# Which machine to buy

**URL:** https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/which-machine-to-buy/18784
**Category:** Elite Series (Masso & Redline) (Gen 1)
**Created:** [February 13, 2023, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/which-machine-to-buy/18784 "2023-02-13T19:18:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![jsdds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cc9497/32.png) [@jsdds](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/jsdds)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2023, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/which-machine-to-buy/18784/1 "2023-02-13T19:18:36Z")

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Hi all,  
Although I’ve been a woodworker for 20 plus years, I’m about to start a small woodworking business and I’m new to CNC. I’m about to order a Journeyman. The temptation is to go for the Elite with the main negative being the 18-20 week wait. Other than the lack of the wait time and the lower cost, is there any reason to go for the X-50 version of the Journeyman? It’s been around for a while and as such has become a proven design. But the Elites various components have also been around for a while and are proven, although not all together as the new machine.

So I guess my questions are, should I just go ahead and order the Elite Journeyman if I don’t mind the wait and the price difference? Am I missing any other factors here?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

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### Author: ![349iq2345](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/bb73d2/32.png) [@349iq2345](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/349iq2345)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2023, 7:51pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/which-machine-to-buy/18784/2 "2023-02-13T19:51:30Z")

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Hey jsdds,

> [@jsdds](#):
>
> The temptation is to go for the Elite with the main negative being the 18-20 week wait. Other than the lack of the wait time and the lower cost, is there any reason to go for the X-50 version of the Journeyman?

sure, if you would order the [Journeyman Standard Series](https://www.onefinitycnc.com/product-page/onefinity-journeyman) immediately you could get familiar with the machine and begin to work with it until the [Elite Upgrade package](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/is-there-an-upgrade-or-trade-in-path-for-current-machines-to-the-elite-series/16803) is released 😉

If you plan to make accessories like table, wasteboard, enclosure, that’s all easier if you have the machine in your hands. And if you plan to use a spindle and build your [VFD control cabinet](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/search?q=VFD%20control%20cabinet), that’s custom stuff anyway, it won’t differ between Standard and Elite Series, at least if you take into account some dimensions of Elite accessories, especially [longer stepper motors](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/onefinity-elite-masso-motor-specs/18787). See [recommendation to reserve enough space around the machine](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/1st-post-size-matters-and-vertical-clamping-for-finger-joints-tenons/18074/3) when [building a table or enclosure](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/qcw-stand-kreg-wobble/18573/5). Just think of ordering the [80 mm spindle mount](https://www.onefinitycnc.com/product-page/80mm-spindle-mount), as 65 mm spindles don’t [clear the stepper](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/search?q=clear%20the%20stepper) with the standard Z-16 slider, they have [thin walls when water-cooled](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/pwncnc-spindle-insight/18468/7), some cheap chinese 65 mm spindles [had hairline cracks](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/water-cooled-spindle/7097/7) and broke ([see also here](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/water-cooling-pump-suck-vs-push/17900/3)). Also the drag chain that is offered on the Elite is not announced to be wide enough for everything when you plan to use a water-cooled spindle later. See here for [width computation](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/journeyman-x-50-drag-chain-addition/17984/2) for a drag chain.

> [@jsdds](#):
>
> So I guess my questions are, should I just go ahead and order the Elite Journeyman if I don’t mind the wait and the price difference?

If you really don’t mind the wait. As far as I know, the Standard Series ([like the Journeyman X-50](https://www.onefinitycnc.com/product-page/onefinity-journeyman)) are available within [2 weeks](https://www.onefinitycnc.com/order-info).

Welcome to the forum!

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### Author: ![jsdds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cc9497/32.png) [@jsdds](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/jsdds)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2023, 11:07pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/which-machine-to-buy/18784/3 "2023-02-13T23:07:38Z")

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Aiph5u  
Thank you for your detailed reply!

Since I have some shop modifications to perform and a bench to build, all of which should be done in a couple of months, I’ll likely order the Elite.

Thank you, again!
