Hello!
I think that for many of us it would be great to be able to upgrade our machinist onefinity cnc to a woodworker or to a midsize woodworker in the future. This midsized woodworker could be a great option as it would only be necessary to replace the x axis in the machinist!
I’ve talked to OneFinity for a similar “upgrade path” already - but I’m looking to change the machine the other way around, to “downgrade” a woodworker with shorter Y axis. If the cut capacity of the machinist is 16" x 16" (is that right?), what i’m looking for is a wide but not deep machine, 32" wide by 16" deep. (similar size to a Shapoko 3 XL)
I’d call this size the “Signmaker”. X axis to support 32" across, Y axis to support 16" deep.
Personally, I’ll keep my woodworker Y rails mounted to a platform that will be “storable”, and have the “Signmaker” permanently installed under my workbench. I believe that since it’s so easy to move the X/Z rail as one unit, switching between the two different “versions” should take no more than a few minutes.
From an upgrade/downgrade perspective - since the rails (X, Y) are all the same, one machine could be changed to a different cutting area capacity machine within the limits of what rails are available, just by buying new rails. For me, I’d like to get two Y rails (from the Machinist). For @erojo.1, they’d need the X rail from the Woodworker. The only foreseeable issue I can see might be upgrading from the Machinist to a wider footprint - I don’t know if @OnefinityCNC is using one configuration for the Y cables or two (the length of the cable going to the second Y rail is critical)
All of that said, OneFinity has already said that this won’t be a possibility until sometime next year, until after all pre-orders are sent out.
i too want 32" on the x ,16" on the y. i bought the machinist because its more suited to my Small shop and what i make but i could fit the longer X and would want it. onefinity has mentioned on the fb page that it would “basically be buying all new rails, almost a full machine” but i don’t see why it wouldn’t just be buying a new X rail and stiffy at the most or 2 new 35 mm tubes, a longer ball screw, and cable extension at the least. its hardly “almost a full machine”… Am i missing something?
Max,
I may have responded not fully reading your question on FB. I thought (or it might have been another person, we get many) the questions was to upgrade from a machinist to a full woodworker.
You could just get the x rail set and make a mid sized machine. We’re looking at adding that option at some point, but not at this time.
yeah thats what we’re talking about a “mid-size machine”.
you say: “you could just get the x rail set and make a mid sized machine” … can i get just the x rail set?
Most likely in the future once we start selling that configuration.
I agree with this mid-size as well. It would be a nice option for those considering Shapeoko XL and Shapeoko Pro XL because of the footprint.
Any updates on this since the response in September?
I would actually love to see an al le carte version - as I’m personally starting to hate the Buildbotics controller - will probably replace with a Centroid Acorn instead. This would leave no need for the controller, but I do love the machine hardware (rails). I already own it now, but if it were an option to buy just the rails/hardware without the controller, and/or pick the configuration (long X, short Y or whichever configuration one wants) - that would be amazing.
I understand the main goal now is simply fulfill current orders - fully understandable, but for future, it’d be amazing, and win back my opinion over the controller choice (no hard feelings 
)
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