If you came here, look for an inexpensive CNC Milling Machine. And so it is, in this article we will show you cheap CNC Milling Machines that you can buy from AliExpress online sales page of Chinese origin. A Milling Machine can be very useful for making engravings and decorations on materials such as wood, ceramic, plastic, metal. We will show you how you can use their advantages cheaply in your home.
What is a CNC Milling Machine?
The abbreviation CNC stands for “Computerized Numerical Control”. A CNC machine controls its movements using a computer that uses an alphanumeric language that moves the machine on the X, Y, and Z axes and produces accurate results. We can find different CNC machines: laser, lathe, grinding machine, milling machine, press. In milling machines, they work by chip evacuation, that is, their small drill bit is responsible for passing the material and gradually eliminating material in layers so that we can engrave or create drawings on materials such as wood, metal, stone. This is a small example of what we can do with it.
Most CNC milling machines that you will find on AliExpress have a chip starter bit as well as a laser engraving machine with different capacities. Which should we choose? With the 500 mW lasers you can engrave soft materials such as bamboo, paper, cardboard, wood. From 1000 mW we can engrave leather, plastics, hard woods. With harder materials, it is better to use more powerful laser machines. So if you want a milling machine that can be used on all types of materials, it is better to invest a little more and thus have a more complete machine.
How to Find Cheap CNC Milling Machines on AliExpress
Finding these machines on AliExpress is easy. All you have to do is enter this search to see its wide variety. Even so, there are 4 or 5 very popular models (the main difference of which is the workspace that everyone can cover) that you can find in several stores and that adapt to almost any need. So, we will analyze the main features of the cheap milling machines from AliExpress, and then we will leave you the links to the best sellers according to their desktop.
In all models analyzed, the milling machine is equipped with a 775 rotary motor that can be operated between 12 and 36 volts. A different voltage can be programmed to achieve a higher speed. At 36V the milling machine runs at approx. 9000 rpm.
In addition to the milling cutter, almost all providers offer the possibility that our machine contains an engraving laser with 3 different powers: 500 mw, 2500 mw or 5500 mw. As mentioned above, the more power it works, the better it works on hard materials such as metal or stone . To use the laser we just need to change the drill bit for the laser in the milling machine.
It is very important to remember that in order to run our milling machine we need a computer from which the information about the work to be done can be sent via a USB cable. For this reason the seller sends two programs to install on our computer and to use the machine: one for the milling machine and the other for the use of the laser. These programs only work on Windows or Linux operating systems, we didn’t find a provider that sends software for Mac. Hence, it is important to keep this in mind when we do not have a compatible computer.
But how do we get our milling machine? Well the seller sends us a box with all the disassembled parts like in this picture you can see below. We have to assemble it, but it’s a simple machine and without too many parts so it’s not too complicated to assemble. We can even find tutorials on YouTube.
Finally, as mentioned, the main difference between AliExpress laser milling machines is their work surface. That’s why we’re leaving you a few quicklinks to get you to what you need:
All machines have an approximate working height of 4.5 cm in the Z-axis and as you will see, the machine is also cheaper due to the smaller work surface, although the bestsellers are the first, as there is hardly a difference of 30 euros between the model 3018 and 1610.
Best Seller to find cheap CNC Milling Machines on AliExpress
Although, as said before, it is best to choose the machine of the size that best suits our needs, we have also analyzed the vendors who get the most sales from their CNC machines and therefore we name the best.
IMPORTANT: The box in which the machine is delivered is quite large, measures approx. 42 x 32 x 27 cm and weighs approx. 8 kg. In addition, the sellers send these packages by private courier (DHL, Fedex), so we will very likely have to pay an extra charge upon arrival at our home (some buyers speak of an extra charge of around 60 dollars). Still, for the price, it’s worth buying from AliExpress, but it should be considered.
How to get the Best Price when Buying on AliExpress
With purchases of a certain value, as in this case, it is important to take advantage of the discounts and offers we can get to save money. In our tutorial section, we explain the best tips and tricks for getting discount coupons on AliExpress. However, the best way to save is to buy when the seller has their products on sale. We therefore encourage you to keep up to date on promotions by visiting our blog.
