separate agenda. Cabinet and furniture makers produce custom work, and the CNC must be able to support their variety of needs. One size won’t fit all.

The easiest way to cover options available in this sector is to take a look at machines offered by a couple of dozen of the main manufacturers:

Axiom Precision (axiomprecision.com) is now part of JPW Industries, which is also the owner of familiar brands such as Powermatic and Baileigh Industrial. There are three families of Axiom CNCs: the entry-level 1-hp desktop Iconic, and the 3-hp, liquid-cooled Pro V5 and Elite machines. The Pro V5 is the company’s most popular series, and comes in 24” x 24”, 24” x 36” and 24” x 48” table models that sit on an optional rolling stand and have 6.5” of vertical Z clearance. Among the available add-ons here are mechanical and vacuum clamping, a rotary kit for a fourth axis (it turns the CNC into a small-format automated wood lathe), and a laser kit for engraving. Axiom sells Aspire and VCarve CAD software for drawing, and the files can be delivered to the machine on a USB storage stick. The latest Pro has 48-volt stepper motors, an improved cooling system, and higher spindle performance thanks to an upgraded variable frequency drive. For shops needing a little more machining space, Axiom’s Elite CNC offers 2’ x 4’ and 4’ x 4’ open-ended worktables that allow tiling. The larger size can handle pretty much any door or panel requirements.

The Innovator 4’ x 4’ from AXYZ (axyz.com) offers a work area of 53” wide, 49” long and 6” high. This Canadian-built industrial machine has a compact footprint, a welded steel frame, integrated servo motors, helical rack and pinion drive, and an optional 3-position ATC. It’s guided by an A2MC controller and integrates with most popular CAM software. Other options include dust extraction and vacuum hold-down. AXWY also makes a 5’ x 8’ Innovator model.

The smallest of three U.S.-made Panther CNCs from CAMaster (camaster.com) has a 4’ x 4’ table, a 4.2-hp HSD spindle, helical rack and pinion movement, servo motors with planetary gearboxes, a T-slot table, and a laser for positioning. It can be upgraded to include an automatic tool changer, comes with a WinCNC controller, runs Windows 10 PRO and has a 19” LED monitor. VCarve Pro comes as standard, as does free lifetime tech support.

Shops creating carved panels will be interested in both the 3- and 4-axis versions of the DWC2440 from Digital Wood Carver (digitalwoodcarver.com). Made in the U.S., both come with an open-ended 2’ x 4’ table and an optional laser engraver. The fourth axis is used for making 360-degree carvings. These machines are advertised as plug-and-play ready. The 2-hp soft-start variable speed router moves at up to 250 IPM, and the table has T-slots. Controller software (PlanetCNC TNG) is included, and VCarve and Aspire design packages are optional.

Diversified Machine Systems (dmscncrouters.com) notes that its Freedom 4’ x 4’ small-format CNC “is ideal for small, specialty manufacturing… and for shops requiring a very small footprint. With a starting price of $40,000, this is an industrial-duty machine that comes with a Fagor controller and a 17” monitor. It has Ethernet, USB and serial port connectivity, Fagor servo motors all round, a ball screw on each axis, and a phenolic or aluminum table. The spindle runs on 3-phase 220-volt power and both 10- and 15-hp Becker vacuum pumps are options. The standard spindle is 10 hp, with other options available.

The c-express 920 is a Format 4 CNC machining center from Felder Group (felder-group.com) that only takes up 36.5 sq. ft. of shop space. This is a dedicated machine for casework panels, which are cut slightly oversize elsewhere and trimmed to size and machined here. It drills holes for hardware, shelves, connectors and doweled drawer assembly. A 17-spindle drilling head and a grooving saw unit are standard. It’s equipped with laser technology for high precision, and an optional milling aggregate that can be manually interested into an ER32 chuck. This aggregate is used for routing design features such as cutouts, pockets, grooves and rabbets.

Grizzly Industrial (grizzly.com) offers two small-format CNCs for woodshops, the 24” x 36” model G0894 and the 47” x 47” model G0931. The smaller machine has a 3-hp, water-cooled spindle, stepper motor driven ball screws, cutting speeds close to 400 IPM, and the ability to load from a flash drive or connect directly to a PC. It uses an ER20 collet, and a one-shot oiler. It’s a 3-phase motor with a built-in invertor so it runs on 220-Volt single phase. The larger G0931 offers 7-7/8” of Z, a RichAuto DSP A11 handheld controller with a USB port and keypad, tool touch-off and an aluminum table with T-slots and PVC padding.

Hermance Machine Co. (hermance.com) carries a range of new and used small-format CNCs from various manufacturers.

JPW’s Powermatic division (powermatic.com) makes the PM-2X4SPK, which is a 3-hp 2’ x 4’ router with 6” of vertical travel. There’s an extruded aluminum table with integrated T-slots, a handheld controller that attaches to the DSP control box via an 8’ cable, a touch-off puck to zero the Z-axis with the push of a button, and high-torque stepper motors. There are also a few small details that Powermatic’s fans would expect, such as the heavy-duty welded steel cabinet, an included dust shoe, casters, and leveling feet.

The WR-32 is a 2’ x 3’ CNC router from another JPW division, Baileigh Industrial (baileigh.com). This unit comes with a dust shroud, cast iron base, T-slots, and BobCAD design and programing software. The 18,000 rpm, variable speed, 4.75-hp, air-cooled spindle runs on 220-volt single-phase power, and there are four ER25 collet choices (1/8”, 4mm, 6mm, and 1/2”). Baileigh notes that the machine takes about an hour or so to uncrate and get started with the software.

The 4’ x 4’ Smartshop M from Laguna Tools (lagunatools.com) is an industrial machine with a 6-hp spindle, an 8-position ISO 30 tool changer, and a multi-zone vacuum table. This smallest member of the Smartshop family offers 12” of Z clearance and 13” of Z travel. The vacuum hold-down table has six zones, and the machine comes with a Syntec control system and a heavy-duty, one-piece, all-steel frame. For shops with a tighter budget, Laguna’s family of Swift CNCs may be the answer. The Swift 4’ x 4’ standard has a 3-hp, liquid cooled spindle, 7-1/2” of gantry clearance, a T-slot table, a handheld DSP controller, helical rack and pinion movement and an all-steel frame. The 4’ x 4’ Swift Vacuum model table adds four vacuum zones, and the Swift MT is designed for sign-making and vinyl cutting. Both the SmartShop and Swift machines are available with larger tables.

Legacy Woodworking Machinery (lwmcnc.com) builds two versions of its 3’ x 5’ small-format machine, the standard Maverick and the Pro. The basic machine comes with manual tool changes but has turning, joinery, surfacing and machining capabilities. This is a 4-axis machine with an optional vacuum system and a 3’ x 5’ table. It includes a 48” fourth turning axis, a 7” x 20” vertical table, an all-steel frame and a user-friendly controller. The new Pro version has much faster speeds and better cut quality, achieved through new motion control algorithms.

The Startech CN K is a compact 3-axis drilling and machining center from SCM (scmgroup.com) that the company describes as “ideal for all types of milling, decorations, engraving, signboard creation and 3D models prototyping”. The worktable is roughly 46” x 30”, with 6-1/4” of Z travel. It features an integral cabin with internal LED lighting to protect the operator and keep the surrounding environment clean.

ShopBot (shopbottools.com) is one of the most familiar names in desktop CNCs, but the company builds machines for all market segments including full-size and small-format units. Among the latter are the Buddy, PRSstandard, PRSalpha, PRSalpha ATC, plus the ShopBot 5-axis. The Buddy has a very small footprint and comes with optional casters, so it can be moved around the shop. It has a stationary gantry over a moving table. The PRSstandard is a moving gantry machine that comes in a 4’ x 4’ option and comes with a 2.25-hp DeWalt router, or options that include a 2.2 or 4-hp HSD spindle, or a 5-hp Colombo. The PRSalpha ATC has an automatic nine-tool changer and is available with spindles up to 10 hp.

The RC4 from ShopSabre (shopsabre.com) has a 51” x 49” cutting area, 8” of Z clearance, and a 3.5-hp, 110-volt router as the spindle. The company’s Pro 404 bumps that up to 60” x 50” with 12” of Z and HSD fan-cooled spindles.

TechnoCNC (technocnc.com) makes an unusual machine called the HD-II, which is more than a desktop but may not technically be a small-format machine as it’s described as ‘tabletop’. It has a 2-hp, HSD high frequency collet spindle and a vacuum T-slot table, which allows for either mechanical clamping or vacuum holding. The processing area is 20” x 30” with 7-1/2″ of Z, and the drive motors are Nema 34 high-powered brushless, steppers. The controller features pre-programmed buttons to perform certain machine instructions.

A family of 24R CNC routers from Tormach (tormach.com) can handle any CAD/CAM software and is built on a basic platform that adds various features as needed. Features include a PathPilot controller, an integrated vacuum table, a 24” x 48” work envelope, and options all the way up to a 10-position ATC.

Vision Engravers (visionengravers.com) offers 16” x 24”, a 25” x 25” and 25” x 50” small-format CNC routers. The 2550 S5 comes with the company’s Series 5 controller with a touch pendant and proprietary software. It’s intended for a variety of applications including milling, drilling, contouring, and routing. It has an aluminum T-slot table to accommodate various work-holding fixtures, a red laser for easy set-ups, and an optional Raster Braille inserter.

Other less traditional options for woodshops to consider when looking at small-format CNCs are the Shaper Origin and Yeti Smartbench. The Origin (shapertools.com), when paired with the company’s Workstation, is a superb prototyping machine and a pretty handy joinery tool, too. The Yeti (yetismartbench.com) is a portable CNC that can process full sheets but can be packed small enough to fit in a pickup or van. While neither of these innovative machines might strictly qualify as a small-format CNC, either one can handle most of the tasks such a machine would be required to perform, and quite a few others besides.  

This article was originally published in the October 2023 issue.