After 2 and a half years of cussing, kicking, babying, down right nursing along our old AR-400 cnc, we are getting a new router. Sabre 408 and I am so excited!!! Should be in the shop by end of April. I'll post some pics. Can't wait!! Posted by Mark Smith (Member # 298) on :
Can't wait to see the pics! Steve, that's VERY cool.
Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :
I'll be around to salvage your old router.
Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :
Steve,
If you don't have to pay for it, I could see where you might be excited.
We did our research, and the the Sabre 408 fell way short in terms of what you get for the amount of money spent.
If you haven't signed the papers, better take one last hard look at a Wart Hog from Glentek.
1. Power, Speed, Accuracy, for a much better price.
2. If you are using Gerber Omega, like me, you can exprot the files as .ai into ProfileLab and they will cut perfectly in WinCNC
Of course, if you are bound and determined to blow an extra $25,000 on a Sabre, just remember you could buy 2 Wart Hogs which will do more.
Posted by Jon Aston (Member # 1725) on :
Steve:
Congrats! You've made an excellent decision in the Sabre 408. You WILL NOT find a better engineered, better built, more productive, or more reliable machine...or a better investment.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
he wants a sabre.... dotn need more fuel for buyers remorse..
Posted by Steve Nuttle (Member # 2645) on :
I swear to god that I don't know why I even bother with this board. People can't even be happy for one another with out criticizing! No Dave it's not my money but it's my job and livihood!! And like you we did our research also.
quote:The new CNC router is in, it runs back and forth up and down, and I even got it to cut a square. and it has a Porter Cable router attached, the table is 50" by 110" so I can comfortably work with 4x8 sheet of material. The gantry is oversized so the router will go to the very edge of the table (the full 50 inches. The table top is made of MDF parrticle board, so there are no grooves to clamp anything down. I have to screw or double stickey tape things down or find other creative ways to keep the substrait in place while routing. Profilelab 3D by Cadlink is the design software, WinCnC is the software that tells the router how to go back and forth and up and down.
Our old Ar-400 had a porter cable and it was so loud that it would drive you out of the shop. The new Sabre has a t-vac table and 7hp spindle. No more clamping or screwing with materials. Not to mention that cam software is Artpath which we have been using for years. I don't know about you Dave but we can't live without our router and that is why we need to replace it. We already know the software although I admit that Artpath is not the best but it WORKS for what we do including the 3-D. At a shop rate of $75.00/hr I can't afford to add several steps of converting plt files and learning G code!
I have no doubt that there will be a learning curve but I needed a machine that minimized the curve. I need a machince that I can immediately start cutting complex shapes, letters and bevels not just squares!
Plus it is my understanding that the Worthog uses rack and pinion on X and Y axis. Here is an interesting site you should check out Techno router facts
We did not go with Techno even though I think they have a good machine also. The reason, we already know artpath and are trying to minimize the curve.
After looking at everything in a year I will save the differance between the Worthog and the Sabre in time saved and productivity.
I wish you all the best with your Worthog. Each to their own. No buyers regrets here! We are happy with our new purchase, just wish others could share our joy.
Posted by David Wright (Member # 111) on :
Steve, if it's not too late, don't get the WartHog either. I was just at Sears and they have a sale on Craftsman tools. Get yourself a router, jigsaw and table saw for under a thousand. Unless you have money to burn, I just don't get why anyone would waste so much money on that junk.
[ March 28, 2004, 09:12 PM: Message edited by: David Wright ]
Posted by Dennis Raap (Member # 3632) on :
Steve,
I also have a 408 great machine good luck with the learniing curve if you get stumped on any thing email me will help if I can. Posted by Jon Aston (Member # 1725) on :
Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :
The 408 is a great router! Your going to love it. It's easy to learn, ultra accurate, built to last, fun to use. We have had one for about 3 years...no trouble. The artpath software and autocarve are easy to learn and use. The 'T' vac is great. We can hold down a 12"x12" with vac only. You don't want to skimp on the vacuum blower, ours is a 10Hp. We have the mist coolant option too, but find cutting aluminum is too messy, so we sub that out to Gemini. That said, the Sabre does a great job of cutting aluminum. Here's a sample of the kind of job the router can be used for. We just installed this job a week ago. http://www.commercialsigns.com/brinsmead.htm Posted by Jon Aston (Member # 1725) on :
Nice job, Duncan!
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Thank you for the link steve.
It explains a lot. From my personal experience with machines using acme screws and racks they are subject to backlash which is a major cause of tool breakage. Hand milling machines such as bridgports use acme screws and one finds himself making all kinds of gyrations to avoid the backlash problems. Takes so much longer to do a job that gets real tedious after a few hours..
Posted by Terry Colley (Member # 1245) on :
Steve , you won't have any regrets the 408 is a great router, I operated two of them side by side for six years, you have all you need speed accuracy and reliability, Cheers Terry
Posted by Henry Barker (Member # 174) on :
Congratulations!
I am going through the same thing now, and enjoying the benefits, and have had some great offers of help from people through the BB
Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :
We finally replaced our top mat after 3 years. We always had trouble double checking cut depth visually. The router comes with grey sintra mats. There was no contrast with the premask that holds the shapes together. We used black sintra this time and there is no trouble seeing when your cutting into the mat.
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