Last Updated: May 13, 2020 (Refresh Now)
Genmitsu CNC 3018 PRO Router Kit GRBL Control 3 Axis Plastic Acrylic PCB PVC Wood Carving Milling Engraving Machine XYZ Working Area 300 x 180 x 45mm
Last Updated: May 13, 2020 (Refresh Now)
7.5
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
193
Old Reviews
0
Unverified
19
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Review Analysis - 174 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Ease of Use
46instructions, software, easy to assemble, difficult, assembly
+80%
-20%
" ... Easy to assemble, surprisingly sturdy and very accurate. ... "
" ... easy to assemble, simple instructions, all the tools and hardware are accounted for, plus extras. ... The machine is simple, yet complex enough for you to program with your choice of programs. ... "
" ... Assembly is straight-forward for someone with a modicum of mechanical skill. ... "
" ... It was easy to understand and work with. ... "
" ... I found the assembly easy and the instructions clear. ... "
" ... Highly recommend to all levels, but especially good for beginners. ... "
" ... Assembly is super easy! ... "
" ... Just simply follow the instruction, which is straightforward. ... "
Setup
42assembly, easy, assemble, easy to assemble, took
+90%
-10%
" ... Assembly is super easy! ... "
" ... Assembly: Overall, the instruction booklet makes the assembly pretty clear and with a kit this simple there just isn't a whole lot that can go wrong. ... "
" ... Assembly was straightforward. ... "
" ... The instructions were easy to follow in assembly, and there are lots of resources available on learning how to use the software. ... "
" ... Assembly was pretty straight forward and completed quickly. ... "
" ... Product performs ok. Easy to assembly. ... "
" ... It comes as parts in a compact box with all necessary tools to assemble it. ... The driver installation is straight forward, which is standard serie com device installation on windows platform. ... "
" ... Good directions and easy to assemble. ... "
Build Quality
33parts, machine, axis, screw, frame
+58%
-42%
" ... Build quality: I was honestly pleasantly surprised by the quality of the components in this kit. ... I expected the plastic components to be cheap 3d printed parts but they are actually some sort of fairly tough cast resin. ... BUILD IT ON SOMETHING FLAT! ... "
" ... Right now though, with it all propperly tightened and the machine set sturdy I havent actually experienced flex on it, which is a nice surprise and thats why I gave a 5 for accuracy, I know its description accuracy, but the actual accuracy is 5 stars. ... "
" ... Easy to assemble, surprisingly sturdy and very accurate. ... "
" ... The machine is well constructed and sturdy. ... "
" ... The frame is nice and rigid. ... They threw in an extra screw or two, which was great because one screw came badly threaded. ... Hint: Assemble the frame loosely fit and don’t tighten (most of) the screws all the way until it’s all together. ... "
" ... Reasonably priced but extremely well built and easy to assemble. ... "
" ... The only things I provided were Alcohol and Q-Tips to clean the metal shavings from the ends of the aluminum side pieces and X-Axis rails ... Bit choice, wood type, layering, and depth ... "
" ... The unit is well designed and constructed. ... "
Product Reliability
30error, board, days, replacement, code
+50%
-50%
" ... We are months in and still haven’t been able to use it. ... "
" ... Ok it is a few weeks later and we have finally got this connected to a Windows 10 computer. ... At that point I received an error code ... “1: % <error:1” . ... The error windows gives a choice to ignore or abort. ... And as one would have it there are no error code/clearance listings in the g code. ... "
" ... Board was dead on arrival ... "
" ... However, there are a few issues. ... "
" ... Never worked tried for a month. ... Tried different programs easel still not working. ... "
" ... One of the stepper motors failed second time I used it. ... "
" ... It's unusable as is. ... "
" ... The dragon carve didn't look very good, and stopped after taking about 3 hours to complete about 10%. ... It hasn't worked properly since then. ... "
Software Platform
20code, machine, error, web, test
+50%
-50%
" ... Needs better instructions/information on software. ... "
" ... On the third one now and am having software issues still. ... "
" ... Machine is so innacurate and software almost unusable. ... "
" ... - I wouldn’t recommend this sanismart cnc unless you are are computer genius and have experience in PC based software. ... "
" ... The software disk was blank. ... "
" ... Other downloaded software recommendations do not seem to enable it either. ... I even went to the company web page to download the software. ... "
" ... Ok it is a few weeks later and we have finally got this connected to a Windows 10 computer. ... We can't explain the failures the first few times other than to say the software is not "turn key" for the casual user ( I can say that with confidence because I was the manager of real time software development in my former life). ... It is now 8/17 and I have yet been unable to run any of the test code. ... At that point I received an error code ... “1: % <error:1” . ... The error windows gives a choice to ignore or abort. ... And as one would have it there are no error code/clearance listings in the g code. ... An update 8/25: I am amazed that few if any are having the problems I have been having. ... The test code ran and it appears it followed the simulation path of the GUI. ... It seems to execute the code but there is no correlation between the GUI path and the actual tool path. ... "
" ... Software is rudimentary at best. ... "
Fit
20screw, loose, tighten, spindle, screws
+50%
-50%
" ... Z axis lead screw failed during second run of printing. ... "
" ... In my case, right out of the box, it didn't work correctly. ... Almost immediately after installing that, a set screw vibrated loose on the z-axis coupler, the whole assembly fell and the bit dug it's way through a board during a carve. ... "
" ... It is impossible to use pieces larger than the deck. ... "
" ... it can take a little while to get it built, and the spindle doesnt have an alignment marking so getting it into the mount took me a while. ... "
" ... My biggest issues are the lack of any real explanation of the software and the set screws for the couplings. ... Every time, about 2 minutes into an attempt, the y axis comes loose. ... "
" ... There is only one measurement that seems to be called out and it is the placement of the gantry in relation to the rear mounts. ... I think I read somewhere that these are 3D printed so one can over tighten and crack the mount. ... "
" ... The tool holder has square corners nipped out of it so you can just slide a semiconductor laser heat sink right in there. ... "
" ... I wish it had included a small thing of locktite (thread sealant/adhesive) as I've had 2 of the screws go MIA during runs. ... "
Price
18money, worth, value, machine, waste
+83%
-17%
" ... Given the price and general/overall high ratings of the product it looked as it would fulfill that need. ... "
" ... For a $200 machine, this is an absolute bargain. ... "
" ... For the amount of money that this machine cost it exceeded my expectations. ... "
" ... It’s a well built machine for the money spent. ... "
" ... I use it for pcb's in the electronics department, and for the price, this it's a good deal ... "
" ... cant say enough about the price. ... "
" ... I bought it because the price is under my budget. ... For this price, the quality of this engraving machine is good. ... "
" ... But I think it's worth it for the price point for someone that wants to get started and doesn't want to spend too much. ... "
Apps
17facebook, easel, run, group, youtube
+71%
-29%
" ... For this purpose, I find that the free-to-use Easel software works quite well. ... "
" ... The user must already know how to program using G Code or find a third party program to create work files. ... "
" ... There's a facebook group that is very helpful. ... "
" ... A word on software: ... "
" ... Facebook has a great support group for this machine. ... "
" ... The online Facebook group is a great resource if you run into problems and beginning tutorials and files to try. ... "
" ... Plenty of youtube, and FB group support. ... "
" ... I’d recommend watching several YouTube videos to learn the software before it arrives. ... "
Hair
15cutting, machine, cuts, cnc, slow
+73%
-27%
" ... Suited to cutting PCBs and some small objects of not much depth, enough to get a start. ... "
" ... I bought some end mill bits and they work great for cutting out larger projects including aluminum! ... "
" ... Cuts wood OK, but much of your experience will also depend on your cutter bit, the ones that come with it are good for: (sorry still trying to figure this out). ... "
" ... It is not going to make deep cuts and do it very fast, but it does it pretty accurately. ... "
" ... I've cut around 50 signs with it so far, and it works very well. ... It's a small machine, but you can still cut a nice sized plaque or sign with it. ... "
" ... For the price, I'm really impressed with the quality / resolution of the cuts so far. ... "
" ... While it is relatively small and lighter duty (you won't be cutting big steel pieces with it) it's still remarkable that for $200 you can get an excellent little machine like this that's good to teach beginners the principles of CNC operation with or that's good for a smaller secondary CNC for light work for more experienced users. ... "
" ... All base components come with a grease on them probably from CNC cutting the components itself. ... "
Overall performance
14speed, machine, would, speeds, slow
+71%
-29%
" ... It's my first CNC machine and it's great to learn CNC but also it's a powerful machine. ... "
" ... Watch your feeds and spindle speeds and you can get some beautiful work out of this. ... "
" ... Since then the machine has been running flawlessly. ... "
" ... I do like the control that you have over the spindle… you can adjust the increments in which the spindle moves and the speed of the spindle. ... "
" ... I have been looking at low-end machines for quite a while and decided on the 3018 PRO. ... "
" ... Perfect desktop CNC machine. ... "
" ... It’s actually a pretty good deal and does a great job. ... "
" ... It is a solid hobbyist tool that is capable of producing excellent results. ... "
For Fun
13together, lot, much, hobby, cuts
+100%
" ... Fun to use and can let lt do the fine detail while I'm off adding the inlay. ... "
" ... even if you're a pro, having this as a small desktop CNC is fun to operate and experiment with. ... "
" ... I've made a few different projects that have been fun to create. ... "
" ... I am having a lot of fun with this entry level cnc. ... "
" ... It's a fairly steep learning curve, but it's a fun hobby. ... "
" ... I have had so much fun using it. ... "
" ... it's a fun machine. ... "
" ... I hope he can find some fun thing to do after retirement. ... "
Cleaning
12oil, dust, clean, parts, metal
+50%
-50%
" ... It also did not come with any instructions on how to clean and lubricate. ... "
" ... Wipe the guide rods off occasionally. ... "
" ... Everything comes coated in a layer of greasy machine oil and there are burrs all over the aluminum extrusions. ... "
Marketplace
11amazon, shipped, assembly, support, refund
+82%
-18%
" ... This is so far the most seriously buyer assembled product that I ever bought on amazon. ... "
" ... Excellent support from the manufacturer. ... "
" ... thanks since I got the CNC in April of 2020. ... "
" ... Assembly is easy once you figure out the pictures. ... "
" ... I received the SainSmart CNC 3018 Pro through Amazon. ... It now works as advertised. ... "
" ... Thank you SainSmart! ... "
" ... got it in like 5 days from mainland china. ... "
" ... You can see in my photos here this works great for wood or aluminum. ... "
Drivers
9software, machine, driver, stepper, axis
+33%
-67%
" ... I'm running mine with a Linux machine so I didn't need any of the drivers, or software that was included. ... Drivers are included in the kernel, all I had to do was open a TTY port and CNCjs saw and connected to the machine. ... "
" ... I really wanted to like this budget CNC but mine keeps burning up stepper motor drivers on the z-axis. ... "
" ... Had operating for about a week and a stepper driver failed. ... "
" ... Besides a very brief notation of how to load the driver/software there is no documentation of how to use the machine. ... "
" ... Unfortunately one of the stepper motor drivers was defective. ... "
For Running
7ruining, first
+71%
-29%
" ... Easy fix I just changed cords and it was up and running. ... "
" ... It's very handy for moving the bed around and the head up and down, but forget trying to run a job from one. ... "
" ... They had me up and running again quickly. ... "
" ... Within a few hours you are up and running and doing your first project. ... "
Device Compatibility
7work, mac, laptop, machine, web
+57%
-43%
" ... Its a simple machine easily controlled from bCNC via a raspberry pi. ... "
" ... I use a Mac which a lot of instruments wont work with. ... The next step is Carbide Create (more features) which also works with this machine and Mac. ... "
" ... You CAN use a Mac computer to run this, despite what the manufacturer says. ... "
" ... Computer software was next. ... "
Network
7cnc, three, 3018, easy, cut
+100%
" ... Building my own CNC Router. ... "
" ... This is a terrific small CNC router table. ... "
" ... The router was very easy to assemble, and came up working right away. ... The CNC router isagain up and running. ... "
" ... The Sainesmart cnc 3018-pro is a nice to have desktop cnc router. ... "
" ... Always wanted to get a CNC router and this one is great. ... "
" ... This is for the Genmitsu 3018-PRO router kit. ... This has some significant upgrades over the 3018 and some real advantages over other CNC routers in this price range. ... This is a light duty CNC router. ... "
" ... It is more rigid and that really matters in a CNC router. ... "
Video Playback
6videos, watching, watch, time, take
+100%
" ... I’d recommend watching several YouTube videos to learn the software before it arrives. ... "
" ... I suggest watching a video online on how to assemble! ... "
" ... I did found these videos on YouTube, that saved me lots of time. ... "
" ... I had watched a couple YouTube videos on this unit, and decided to give it a try. ... "
" ... Their is a video on YouTube that shows the full assembly of this product. ... "
" ... just take your time and watch one of the assembly videos available on YouTube. ... "
Delivery
6days, board
+83%
-17%
" ... Everything was packaged very neatly. ... "
" ... Delivery was exceptional ... "
" ... And total time was just 7 days. ... "
" ... The product comes very well packed and ordered so first impressions are good. ... "
Design
6shavings, pieces, parts
+100%
" ... It does a really good job of routing with a great level of detail. ... "
" ... "Correct" in this case means the bit spins clockwise when looking down from the top. ... "
" ... The fit and finish on the parts were great… there were some metal shavings left on some of the aluminum pieces but they were not a big deal as I was able to blow them away. ... "
" ... Looks amd feel of this tool is very sturdy and sleek. ... "
" ... But a quick design out using Easel, and it works. ... "
" ... So far I have only done wood but after making a couple beautiful creations professing my undying love for the wife its only a matter of time before I can get a 3d printer approved and yes it will be a Sain Smart. ... "
Comfort
6pain, machine, learn, larger, hands
+33%
-67%
" ... The device overall was a hassle and truly a pain to learn to use. ... "
" ... I got it put together (which was a pain in the keester) and I build mechanical things for a living. ... Otherwise this will be a huge headache. ... "
Accuracy
5easy to assemble
+80%
-20%
" ... I also used a square and calipers for accuracy. ... "
" ... Easy to assemble, surprisingly sturdy and very accurate. ... "
" ... All is good, it is kind of slow but accurate. ... "
" ... I was skeptical but the online reviews were accurate. ... "
Ports
5port, got, device, computer, zero
+20%
-80%
" ... no comm port showed up in device manager . ... anyhow did as your insturction said and floater still can't open the port . ... "
" ... I got to the step of plugging it into the wall and the computer. ... I then plugged the usb into the controller and then my windows 10 computer. ... I got a message "Unknown USB device needs more power than the port can supply" It then knocked out all my usb ports until I rebooted. ... "
" ... It wanted to input com port and baud rate, which are antiquated parameters which haven't been required since the 80s. ... "
" ... It was working well for my first few engravings, however it now randomly disconnects from the USB. ... The only way to reconnect is to unplug and replug the USB cable. ... This causes you to loose your zero on the work item and when it reconnects to the USB it uses it's current location as the zero point. ... "
For Kids
4hour, assemble
+50%
-50%
" ... Maybe this would be something for kids to learn on but if you have any desire to cut PCBs on it you will be very frustrated. ... "
Print Quality
4printer, like
+75%
-25%
" ... So far all test prints have been pretty good, I'll probably make some feet to reduce vibration. ... "
" ... This is a great printer to get started with CNC. ... "
" ... Like with 3D printing, it is very gratifying to start with an idea and develop it into a physical object. ... "
Freebies
4kit, good, wrenches
+100%
" ... It's a good value for the price, this is an excellent starter machine to learn CNC with. ... "
" ... Good starter kit ... "
" ... The kit includes Allen wrenches for assembly, and a couple of wrenches for the collet. ... "
" ... A good all around learning tool and a well made little kit. ... "
CD/DVD
4software, included, disc
+50%
-50%
" ... The software disk was blank. ... "
Product As Described
4assembly
+100%
" ... You can see in my photos here this works great for wood or aluminum. ... "
" ... Assembly is easy once you figure out the pictures. ... "
" ... It now works as advertised. ... "
" ... (Pictures to come of what I mean. ... "
Storage
4use, parts, idea
+100%
" ... You're not gonna cut space shuttle parts from titanium with this, but you can make some nice parts with it. ... "
" ... Get a small bottle, 4 oz will last a LONG time. ... "
" ... It is not as fast as more expensive machines that our make space use but for hobbyist at home it is amazing and easy to use once you get your head around creating g code. ... "
" ... It’s like moving furniture with drawers. ... "
Size
4material, pieces, box, axis, 8
+75%
-25%
" ... Ensure you add a line to gcode before the spindle starts at the starting travel height (Z axis) or it will cut into your material during initial travel. ... "
" ... It's not big or powerful enough. ... "
" ... The travel along the x and y axes measured precisely to spec out of the box. ... "
Sound Quality
3instructions
-100%
" ... It made a terrible noise when using the Z-axis. ... "
Firmware
3firmware, candle, went, driver
+100%
" ... The circuit board seems well built and was pre-flashed with the correct firmware. ... "
" ... The router itself is pretty impressive for the money and there is a ton of free software to compliment the software that came with it, I’m using Carbide Create to make the programs and Candle to execute them. ... "
" ... The disk included has Candle and a firmware update, as well as a few other things. ... "
Cables
3material
+33%
-67%
" ... Accessories such as the wire protective wrap and the material clips are not mentioned at all. ... "
Wifi
3cnc
+67%
-33%
" ... Great CNC router for a beginner. ... "
" ... The CNC router isagain up and running. ... "
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Specifications
No specs available.