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I'm used to larger, corded routers kzfaq.infoUgkxfQ5_mgwq6PcudJvAH25t-I4D-3cTPz4z so this was a different experience for me. Basically, this is an incredibly sweet machine, fits well in the hand, etc. It has slightly less power than I'm used to, but that's understandable. Maneuvering freehand takes some practice. These days, it's especially nice to be able to avoid power cords. This is above the level of a hobbyist but below a pro level.

James great videos. Like you, I spent many hours just to complete my first cuts. As you can tell I am an absolute novice but you have inspired me to give it a go. Many thanks

I just bought a 3018 pro myself, thanks for the video! It was really helpful, especially as I'm new to CNC machines.

Your videos are awesome. Just got my CNC last night and made my first cut today. You videos and links to software were SO helpful and saved me so much time. Can’t wait to do a more detailed project. Thanks again!!!

Followed your instructions and carved a square without any dramas 😊 Thank you for enduring the pain so us mortals don’t have to 👍

The end of this video made me feel so much better since it took me a few hours to get to the end. Thanks for the great work

Hi James! Just wanted you to know that with your marvelous tutorial I was able to execute my very first CNC cut perfectly! It was a simple circle I designed in Easel that I then imported into UGS. Thanks so much!

Thanks for recommending UGS platform I'm going to check that out now. I've tried a variety of software so far some basic and some complex, but that one looks like a nice little mix with some UI choices I prefer. I appreciate your honesty toward the end of the video as well. Thanks for a great vid, you've certainly got another subscriber here!

Thanks James. My 3018 Pro-Max has just arrived and I’m building it tomorrow. I will be following your videos studiously. I must admit, just looking through the parts, I’m quite impressed. The machine is of all aluminium construction.

I fired it up for the first time tonight and it worked without any problems. Used candle on a linux machine, but it was pretty much the same as your instructions. Thanks for taking the time to make these videos.

I wish i had the words to express my appreciation for all the problems you’ve helped me fix over the years!

Thank you for your easy software setup! I just did the square test and it was perfect. Now to figure out how to create the files myself.

After playing around with my new 3018 for a day, your video was the first that actually let me do...anything! Thanks!

Thanks James, followed your instructions, they have been very helpful and i have now made my first cuts. Looking forwards to your other posts. Please keep going.

Your last video helped me finish the build now using this to do my first cut!!!

WOW thanks for providing such a complete vid. I purchased my 3018 a couple months ago and watched hours of KZfaq, yours is far and away the best. My fear of clicking the start button is gone lol.

Thanks, your videos are extremely helpful. It's great to watch how it works while what is being done is explained.

KZfaq needs a double like or love button! Watching your videos and I was able to complete my two squares the first go! Thanks a million. I've also ordered a laser module which should be here today!

Greatest way for a beginner to get info on CNC - especially the technical quality of presentations/education

Thanks SO much for your very informative videos, James. I wish I had found your site 5 days ago. It's taken about that long for me trying to figure out what you covered in about an hour. CHEERS!

Subscribed. I just found your channel after buying the upgraded pro-m version with the 7w. Laser. Should be arriving next week. Really enjoying your easy to follow instructions, and hopefully will see much more to come from you!

A million thanks for such a great series of videos, you have helped me immensely! I especially appreciate the reminder to persevere. 👏

A big thank you for you good sir for making this video and and the one before. Helped me a lot in assembling and setting up the 3018. Thank you again, from Indonesia.

i Admire your honesty, in that it took 5 hours ,well for me it took alot longer on and off, the board got fried i got a new one, it homed perfect so i new the motors where correct but when i started a job the Y axis went in the opposite direction, well through persistence i found the problem ! i plugged the y axis stepper into the next slot on the board and hey presto it works ! Your video are very good easy to follow ,im sure your videos have helped lots of people

It's a different experience watching these videos and trying to copy what you are doing with my own machine instead of watching and then trying to replicate. I was for sure leaving my bit too far extended, something I'd totally forgotten about. Making ample use of the pause button this go around! :)

hi james, seems like the 3018 is very popular so i purchased one and just got it together. with your great video i am getting ready to create. thanks :)

Great video James. Helped me a lot. Bought a cheapie Chinse unit expecting issues, but to my surprise, all went well. Did my first cut after watching your video, no issues at all. Unit is not Sainsmart brand, but does what it should do. Keep up the good work.

Omg.. You are a life saver. For a 50something who knows absolutely nothing about this machine, I have managed to make my first test cut😘

Thank you for making these videos!

thanks for this and the words of encouragement at the end, my cnc kit is still in the box, saving this for later, when I plucked up the courage to build it

You have save my sanity this video is one of the best I have ever seen . THANKS

Informative. I don't have a CNC, but the most terrifying bit looks like getting the zero point right. Especially if you have to change bits.

You made this so easy to understand! Thanks very much for the driver files and test file.

Thanks James. I'll plug mine in and see how we go.

Thank you very much. I'm again one step in the good direction

When I get my 3018-PROVer going I need to find a way to compensate you because you have helped so much

thanks for the video, I have had my 3018pro for about 12 month now and I have only had 1 successful project of it up to yet so I am hoping in your future videos I can see what's been going wrong and how to improve my success rate,,

Pretty sure I ordered this with the extension cause of you!!! Very very informative videos!!! Went through the link you had so hopefully you get credit.

thanks, greetings from Portugal: much better than the original manuals and instructions!

Best tutorial I’ve seen… so thankful

Great video James. To get into CNC, I bought a 100x100cm Workbee, which came with no spoiler board, no clamps, no software, and a DeWalt quarter inch router that is NOISY! This one seems a lot more beginner friendly. I'm still struggling with clamping a year later.

Hi James just set up my 3018 pro and found your video’s very helpful thanks

Thank you for telling me this im gonna get this and this is very helpful to know. I subscribed:)

Well expanded thanks James 👍

Tried the UGS finally something worked right for me. Thank you very much. Now I just need to find a g code writer that will work for me.

Cheers for this. Extremely helpful and well presented tutorials :) A few issues that I had (that you didn't) mentioned below, complete with suggested fixes, in case anyone else has the same troubles. My 3018 pro model had the X motor mounted on the left side instead of the right, and it worked back to front and jammed a lot! Rebuilt the machine with it on the right and it worked fine, although the X bearing ended up on the outside instead of the inside, but that doesn't seem to matter. My software just has Z+ and Z- buttons, with no direction arrows (up/down), so I missed that it also worked the wrong way around. Caused very nasty noises on the first test! Realised then that the makers had reversed the Z motor in the firmware, instead of the X, and so I ended up with two motors that went the wrong way!!! Just swap the red and blue wires around on the stepper motor connection plug if it happens to you. Lift the plastic tab on the connector with a craft knife and the connector will pull out. Other fixes are possible of course.

Video was a huge help! Thanks!

Just Brilliant ....many thanks 👍

Finzllymaxe my first cut! Thanks for your help!

Thank you so much for that end statement... that made me feel so much better, cause my build took me a few days.Thanks to holes being too small on one side frame, plus some bolts too long, mixed in with my big gorilla hands blind eyes and a tonne of swearing. ❤😂❤

Thank you for these videos. I've just bought a 3018 and you're guides and tips have really made it easier to get started 👍

Thanks for this video! Informative and definitely give some good pointers. If you make another one, you may want to talk a little bit more about the clamps and also how to avoid hitting them with the tool. You got a little close on that second square cut!

I want going to watch this video because I had already put mine together, but i decided to start at the beginning of this series to get any insights. I would have saved so much time of is watched this video first, and i feel like an idiot. After watching this i now realize that i put the "y" motor at the front. I knew i had something wrong. Well, back to the shop and reassemble it. Big thank you!

BIG THANKS from Copenhagen

I get mine this week! I am really hoping it will do well for shaping hardwood handles for knifes

Hey this is super helpful. I just got a 3018 and had no clue where to begin. would love more videos " making your third and fourth cuts..." so on

Great presentation. Thanks

Thank you for the software recommendation. Dealing with starting points in candle is a pain.

Man.........I can't thank you enough❤❤❤❤

Thank so much I was really need it

Thank you!

This is my next step in the morning, I have a dongle to plug into My Laptop so I assume everything will be on that and could be different to your software ... Great Video ..

What I do to zero the Z-axis is to lower the tool using baby steps until it is just above the workpiece, I then slacken the bit until it drops to the surface and then tighten and register as home, this is a quick and reliable method.

Thanks you very much bro, i am new on that, you are very halpfull

Thanks for the video James. Could you do a similar test but with complex curves, like text, to see if it can handle it?

thank u very much to help us

Hi James, Thanks for your truly detailed videos. They have helped me to get started with the router. I love using Easel but had a problem with the cutting depth when trying to cut out a shape (using tabs) and engraving. The 3018 only cuts 1/3 or less than the specified depth. I cannot get a shape cut out. I did the same job sending the g-code from Easel to UGS Nightly build platform and it does exactly the same. I cannot get the router to cut to the specified engraving depth, or full depth to cut the job out, despite that the visualizer showing the full depth of cut. When you watch the progress on the laptop, it shows the depth being increased with each pass till it gets to the specified depth on the screen. In reality it's no where near that depth. Another question, how do you ensure that the G-code will raise the cutter before starting the job, or must you give it a manual offset by raising the bit before you start the cut? I have taken the cutter to my preferred staring point and zeroed all axes. When the cut start, it ploughed straight into the job, not raising the cuter first. Any advise is greatly appreciated. Did you ever post a video on how to use the laser? A link to this would be very helpful. Thanks so much for your wonderful videos.

Hi James! Thanks for your movies. This one is 3rd I'm watching but I could mist one interesting info about this CNC: What would be the maximum weight that you can put on the bed? Also do you think if it was possible to build and add to it an extension arms to be able to work on something higher? Thanks

I just purchased a 3018 and have found your channel to be extremely helpful. I'm having one issue that I can't seem to figure out. I'm sure it is something simple. Maybe you can help. I'm using Easel to design and UGS to cut per your recommendation because I have some internet connectivity issues in my shop. When I open the G-code in UGS after I've downloaded it from Easel, the size of the workpiece is dramatically smaller in the visualizer than the dimensions I entered into Easel. For example, I enter 177 by 165 in Easel. It opens in UGS as ~144 by 132. I've tried changing the units to inches with no luck. I've tried running it as is and it only cuts the portion seen in the visualizer. Your thoughts on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

thanks for the video really helpful! how do I make the safe zero higher ?please as got the cut but also cut line

@James Dean Designs Your video is wonderful and got me started with my first cut! How do I set the depth the blade is cutting? Thank you!

Nice!!

Got to say I got one of these and the hardest part for me was figuring out how to attach the screws to the baseplate.....

awesome

What should I use for software with my 3018 CNC if I have a 2019 MacBook Pro?

Excellent videos, which direction should the spindle turn clockwise or anticlockwise? no marking on my motor

what kind of bit are you cutting acrylic with and what spindle speed and feed rate should i use James?

I had trouble with the table jamming up in Y moves. I found out when i tightened Y leadscrew up (block underneath) it distorted the table. I got round this by inserting two pieces of thin card under the block till i got free movement with everything tightened up. So be prepared for these kind of setbacks..eventually all will be well.

I am working my way through your video, I have just got the machine and the UGS connected and find the lowest i can get the tip of the cutter from the bed is about ten millimetres. As I intend working on sheet acrylic I now have to resolve this issue!

i’m waiting for mine to arrive, what’s the size or type of bit should i buy for this? thank you

thank you for this video! What files are you uploading to the program ? png?

thanks james for the great work ,,,,i like the quality of the image ,,,what kind of camera you use ,,,?i want to buy the same one ,,thx

Thanks James! Do you have a video on how to know exactly where your starting point will be? I've got some shaped pieces that I'm wanting to carve into and I cant see how to make sure it's going to start carving in an exact spot. Make sense? Thanks! Jay

Thanks ....

Thanks James! Most helpful as always for a newbie. What was the depth of cut and cut speeds across the board? Cheers!

Thank you very much for this interesting video. I'm pondering wether or not to get a compact and affordable CNC mill for PCB prototyping...the Sainsmart 3018 pro m laser looks pretty much the same as the machine in this video and assembly seems to be more straightforward and easier than other 3018 machines. I'm running on Mac and Raspbian so I guess the software that comes with it must go straight to the bin. Do you process PCB with your CNC machine and if so, what is the preferred process? Milling or using the laser and etching with acid?

Hi James. Thank you for your videos. Exactly what I needed. You have saved me HOURS of trying to figure out how to work this machine. I have followed your videos through each step so far and was doing really well until the Y-axis started sticking and now i'm getting the following error message. [Error] An error was detected while sending '$J=G21G91Y20F1000': (error:8) Grbl '$' command cannot be used unless Grbl is IDLE. Ensures smooth operation during a job. Streaming has been paused. Any ideas or clues on how or why? Any help will be appreciated. Many Thanks Wes

I have not been able to get the file with the sample designs you speak about. Can you send me the link to the folder please

Great info James. I am having trouble with my job paths running off on my 3018 pro. The zero is shifting 10-15mm on the y axis only part way through a job. Do you have any ideas why this could be? ThanksCbris

It’s helpful. Could you please explain how to setup the software by laptop?

James, Great videos. I've followed your video series to get my 3018 PRO to the point of installing UGS but I've hit a snag. I saved your ZIP file to my desktop. Extracted the files then I ran the 64bit exe. It said it could not find the "Platform" folder. What am I doing wrong?

if you have a rough cut and design cut do you load both at the same time thanks i got the ugs fixed with the windown thankyou

Sorry, but I cannt find this upg platform. I donwloaded the files, but I did not find any excecutable in de .JAR?

Good afternoon i've built my 3018 pro with the help of your instructions. thank you i've installed the driver for my MAC then installed UGS, I just cant get UGS to see the COM port its connected too just my bluetooth ones. so i cant run the CNC via my computer. do you have any ideas ??? plz

One question, there are two bits deliver with the machine. but now I want more bits for engraving....especcialy wood but wich set must I have for this machine...do you have a link to the right bits on Amazon? thanks, Jeroen from the Netherlands

is that bit that holds the blade suppose to be right up against the motor when you tighten it or not? Can ou zoom in or can I send you a photo of mine?

Thank you so much for the software advice. Can I use easel with the laser on the machine?

Hi James, your tutorials are really helpful. I am new to CNC machines and I am trying to set up my first CNC3 3018. When i try to run the test image the machine does all the movements but does not lower the mill into the wood even though when I set it you can just slide a piece of paper between the mill and wood. Do you have any idea what I am doing wrong?

Best 3018 tutorials on the web. I have a 3018 with candle . I have a test file consisting of an o inch diameter circle inside a 2 inch square. When I run the code the cut comes out about 1/8 inch square. What have I done wrong. thanks