shopbot vs handibot whats best for a newbie to CNC

[WallyS]

im a CNC beginner looking for my first CNC to learn/ have fun with.
Currently I'm trying to decide between the shopbot desktop or the handibot
In my CNC newbie opinion right now it looks like the handibot is the better machine, considering it can be moved to the materials and you can use the indexing jig to do bigger surfaces
I don't see why the desktop is worth more money, but the fact that it is the more expensive option makes me wonder if there are benefits that I'm not aware of

is someone able to give me the pros and cons of each so I can better make decision(like is their speed differences ? Or things one can do that the other can't etc.)

thanks

[shilala]

I've looked at the handibot, and it's an awesome niche tool. I just don't have much use for it with what I do, but it'd sure be insanely cool to have one on my shelf.
Conversely, I use my BT48 Buddy constantly. And it's not a "business machine". It's just another tool, albeit the ultimate another tool. :)

I think you have to ask yourself "what is it that I want to do?"
Were it me, and I were deciding between the two, I'd go with the desktop. Once I've learned and outgrown it, I'd go to a bigger Shopbot.
If you're always on the road and work as a tradesman building custom homes and decks, I'd have the handibot. That would be insanely badass.

I'm sure others will come up with lots of great points.
So far as pros and cons, both are the best of the best and are going to do anything you can throw at them. Shopbot doesn't make homeowner toys. They make tools that go to work, for life.

[scottp55]

Hi Wally, I'm kind of opinionated towards the Desktop:), but it really depends on what you have in mind to do with it(and that will change before you know it).
Can you tell us sort of what the kind of work you would like to do?
Not much Z would be my biggest concern--The cutting area I understand with the right jigging/indexing isn't an issue with the HandiBot, but if most of your stuff is less than 24" wide(you can tile forever in Y-axis) I think the Desktop might be better as it's extremely rugged and you have the option of a more robust router(although I HIGHLY recommend spindle).
Rarely go to HandiBot forum, but hope it's as good as this one.
Welcome,
scott

[markevans]

Wally,
I own a handibot and love it, but that said, let me ask you to ask yourself some questions. Your answers should help you decide.

How much room do you have?
How much money do you have?
Are you sure this is something you are really going to get into?
Do you have jobs in mind that portable will be a big advantage?
How often do you think you will cut bigger than 6x8"?

If I had the money I'd buy a buddy today and keep my handibot for when it shines.

So, the big advantage of the handibot is cost, you can have the machine and a far amount of tooling for $3500, and it is small and portable.

Now, that said, indexing slows things down considerably, there is so much cool furniture I'd love to build that is waiting on a bigger machine that I will probably build.

[WallyS]

Wally,
I own a handibot and love it, but that said, let me ask you to ask yourself some questions. Your answers should help you decide.

How much room do you have?
How much money do you have?
Are you sure this is something you are really going to get into?
Do you have jobs in mind that portable will be a big advantage?
How often do you think you will cut bigger than 6x8"?

If I had the money I'd buy a buddy today and keep my handibot for when it shines.

So, the big advantage of the handibot is cost, you can have the machine and a far amount of tooling for $3500, and it is small and portable.

Now, that said, indexing slows things down considerably, there is so much cool furniture I'd love to build that is waiting on a bigger machine that I will probably build.

I don't have much room, I could probably make a buddy work if I needed to but I couldn't go bigger than that. (maybe in a few years if i can make money off of it)
I'd feel more comfortable and I'm sure my roommates would if I got a desktop or the handibot

At this point I say $5000 to $7000 is probably my maximum budget but id prefer and would feel more comfortable going lower which is why the Desktop is a contender where the buddy & bigger isn't.

Honestly I don't have too many jobs in mind, Mostly I imagine I'll start off with little knickknacks and stuff till I get comfortable
ideally i would want this to translate into something where i can make some money on the side (not that i imagine that i could make a lot or it would happen overnight and it may not happen at all)

really it's just right now I have some disposable income and free time and want to learn something new that is still kinda of computer related
I haven't done much CAD in school but could do more, And the whole maker scene is kind of blowing up right now.
So I was thinking options for a hobby that I might want to get into were either CNC, 3D printing or laser etching/engraving.

And honestly when I think of those is my choices I think that CNC is more practical, ideally I know friends who sell things at comic/entertainment conventions and I feel it may have the potential for me to make things that could make money down the road where things like 3D printing are more gimmicky and don't have as many opportunities.

Honestly I don't Think I will cut many things bigger then 6 x 8" (atleast to start) but I'm trying to collect as much information so I can make an informed decision.
because just because I don't want to now when I'm new to this and am still coming up with ideas doesn't mean that once I get into the whole hobby I won't want to a month or two from now

[shilala]

Sounds like you'd be in great shape with a desktop.
Don't worry about the CAD thing. You don't need it. You'll want Aspire to go along with your Shopbot. The software support is also second to none, with training videos for every single part and portion of the software.

[scottp55]

Leaning towards the Desktop simply because the venue you describe sounds perfect for the type of edge lit acrylics Jeff and Doug do with a diamond drag. Even making something comic book sized you would need the Desktop and just think the jigging options might be easier with a bigger footprint. One thing for sure is that when you get it you will have more ideas than time:)

[WallyS]

thanks for the info,
So with the desktop I'm assuming everyone would recommend spindle over router.

From what I can tell it's just more torque and faster rpm on the spindle?
Is it only beneficial with thicker woods,deeper cuts or metal? if not what's the real advantage to it?
or probably the best way to ask it is what could I not to do with a router that the spindle can?
Because if it's just depth of cuts can't I do shallower ones and then it would just take a little longer? (that may not be a deal breaker as it's a hobby and not a production machine)

thanks

[bill.young]

There's a parallel thread on the Handibot forum, with some additional Handibot-specific questions and a reply from Ted Hall with some clarifications. Those that are following this topic might want to check it out:

https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?2,882

[Burkhardt]

From what I can tell it's just more torque and faster rpm on the spindle?
Nor really, there is little you can not do with the router that the spindle can.

The reasons I dumped the router was I got really annoyed by the incessant screaming of the router. Not good for a residential neighborhood. The spindle makes almost no noise but a slight whirr and with a small bit it is pretty quiet.
Other advantages are (maybe not too important for you yet:
- longer service life without swapping brushes and bearings
- better runout
- more flexibility with the collets
- safer (starts soft and not with maximum torque)

If the high quality pro spindles are beyond the budget, one of the Chinese round ones may be good enough.