I’m getting ready to purchase my first CNC for small business sales of smaller custom products for weddings and special events. The Longmill beginners set looks intriguing. Can anyone offer your feedback and suggestions on this model? Space is not a consideration and I’m not worried about the learning curve for software (lots of programming and design software background). Thanks for any advice you can provide.
Hi Dan,
Welcome to the playground.
I think a cnc can help you make fantastic products for weddings and special events.
I have a Longmill myself so consider this feedback biassed towards that machine. That disclaimer should at least give you an idea on how content I am with it. It’s a feast to work with. There is indeed a learning curve, but given your background I don’t even thinkmit will be steap for you. I think it will be a fun one. There is a ton of tutorials and information available on the longmill, be it on tha tube or on the sienci website.
However.. The longmill feels like a passed station, if you look at the phase the Altmill is picking up. Sure, the longmill is a capable machine but against the Altmill it just can’t keep up.
Looking at the forum, I see more and more Altmill related content with the Longmill slowly fading away from view. I feel that the shifting focus isn’t a bad thing for the Altmill. The more Altmill users, the more trouble shooters create content for that machine.
Since size isn’t an issue, you might want to consider to go for the 30x48 longmill or the bigger Alrtmill. It might seem a bit overkill at first but working with multiple workstations, even my 48"" is too small sometimes. And once you’re name is set, small projects are only small if the client wants them small. You have the space for a larger machine? Go for it.
I stepped into the world of cnc with my Longmill and looking back, I am glad I did not had the option to go Altmill right at the beginning. I don’t have an Altmill, but from what I have seen on the tubes, the Longmill is a wee bit more forgiving when (not if) things go sideways. I got to make the stupid mistakes and live to tell the tales, so to speak. Now I know, you can always tune things down at first, but would you drive a muscle car like a muesli? I wouldn’t (That’s why I have a muesli car in the first place.)
If your budget is tight and/or your scedule does not allow a 6 month lead time, go Longmill. It is capable enough to get you going.
If budget and lead time don’t matter, look into the altmill.
Hope to have given some useable info.
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I have a LongMill 30x30 Mk1. When I received it in or around October of 2021 is was Sienci’s top dog, a LongMill 30x30 V4b. It’s a hobby for me so I don’t use it everyday but I’ve never had any problems with it. It has a couple of consumable parts, v-wheels and anti-backlash nuts, that will wear out over time. How long depends on how often and hard you run the machine but they aren’t expensive parts. I just upgraded to the SuperLongBoard and I see no reason why it won’t be running for another four years.
I’m very happy with my LongMill albeit a little jealous of the new offerings of which there have been many, each better than the last IMHO. Prusa is the same way, always coming out with a better printer than the one I bought from them, but you can’t fault a company for improving on what was already great. So while I don’t know which machine is the right fit for you, I don’t think you can go wrong with Sienci. They stand behind their products and are constantly pushing the boundaries of what you can achieve with machines in the price range of mere mortals.
Yeah, I’m biased, but that’s because my experience with the machine and this community has been so positive.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, they’re also open source, participate in the community, and answer emails and the phone!
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