With the price of the Makita RT0701C continuing to go up, I have started looking at other options. So far, the Carbide 3D C3D-ROUTER-120 is looking pretty awesome. It comes with two collets (.25" & .125"), spare bushings, and a speed adjustment knob that stays set for only $80.
Onefinity, clap back with a branded model of router and spindle. You know they will sell, and the RT0701C quality does not meet the standards of your machines.
Hold on… You’re looking at a $3000-$5000 CNC and you’re having issues with paying $100 for a router? IMO, no one should even consider a router at all, and instead jump right to a spindle.
I feel you and would love to make that jump, but I don’t have the power requirements to do so. $100 is how much they cost 1-2 years ago and have been going up ever since. My point is simple: better options are available, and I would love to see Onefinity provide an option that matches the quality of their machines.
If that amount of money is chump change to you, let me hold a dollar.
It’s not chump change, but it’s a minuscule part of the overall cost of the machine and other equipment needed to support it. It’s about priorities. If I were to spend time worrying about the few dollars increase on the router, I’d never consider a 1F machine in the first place and I’d probably avoid wood in general as material costs are sometimes more than double what they were just 3 years ago.
If I’m building, for example, a high end race car, I’m not going to put a lawn mower engine in it.
So if I’m spending $5k on a machine and another $15k on building out supporting tools and infrastructure, better believe a $1k investment in a spindle is a no-brainer and doing the necessary work to supply everything its required electrical power is top priority.
Lots of cheap routers on AliExpress.
I’m looking for affordable, not cheap.
I have been running my CNC for two years with the Makita and have felt this way since day one. Most of Onefinity’s CNCs are entry-level machines geared toward new operators. The option to upgrade to a spindle is fantastic but not always necessary when affordable, reliable alternatives are available.
Hey Brandon,
while it may be the ideal milling motor solution, besides being expensive, installing a spindle, VFD and its control cabinet is usually no out-of-the-box solution and requires a certified electrician. That’s why I think many Onefinity users still hope that Onefinity will one day Offer a 43 mm Spindle Mount Option, in order to be able to use what in my opinion is the best milling motor solution for hobbyists and semiprofessionals.
Why take a counterfeit when you can get the real brand original?
The only reason to switch that I see is to buy → the other model with true ER collets. THAT would be an advantage (and justify the higher price). Because unlike ER collets, …
This has led to many reports of Makita collets and their counterfeits not holding the bit safely and, among other frequent causes as cable connector failures and EMI problems, producing the “plunge into workpiece issue” often reported here, ruining the workpiece.
Solid info! I appreciate the feedback. The last electrical changes I made were for dust collection, but I wish I had added a stand-alone circuit for a spindle. One day…
43mm spindle. Hilarious. 
YMMV, but in any case, I’m out of this train wreck thread.
Agree with others. The price is absolutely nothing compared to woodworking costs. And it will last forever. Also, look at xamelcamelcamel. While the price has increased, it’s also gone back down. It’s been 100 forever, but it’s currently just 120 on Amazon.
I have the carbide create er11 router and have no problems. One of the “pluses” is the power cable is something like 11 feet long. I would definitely buy again.
Where’s that fifteen grand in supporting tools? I have a spindle but I’m not spending another 5 figures in infrastructure or supporting tools.