To learn more, here’s a link to the Maslow website and a secret link to order one.Ĭurtis has the Maslow up and running now and I’ll be back soon to report on the results.
Remember that this CNC kit is very basic, lightly documented and you’ll need to be comfortable with computers and software to make it work. If you’re interested, check into it soon. Fortunately, Maslow is accepting more orders for the next few weeks or so. But, a lot of us would rather buy a kit with all the parts included.
Ultimately, the project is being shared as an open source project, where everything from design to source code for the software is publicly available. The Kickstarter phase of the Maslow CNC project closed several months back. He has since moved to a stiffer Baltic Birch router base with a laminate on the bottom surface to reduce friction. Though the material works well for reducing friction, once he started running tests, the base flexes too much as the CNC moves. And, to help the router move smoothly, he made his router base out of HDPE plastic rather than plywood. Chipboard is not only cheaper, but it’s also heavy and very flat - desirable features for any CNC. Real world feedback is vital so that the final kits and instructions will be as fine tuned as possible.Ĭurtis explains how he went about stiffening up the Maslow’s frame, wings, and bed.īeing the incredible furniture maker he is, Curtis jointed and flattened all the frame parts and used chipboard instead of plywood for the bed. What that means is that the product is nearing final development. The Maslow is better for cutting designs from sheets of flat material like plywood or MDF, then smaller solid wood parts.Īs part of the development phase, a group of early backers volunteered to be “beta testers”.
Keep in mind that the way the machine is designed and it’s low cost make it hard to compare it to most CNCs. Rather than a flatbed CNC, the machine works vertically, suspending a router by a pair of chains that wrap around a couple of small motors. This started out as a crowd-funded Kickstarter project, which means that the product is still in a development phase.Īs you can see, the Maslow is rather unique. If you’re new to the Maslow, here’s Part One, Two and Three.
$350 if you’ve got a couple of 2” x 4”s and some plywood to throw in.
It’s kit based, and costs less than $500.