The ongoing trade war situation continues to change dynamically. As of yesterday, Trump has pulled back on some of the tariffs imposed on the rest of the world except China. We’re continuing to wait and see how the rest of the tariffs will play out. However there are some serious implications that consumers should know.
How to know if you’re paying too much in duties and tariffs
There has unfortunately been a big jump in mis-billed duties and tariffs from UPS brokerage, including charging duties and tariffs on:
Shipments under $800USD that fall under deminimis
Shipments that have items that are under USMCA and are tax exempt
If you get charged, don’t panic. We can help you. We have now established a process of pre-checking shipments to ensure that shipments do not get charged an unreasonable amount to clear before shipping, to make the process less stressful on your end. Unfortunately, there may be some charges, such as broker fees and tariffs on non-USMCA certified items, but we are working to keep the impact minimal.
If your shipment can be cleared without additional tariffs, we are marking them as DDP, which means that if there is an error on the broker side, we will pay the cost first so that we can dispute it directly, rather than needing to work through the customer.
When you order, you can check our list of items that are certified under USMCA here. Most items including:
AltMills 2×4 and 4×4
All versions of the LongMill
All versions of the touchplate
Vortex Rotary Axis
LaserBeam
gControl Panel Computer
All versions of end mill sets
Items falling under the USMCA blanket certificate, as of time of writing, can cross into the US without paying duties and tariffs.
We have restricted the sale of some items, including the Makita RT0701 router as an individual item (Makita routers bundled with machines will still be able to ship without issues) and any t-shirts to the US by hiding them in the store to US customers as these items are likely to incur high tariffs and cause hold ups at the border.
UPS Brokerage changes at the US border
We just met with our UPS representative to go over a number of things.
First is that with so many changes happening so fast, there are a lot of mistakes happening in clearance for items. Here are some notes:
With the new changes, UPS brokerage is handling an additional 150,000 submissions per day for customs. This is on top of what they have had in the past, which means that UPS brokers are working overtime and weekends. Because this brokerage is largely human driven, mistakes can be made.
While in the past, shipments could reach the US and await customs clearance, goods are no longer allowed to enter into the US unless the clearance is complete in Canada. If any package in a truck or container does not have clearance already approved, the whole truck or container must be shipped back, causing additional delays in some cases.
There has also been a huge jump in shipments returning back to Canada, because customers do not want to pay the new tariffs.
Given the ongoing situation, shipping rates are likely to be slower than usual. With the current situation, UPS has offered a reduction in our brokerage fee, which we are working on to acquire.
Starting May 2, 2025, the Trump administration intends to remove the deminimis exemption for shipments under $800USD for Chinese goods, which effectively puts a tariff on not just large shipments but small ones as well. This also includes products of Chinese origin entering the US from other countries, including Canada. This means that at the current time of writing, Chinese goods could have a 125% tariff imposed on them. This change is expected to put an even larger burden on brokerages as all shipments with Chinese goods will need to clear customs, regardless of how small it is.
As far as we can understand, this only applies to Chinese goods, which means that shipments containing non-Chinese originating products can still enter into the US under $800USD, tariff free. However, this may require us to adjust the type of product that we ship if they are originating in China.
Another round of news on tariffs is here! Let’s get right into it.
Thank you ChatGPT
Changes to the current tariff situation
We’ll start off by talking about what the situation looked like back in March, then move into how things have changed since.
While initially it seemed like there would be a 25% tariff on imported goods into the US from Canada, after a few days, it was changed to allow USMCA goods to continue to cross the border tariff-free as it had been before the trade war. This meant that a significant number of products we produce, including the AltMill and LongMill, could travel tariff-free.
Although talks to remove or reduce de minimis were held, which allowed goods under $800USD in value to cross the border without tariffs and duties, this ultimately did not come to pass
Items not under USMCA were subject to a 25% tariff.
While at first glance it seems a lot has changed, in our case, things appear to remain largely the same.
The $800USD de minimis rule still continues to apply, although talks have still continued in changing or abolishing this.
Other items remain at a 25% tariff for Canadian goods not certified by USMCA.
For a full list of USMCA-certified items, please see this list.
Due to these specific circumstances, while we have had some minor issues dealing with the new tariffs, we have been avoid them for the most part. At the current time, there is no indication from the White House on when it expects to revisit these tariffs.
How the tariffs apply to everything else
While it seems like we’re able to dodge much of the repercussions of the trade war due to our specific circumstances, as we discussed in the previous post, this will have a widespread impact on the CNC market, especially for US producers. Just like the auto industry, parts used to build CNCs come from all across the world.
Newly imposed retaliatory tariffs on countries such as China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Australia, Malaysia, and approximately 60 countries, plus a 10% baseline tariff on imports that span on 185 countries, means that the cost to produce CNCs in the US will increase.
For example, the popular Masso controller used with several notable CNC producers in the US is produced in Australia, which will soon have a 10% tariff imposed. With previous tariffs and duties imposed for Chinese aluminum extrusion exports, we’ve seen growth in aluminum extrusion exports from Vietnam and Malaysia as new sources, but with increased tariffs of 46% and 24% means that producers using materials from these countries are also facing added costs. Things like carbide material from Germany used in the CNC industry is expected to have a 20% tariff and Taiwanese bearings and linear motion components will have a 32% tariff. But most importantly, with an additional 34% tariff added to the existing 20% tariff on China, the largest source for CNC parts and materials, the cost of producing CNCs is expected to increase across the board for US producers.
The point here is that in our market, simply buying USA-made won’t be the solution for consumers to get around the tariff, especially when costs for US producers are expected to rise as well. While Trump is pushing the narrative that tariffs will protect American jobs and the economy, it isn’t without some compromises. Additionally, if other countries put in reciprocal tariffs, it is likely to affect CNC demand for US-built machines, adding to the pain to US manufacturers.
In some ways, this trade war puts Canadian CNC manufacturers in an even stronger position, such as us, where USMCA laws, plus the fact that duties on importing goods from across the world necessary for CNC manufacturing are cheaper due to the added costs that come from tariffs. With current events in mind, even considerations for Canada to strengthen its economic relationship with China have been part of the discussion on the Canadian political stage.
Impact on our current business
As it stands now, since the imposition of tariffs, sales of our products have declined, but not completely. With 75% of our sales revenue coming from the US, there is hesitancy to order at this very moment due to the uncertainty of how much customers may need to pay to bring their machines across the border. Given that we are still unsure about whether new tariffs will be imposed, and with our current choice not to accept the added cost of the tariffs for machines shipping after March 4th, we expect sales to be slow until this policy changes.
Thankfully, with over 400 AltMills currently in the queue, and with plans to complete shipping of all 400 units in the next 8 weeks, it is a relief that we won’t have to face significant costs for the customers who ordered prior to our changeover from paying duties and taxes on behalf of the customer to having customers pay for customs at import back in March 4th.
At the end of the day, we are still trying to catch up with demand, and we expect lead times for AltMills to be long for some time. While in the short term, sales may be slower than what they would be without the trade war, I see this as an opportunity to catch up on our queue and focus more on our production side without being overwhelmed by sales. The plan is to prepare ourselves for another wave of orders for CNCs once the trade war resolves or find ways to restrategize around it. Additionally, while sales may not be where they could be, I would note that we have still seen a 50% growth in revenue between 2024 and 2025 year to date, allowing us to save some money to adapt to changes in the market.
It’s also important to remember how dynamic the economy is, and we should also consider:
If demand for parts and products needed for our manufacturing drops across the board due to tariffs, will we be able to get lower pricing on materials?
Will we see people lose jobs and move to start businesses instead of choosing to find new traditional work?
Will labour costs in manufacturing go down or stay stagnant to allow for products to be made more affordably?
Will some of our competition falter, growing our market share and dominance?
Even though in one area costs go up, the overall impact might be offset by other factors in the market.
In the long run, as long as our company stays diligent in development, production, and scaling, we’ll be able to weather the ups and downs of the economy. Canada continues to fight back in the trade war with reciprocal tariffs, and has continued to hold them in place until the US drops their tariffs as well. I expect this to be the case until the end of the trade war.
Confusion at the border
With such dramatic and fast changes, we’ve seen an uptick in customs and border issues. While we’re able to clear most shipments without a tariff, a number of customers have been charged incorrectly. Thankfully, with our direct contact at UPS, we’ve been able to resolve issues and have UPS issue refunds for shipments that were not cleared properly.
The fact of the situation is that much of the customs brokerage system is manually done and prone to error. While we do use EDI (electronic data interchange), which significantly streamlines the process, and as far as we understand, specific people in the UPS brokerage department are assigned to handle our shipments, human error can still happen.
If you run into issues with customs, please feel free to contact us, and we can help you resolve them.
Moving forward
We have been working with customers directly to help them navigate the tariff situation. It should be noted that at this moment, as long as products fall under our USCMA certification, they can cross into the US without tariffs. You may want to make a buying decision based on this.
We have now received parts to make a big push to clear the existing waitlist of customers. However, even as we ramp up production to 200 units per month, customers who place orders today will likely need to wait till June or longer to receive their orders. The situation may be different or change. For customers who are unwilling to pay tariffs, if the USMCA exemption is removed, we are advising customers to either place orders now and cancel their orders if a tariff is put into place, or wait until the trade war is over.
Hey everyone, here are April 2025 production updates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW8kxUtdDj0
Inventory count day
Building Expansion
March was highlighted with the first half of our expansion in our current building, where we moved our desks upstairs to a new office space allowing us to make room for the downstairs to expand production. Our upstairs, being around 6000sqft will be used for general desk work and meetings, housing our customer service, engineering, administration, and marketing departments. Things like our prototyping and production offices are remaining downstairs.
We are expecting to knock down a wall sometime this summer to add another 3000sqft of downstairs space from our neighbours next door who are planning to expand into office space next to theirs as well. It’ll be a bit of shuffling around for everyone.
US Canada Tariffs
For latest news on tariffs, please visit our article here.
We’re expecting more news to come out April 2nd, at which point we will work out another message for everyone to keep folks update about the situation.
gSender is Getting a New Look!
Education
We are slowly expanding our business reach by exploring the education sector. We’ve now opened up ordering for schools and institutions through our education form. This is if you’re representing a school or institution and may require more specific ordering and payment processes.
Spindle Certification
Earlier last month we were in touch with ESA about having proper certifications for the H100 VFD that is used as part of the AltMill Spindle and Dust Shoe Kit and the LongMill Spindle and Dust Shoe Kit. As far as we understand, they require us to have certain safety certifications for this unit to be used in Ontario. Because of this, we’ve reached out to customers in Ontario who may already have this and paused the sale of this VFD within Canada. Once we have completed it, we will resume the sale of this item.
At the time of writing, we’re working with a certification body to safety certify the VFD, and we’ve contacted any customers who might be affected directly with more info and additional updates if necessary. From what we have learned, we may need to produce a modified version of the enclosure that complies with certain standards, but keeps the same internal parts. We’ve consulted with the certification firm and are in production of an updated VFD enclosure now and expect it to be completed in the next few weeks.
CAD design for sheet metal enclosure
At the time of writing, as well, we have not heard any reports of injury or damage. While this does not necessarily imply that the unit is unsafe, the ESA has asked us to comply with their directive for compliance.
AltMill
Most of March was spent preparing for the big shipping push this April. Now that we’ve cleared out of stock on AltMill MK1s, all new machines going out will be MK2s.
We are expecting to start shipping machines at the start of April, and aim to push 200 units per month, or 50 units per week until stock runs out again. We’ve just received parts for both AltMill 4×4 and 2×4!
As we mentioned prior, we’re gradually building up larger amounts of stock to decrease lead times for AltMill, and we estimate around 50 pallets of parts stocked up at a secondary warehouse now to help fulfill demand.
Jon opening crates of new AltMill rails
LongMill
After a short pause on shipping of LongMills, due to a shortage of SLB case parts, we are now back to a 1-3 business day lead time. This means all LongMills will ship within a few days.
gControl Panel Computer
gControls are back and we have another 500 units to ship out. We’re expecting to have around 150-200 units in stock after we clear our queue, or another 2ish months of stock. We’ll be starting another batch of 500 as soon as we’ve cleared the queue so that we don’t have another backlog again.
AutoSpin T1 Router
Exciting news! We’ve now received the first batch of AutoSpin T1 Routers for beta testing. We received a total of 35 routers for our first batch of testing, which have gone out to LongMill, Onefinity, Shapeoko, and other CNC users.
Speed testingOnefinity testing
Once beta testing is complete and we’ve finalized the details, we’ll be starting production in the next few weeks. Johann and Daniel are in China to visit the factory which these will be produced in to figure the last few details, and we expect us to get units ready for sale in about 3-4 months.
As the weeks have continued to pass, the tariff situation continues to unfold. We have continued to follow the situation closely to assess the impact on our company, customers, and community in general. Trump had initially planned to impose a 25% tariff on all goods moving between Canada and the US on Feb 4th. However, this was postponed to March 4th. On March 6th, Trump imposed exemptions on tariffs for products that fall under the USMCA trade agreements.
How does that impact current customers?
If you have placed an order already, prior to March 4, 2025 at 3PM, we will continue to uphold our promise to provide DDP or DAP incoterms for American customers (basically this means “delivery duty paid”, which means that the shipment will enter the US with us paying any duties and tariffs). We have continued to provide this as the default option since June 2, 2022. You can learn more about this in our previous article.
The main reason we can provide this is because most of our products, including the AltMill and LongMill are certified under the USMCA. For a full list of USMCA-certified items, please see this list.
Customers in Canada and other parts of the world will not be impacted by the trade war.
As of this moment, tariffs on goods that fall under USMCA will be exempt from US-Canada tariffs until at least April 2, 2025. This means that many machines shipping US-bound will cross without tariffs.
Additionally, we have not seen any changes to the de-minimis. Orders under $800USD may still be imported from Canada to the US without duties and taxes due to the De Minimis Value threshold.
As of this moment, although it is possible the trade disputes will be over, it is not clear what the outcome will be. For the time being, new customers purchasing March 4, 2025 at 3PM may be required to pay tariffs if they are imposed. However, we are currently assessing the impact of potentially offering a subsidy to the tariff if they are imposed to reduce the impact to the customer. If that is the case, we will provide support for all customers to navigate through the tariff situation and provide proper customs documentation and filings for import to US. Latest updates will be provided here.
If a tariff is imposed and you are required to pay for it, duties and taxes will be assessed at the border and you will receive a customs invoice prior to delivery. If you need help navigating, please feel free to contact us.
How this impacts the wider hobby CNC industry
We expect that tariffs that have been in place previously and new ones that are currently being imposed will hurt the accessibility and pricing of nearly all items in the North American hobby CNC industry. The tariffs imposed by the US have had an impact due to Section 301 for Chinese goods years prior to this trade war in 2025 which imposed tariffs ranging from 10-25%. This current trade war imposes additional tariffs on Chinese goods coming into the US of 20% currently.
It is no secret that significant volumes of materials and parts come from China and other areas overseas. US and Canada oftentimes lack the technology or capacity to make components at an affordable cost of high quality. We have oftentimes tried to work with Canadian and US manufacturers, only to find out that a significant portion of their manufacturing is already done overseas. Additionally, for certain products, such as aluminum parts, China provides a rebate for exports, which makes it significantly (around 60% less expensive) to produce certain parts overseas, which makes it an attractive option over producing domestically.
From my last visit to China, and in response to the tariffs, manipulating customs values for Chinese to USA imports is almost universally rampant. Discussions with some other CNC manufacturers in the US also noted that they are using different loopholes to get around higher taxes and tariffs. I expect that many companies will look for new ways to mitigate the impact of tariffs and taxes, which may soften the blow of costs passed down to the consumer. However, these factors still greatly impact most US CNC producers.
New sweeping tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to the US are also expected to impact costs for CNC machines in the US, especially since most CNC machines are made from steel and aluminum. For context, the US imported 3.2 million tons of aluminum from Canada alone last year, compared to around 785,000 tons produced domestically in the US, or approximately one-quarter of the total amount imported from Canada. Even if the trade war doesn’t last that long, job cuts in the industry in preparation for the tariffs is expected to cause ripple effects in the industry regardless, which may increase prices for materials in the short term as well.
New tariffs imposed in 2025 affect Canadian producers as well. While current exemptions for USMCA-qualified products provide a short break from this, a full imposition of tariffs will mean that the cost for US customers to import their CNC machines from Canada will jump. Based on Canadian imposed tariffs, Canadian customers importing CNC machines from the US may also find their costs to increase as well.
The silver lining is that we need to be more creative in bringing manufacturing back to Canada to control costs. Over time we hope that the cost of production and our production ability in North America develop. We also hope that some of the technology we develop can be used for creating this future as well.
What’s next?
We are hoping that the trade war will end before April 2nd when Canada, Mexico, and US will revisit the exemptions on USMCA products. We are continuing to monitor the news and plan on how to navigate these tariffs to minimize the impact to us and our customers. For further updates, please see our blog.
Hey there! Disclaimer: This is a guest blog article, the views and opinions expressed in this guest post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of Sienci Labs.
Creating a flawless V-carve inlay may seem intimidating, but this step-by-step guide will simplify the process, even for beginners. With no overcomplications and no need for CNC expertise, you’ll be crafting detailed inlays in no time.
If you want to watch the full video on youtube click here.
Understanding V-Carve Inlays vs. Straight Flute Inlays
Before diving into the process, it’s essential to understand how V-carve inlays differ from traditional straight flute inlays.
Straight Flute Inlays involve pocketing material with a straight bit and inserting another piece of wood into the pocket. However, they limit fine detail work due to the bit’s diameter.
V-Carve Inlays, on the other hand, use a V-bit that cuts at varying depths and angles, allowing for intricate designs. The angled cuts form a tight bond between the male and female parts of the inlay, providing a seamless and professional finish.
What You’ll Need: Tools & Materials
Materials:
Female Material: Light colored hardwood for the base (1.7” thick)
Male Material: Dark colored hardwood for the insert (0.6” thick)
We’re using the maple and walnut inlay kit from CICWorkshop. These premade endgrain boards are the perfect size and ready to use without the extra prep work. Link: https://cicworkshop.com/collections/inlay-kits/products/inlay-top-bottom
Tip: Due to the direction of the wood, endgrain has the best texture for V-Carve inlays.
Bit Selection:
3/16” Upcut Bit: For clearing the bulk of material before adding final details. Link: https://cicworkshop.com/collections/bits/products/3-16x-3-4-upcut-1-4-shank-uc2875
30 Degree V-Bit: To finish carving the image with accuracy and precision. Link: https://cicworkshop.com/collections/bits/products/30-deg-v-groove-3-flute-1-4-shank-vsc30
Make sure to use the same bit on both sides of your inlay to ensure both pieces fit together securely
Recommended CNC Machine:
We are using the Altmill CNC, it’s reliable and cost-effective. Affiliate Link: https://www.sienci.com/?ref=zte3ztn
Digital File:
Design your own or Use this free digital file from CICworkshop.com Link: https://cicworkshop.com/collections/digital-files/products/deer-inlay-digital-file
Step 1: Program the Female Inlay Piece
Set your design in the CNC software (e.g., an 18×12-inch scene or any custom design).
Apply a flat depth of 0.25 inches for the V-carve.
CNC Settings:
Feed Rate: 80 inches per minute
Plunge Rate: 50 inches per minute
Add a Clearance Toolpath: Use the 3/16-inch up-cut bit for faster material clearing.
Step 2: Program the Male Inlay Piece
Mirror the Design: To ensure a perfect fit when assembled.
Key Parameters:
Glue Gap: 0.02 inches (provides tolerance for minor errors and prevents hollow sounds).
Plug Depth: 0.23 inches (pocket depth minus glue gap).
Surface Gap: 0.1 inches (prevents glue from sticking to the base, making sanding easier).
CNC Settings for Male Inlay:
Use the same bits and settings as the female inlay to ensure consistency.
Step 3: CNC Cutting Process
Once your design is programmed it’s time to start carving your Inlay:
Carving the Female Inlay:
Secure the base material to the CNC table using clamps.
Start with the 3/16-inch up-cut bit for clearing material.
Recalibrate the Z-zero point before switching to the 30-degree V-bit for detail work.
DON’T FORGET: Each bit is different length so remember to set your Z-zero after switching bits. X and Y zeros remain the same because the material stays in the same spot.
Carving the Male Inlay:
Secure the insert material to the CNC table.
Use the 3/16-inch up-cut bit for clearing.
Follow up with the 30-degree V-bit for detailed engraving. (Remember, reset your Z-Zero)
Cut the male inlay and carefully remove any tabs.
Step 4: Assembly and Gluing
Check for Debris: Ensure no large wood chunks are left in the pockets to achieve a proper glue-up. Use a stainless steel steel brush and/or compressed air to remove any debris.
Dry Fit: Test the fit before applying glue. A 0.1-inch surface gap should be visible, which will compress when pressed.
Apply Glue:
Use a high-quality wood glue like Titebond II or III.
A silicone brush works well for spreading glue evenly in all crevices.
Ensure every detail has glue coverage to avoid weak spots. Tip you can insert the male piece and remove it to ensure all contact point are covered in glue.
Pressing the Inlay:
Use an inlay press for even pressure. You can make your own press with this file from CIC Workshop
Alternatively, a piece of plywood with weights or C-clamps will work.
Step 5: Surfacing and Finishing
Surfacing the Top:
Use the 3/16-inch up-cut bit to surface the top, removing the 0.1-inch surface gap.
The CNC should follow a simple rectangular toolpath for uniform surfacing.
Sanding and Edging:
Sand the surface for smoothness.
Add desired edges or chamfers for a refined look.
Finishing:
Dip the board in mineral oil to enhance the wood’s natural beauty.
Apply additional finishes as desired for durability and aesthetics.
Step 6: Final Reveal and Resources
The digital file for the deer scene used in this guide is available for free at cicworkshop.com. Download it and follow the steps outlined here to create your own stunning V-carve inlays.
With the right tools, materials, and this straightforward guide, crafting detailed and professional V-carve inlays is entirely achievable.
Remember:If you ain’t cutting it close, you ain’t cutting it right.
Hey everyone, here are March 2025 Production Updates.
Hiring
We currently have quite a few new job postings. Check out our Indeed postings here. Can’t find a specific job opening but want to share your interest in working at Sienci Labs, please check out our general application.
Office Expansion
When we first moved from our roughly 8000sq/ft location to our current 15,000sq/ft location, it felt like expanding into that space would take forever. Well, perhaps we spoke too soon. With the incoming shipments for increasing batch sizes for the AltMill, plus with the anticipated 4×8 ft AltMills and Sm-AltMills, we’re running out of room to build everything.
With about 40-50 pallets coming in the next few weeks, we’ve also started off-site warehousing, which means that some of our materials will be held in storage a few minutes away, ready to go when we need them.
We’re currently in discussion with our landlord about expanding our space by another approximately 9000 sq/ft, including part of the downstairs area of our neighbour and the upstairs portion of our current unit. Once we’ve taken possession of the space, we’ll most likely start building out the new space in the summer.
AltMill
AltMill shipments have been going out intermittently depending on the availability of SLB and SLB-EXT cases and case end plates. We have run out of those parts, and although we were expecting them to arrive already, they have been delayed in shipping. We have another batch expressed to us expected to come near the end of Feb, which means that we should be able to pick up shipping without much delay.
A large number of shipments have come in as we prepare for AltMill MK2 to ship. We are pre-packing and pre-assembling so that we can start shipping AltMills quickly once all of the remaining parts arrive in March.
STL files for stepper motor covers are available to download for free from our Resources. A link to download can be found at the bottom of the page. These covers were designed for the AltMill MK2 to help protect the wiring of the closed-loop stepper motors. They come included by default with AltMill MK2, but MK1 owners can print and install them if they want.
We are also making progress on 4×8 AltMill design, with Ben showing us a first look at the rack and pinion design he’s been working on.
I also happened to come across a few Sm-AltMills under construction in the back shop. Not exactly sure what the plans are for those but it’s exciting to see some come to shape.
LongMill
We’ve had one short pause on shipping for the LongMills due to a shortage of inductive sensor cables extensions needed for the 48×30 variants of the machine. However, we’ve since switched to including inductive sensors with 5m cabling instead, which forgoes the need for the extension cable and overall improves the reliability by reducing another connection point.
As we mentioned above, we have slowed on shipping for LongMill slightly as we wait on more of the SLB enclosures to come in, but we expect that to be resolved by the time this blog post comes out.
gControl
The next 294 units have now shipped for Batch 2! We are now waiting for a new batch of 500 computers to arrive early to mid-March. We expect to clear the remaining queue once they arrive, and new orders are expected to ship within a few days once we have ready-to-go stock.
AutoSpin T1
We have now collected a small group of beta testers for the AutoSpin T1, which span users of LongMill, Shapeoko, and Onefinity, allowing us to confirm and test compatibility for many major hobby CNC machines.
Beta test units are expected to go to users in the next few weeks.
Hey guys, here’s our Feb 2025 Production Updates. I am currently on vacation so I will be writing this from out of the office.
AltMill
We have continued to ship out AltMill MK1s to the last of the customers in the queue and are expecting to finish in the next two weeks. Afterwards, any machines still in the queue will receive a MK2. At the time of writing, we currently have around 50 machines still left to ship in MK1.
This past month was highlighted by the launch of the AltMill MK2 and the new 2×4 foot variant. We are now expecting MK2 rails to arrive in mid-March, which will allow us to start shipping AltMill MK2 4×4 and 2×4 in late March. Given we have a reasonably large queue, we currently have approximately 300 machines to build in the queue, which means that customers ordering now may be waiting around 2-3 months for their machines if they order today.
Batch 4, which contains machines for MK2 contains 500 units, which is a mix of 2×4 and 4×4 AltMills.
AltMill MK2 2×4
We’ve recently hired a number of new team members for the packing team to help speed up the shipping for AltMills and other products and accessories. We’re also expecting a large influx of parts in Feb and March, which means we’ll also be starting to restructure and organize our space to allow for more storage space.
Batch 5, which we have started initial production planning will likely contain around 750 units, additionally to help alleviate lead times.
In other news, our engineering team has been working on a new rack and pinion system to potentially be used in 4×8 variants of the AltMill MK2. Although we don’t have a specific timeline for the development and release of this machine, we expect more news to come out near the end of the year.
LongMill
Most LongMills continue to ship out as usual. Due to a shortage of extension cables for the inductive sensors, we’ve now switched to offering inductive sensors from the AltMill with longer wiring as an alternative to be used on LongMill MK2.5 48×30 machines.
We are expecting to get new cables in the next 3 weeks, however, we are debating whether we should just offer the longer cable inductive sensors or keep the extensions in the kit.
gControl
We’ve now received our next 300 computers which are being packed and shipped right now. Since the production of the computers we’ve made some updates to the operating system to significantly improve the loading time for gSender. We do have instructions on how to do this on our resources, but we’ve decided that re-flashing all the computers would improve the customer experience and would be worth the extra work.
We are now sold out on our second batch of 300 computers. Due to high demand, we’ve ordered another 500 computers, which are now on the way. We are expecting them at the start of March, which is when the next batch will also ship.
Pallets of computers ready to be packed
The majority of the new batch from the 300 have now been shipped and we are continuing to pack and ship as we clear out the new stock.
Vortex Rotary Axis
We are still waiting on additional extrusions for the 48″ wide variant of the Vortex Rotary Axis due to customs inspections for the parts en route. We are expecting to receive these parts and resume shipping the Vortex Rotary axis in the next 2 weeks. 30″ variants are continuing to ship without delay.
AutoSpin T1
We are expecting the first batch of around 35 routers for testing to be completed in Feb 16. We will ship them to around 20 assigned beta testers and industry partners once they arrive. We’re currently working on testing with a wide variety of machines including Onefinities, Shapeokos, and more, to ensure compatibility.
It’s been a short 10 months since we first launched the AltMill.
We’ve learned a lot with our first batches of the AltMill and we’ve combined all those things into improvements to our latest version. We’re now excited to share our second iteration of the MK2, which bring improvements to the quality, ease of construction, and quality of life, as well as preparing for new iterations and development for the Sm-AltMill and 4×8 machines in the future.
The MK2 refers to the platform change, which means that any machine with the new design changes are part of the MK2 family, which means that the AltMill 2×4 is also a MK2 machine.
If you’re looking for more information about the AltMill MK2 2×4, please check out this other blog post.
AltMill MK2AltMill MK1
Production changes and challenges
AltMill lead times have continued to be long since the first launch of the machine. While our production rate has continued to increase over time, decreasing lead times have also coincided with increased demand, due to the growing public knowledge and interest of the AltMill. We are working on a number of things to decrease lead times and our goal is to eventually have units ready to ship in 1-2 weeks on average.
Batch sizes
To mitigate the risk of quality and technical issues in the shipping of our first batches, we’ve kept batch sizes relatively low, with Batch 1 being 50 units, Batch 2 being 200 units, and Batch 3 being 250 units. Batch 4, which we are currently in, is something of a split batch of 500 units. I am calling it a “split batch” because some components have been ordered and produced in a batch of 500 while some have been ordered in a batch of 250, based on cost, size, and our confidence in the part quality. Additionally, we’ve been working to diversify our supplier portfolio, so that we can split up parts from the same batch across two or more suppliers, allowing us to decrease lead times.
Supplier diversification
As our part complexity and quantity grow, we’ve worked to diversify our portfolio of producers and manufacturers. The first is to distribute work to decrease lead times. By using more than one manufacturer to produce the same component, we can ensure that if one manufacturer has issues or is delayed, we still have a second source for the products. Plus, if parts take a long time to make, having a smaller batch to produce can reduce the total production time.
Second, we’ve been working with different manufacturers to understand their strengths and distribute work based on their competencies. We found that some manufacturers may be proficient in extrusion production but not in machined components. Traditionally, it was easier to aggregate production to reduce the number of suppliers and logistical overhead, but at this point, we’re at the scale where it makes more sense to have manufacturers focus on their core competencies to have the best quality possible.
Production space changes
Since moving into our new space in north Waterloo in November 2023, our space has adapted significantly. We’ve implemented new racking and equipment to increase the storage capacity of our production area. However, as we increase our batch sizes, our demand for space will increase as well. At this moment, our team is working on expanding the production area with potentially taking over more of our current building, as well as looking into a second space for warehousing.
Design changes and challenges
When working on the first batch of AltMills, we encountered a number of problems, some we were expecting and some we weren’t. Much of MK2 development is to address and improve the overall manufacturability and ease of customer assembly.
Extrusion
As we found when we first developed extrusions for the LongMill MK2, we knew that ensuring the flatness and straightness of the new extrusions were going to be critical in ensuring the precision of the machine. With the AltMill, with larger rails and the addition of linear guides, tolerancing was going to be an even more important part of the process.
Having material furthest from the center of the axis of rotation or flex offers the most rigidity in a structure. This is why in the initial design, the inside of the rail did not have any cross bracing. This might be counter intuitive, but actually is the most optimal way to design the rail. However, what we learned was that having some sort of cross-bracing would improve the straightness of the rail in production. While there is a small tradeoff in weight and potential performance, these differences are negligible for the added benefit of having higher production yield.
The original design and the current design both use machined surfaces to ensure that even with some deviation in the straightness and flatness of the rail, the linear motion would still mount without binding, but we found that in extreme circumstances, the rail would be so bent that the center of the rail wouldn’t get machined at all. These rails would need to either be re-machined or scrapped.
Another unexpected small benefit was the fact that the cross-brace increased the resonant frequency of the system itself so that the machine “rings” less.
Inside of the Y railInside of the X rail
Additionally, to aid with assembly, the Y-rails come with a small extruded “ledge” that helps keep the crossbeams supported and straight. This also improves the speed of assembly as the crossbeams can be held in place by the ledge while being bolted together, and the table does not need to be flipped twice during assembly to mount the table legs.
MK2 designMK1 design
Crossbeams also now mount using a custom tall-head screw, making it impossible to drop into the rail, and improving accessibility of the screw head for easier assembly.
Custom tall-head crossbeam screws
To add one more change to the Y-axis extrusion design is the integrated dust cover for the ball screw, instead of the stainless steel covers used on the MK1, which serve the same purpose, but reduce the assembly time and total part count. The addition of the ledge for the drag chain also helps keep it aligned during use. This recessed area also exists on the X-axis rail to help align the drag chain as well.
MK2 dust coverMK1 dust cover
A last subtle difference in the MK2 extrusions is the consistent use of a more fine bead blasted and anodized finish on all extrusions including the crossbeams. This is more costly than the unanodized crossbeams used in the MK1 AltMill, but greatly enhances overall polish of the machine – even if these parts get hidden by the wasteboard.
Machining
One aspect of the manufacturing that proved to be a larger headache than expected was with the threading of the extrusion, notably, the M4s used with the linear guides and end tapping with the crossbeams. With the manufacturing of the LongMill MK2, we ended up developing a system to tap the extrusions in-house, especially since we had also started cutting rails for each of the various sizes for the LongMill as well. However, given the larger number of tapped holes, we had to bring the tapping out of house.
We found that some of the tapped holes had weak threads, causing them to strip during the assembly of the linear guides or when installing the crossbeams.
We’ve improved the quality control and documentation so that our manufacturers are able to catch poor threading, however, we recognize that ensuring proper threading would always be a part of the manufacturing process, so we are working towards bringing the machining and tapping in-house as well. As a redundancy, threaded sections of all rails have been strategically thickened for reducing the likelihood of strip-out when over-torqued.
Wire management
One of the common criticisms of the AltMill was its lack of well-thought-out wire management. This means that users would end up with a pile of wires at the SLB. Since all of the motor cables are the same length, depending on how far the motor is from the controller, the user would end up with varying amounts of excess cable. Additionally having bundles of long cables going to each corner of the machine can be unwieldy and prone to assembly error.
The MK2 implements new wiring that comes with pre-determined lengths and is pre-bundled for each axis. We’ve decided that although the packaging and supply chain may be a little more complicated on our end, ultimately, the improved tidiness and ease and speed of assembly would be worth it. This means that each cable is labelled and comes to an exact length to reach the controller. This also makes it easier to catch errors in assembly as wiring plugged into the wrong location would also be more apparent due to different wire lengths.
Additionally, each cable harness now includes an integrated limit switch cable, meaning less individual cables to route during assembly, as well as an easier time to identify where each limit switch plugs in.
Limit switches now connect to the integrated wire harness using a small locking connector. This makes installation of the switches and wiring a bit easier, as well as allows for easy replacement of limit switches if needed.
New ‘pigtail’ inductive sensors
This work is also done in conjunction with adjustments to the front and back motor plates used on the Y-axis to utilize the inside of the extrusion to hide and protect the wiring. Additionally, we’ve made some changes to the SLB-EXT controller case to make wire management easier and cleaner.*
Y-axis end plate allowing for wires to be passed through the inside of the extrusion to the rear of the machine
Please note that changes to the SLB-EXT are expected to come near the middle of the AltMill MK2 batch. Both controllers are the same and are cross-compatible with each other.
Motor covers
On the AltMill MK1, motor cables exit from the rear of the motor and curve backwards towards where the cables are routed from. In some instances, this could cause connectors to fall out, or individual cables to break in extreme cases. Early on, right after launching, the individual cable crimps were changed to prevent these individual cables from breaking or coming out, but it was still possible to have connectors become come loose from their socket.
On the AltMill MK2, molded plastic motor covers are used at all four motors to: -Mechanically secure motor connectors from coming loose -Provide strain relief for each cable harness and redirect this towards its cable routing path -Provide protection of the motor and connectors without impeding any heat dissipation of the motor.
Molded plastic motor cover
Backwards compatibility to AltMill MK1
It’s important to state here that the updates and changes made to the AltMill are primarily for ease of manufacturing and assembly. If you already have a AltMill MK1, it’s unlikely you’ll need or want to change or upgrade your machine to a MK2. Many if not most components are still cross compatible, which means that some replacement parts that will be available for the MK2 will also work with the MK1.
If I have an AltMill MK1, can I update it to the MK2?
If you already have an AltMill MK1, most of the parts are backwards compatible with the MK2. However, most of the updates made are to improve the assembly and manufacturability of the machine, so if your machine has already been assembled, there is little to no practical advantage to updating your machine from a AltMill MK1 to a MK2.
We will not have parts immediately available for purchase, but we are working stocking and uploading parts that can be used between the two machines.
Additionally, if you already have a MK1 on order and would like to change your order to a MK2, please contact us. Please note that changing your order from a MK1 to a MK2 may delay the shipping of your order, plus have a price difference, as we will complete shipping of AltMill MK1 before AltMill MK2.
Electronics and software remain the same and will continue to be updated in line with the MK2. Resources and instructions, and tutorials will still continue to be relevant to both versions of the machine.
If I have an AltMill 2×4, can I update it to a 4×4?
Theoretically yes. To update it to a 4×4 size, you’ll need to replace the Y-axis rails, ball screws, motor harnesses and add an additional 2 crossbeams. It is our plan to have, as we currently do for the LongMill, parts available for purchase in our store for modifications and changes. However, the cost of the conversion on an individual basis may be high, and we don’t have a specific timeline or roadmap for a dedicated kit or instructions, so we strongly recommend ordering and committing to the size that you plan to use for the long term.
Pricing
Base price for AltMill 4×4 goes from $3990CAD to $4290CAD or $2950USD to $3160USD, ($300CAD difference or $210USD difference).
Base price for AltMill 2×4 to be $3890CAD or $2790USD.
Pricing for spindles and other accessories remains the same.
We are adjusting pricing for the AltMill to reflect some of the changes and improvements we’re making to the MK2 and better reflect our current costs for production.
The AltMill 4×4 MK2 and AltMill 2×4 will be available to order with updated pricing on Jan 29th, 2025 11AM EST. On Jan 29th, only the AltMill MK2 versions will be available for order.
Please note that this is expected pricing but pricing may change.
Happy New Year everyone! We’re looking forward to many new things coming down the pipeline for 2025.
End mill testing machine in progress
AltMill
If you haven’t heard, we are working on the launch of the AltMill 2×4 coming at the end of the month! We’ve also been working on some smaller concepts that are focused more on small precision parts and metal milling. Learn more from our article.
We made a big push to pack and ship AltMills for December. While we ran into a few delays getting parts, we managed to ship just over (put number of AltMills here).
We’ve continued to see growth in sales and popularity for the AltMill slowly, and we’re starting to run out of space in our shop to continue building them. We’re aiming to stock around 500 AltMills at a time by the end of the next batch, which means we’ll have much more significant space requirements.
For that matter, Mike has been looking at an additional 6000 sqft of space in the upstairs portion of the building, which would allow us to move some of the development and customer service team off the main floor of the building where we can expand production.
In other news, we are slowing chipping away at offering a larger, 220V 3.5KW spindle. While we believe the current 1.5KW spindle option is more than adequate, having a larger, more powerful spindle can unlock the full potential of the AltMill. There are a lot of different factors that are at play, including safety requirements, reliability, and costs that we are weighing to make sure that we get the best set up possible for users in the future.
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LongMill
LongMills have been shipping smoothly as usual.
LaserBeam and Vortex
LaserBeam is continuing to ship out as usual.
We are currently waiting on extra extrusion for the Vortex, so 30″ wide Vortex is expected to have a 1 week lead time, and 48″ wide Vortex has a 2 week lead time. Once we clear the queue later this month, we expect lead times to return to their typical 3-5 business days.
AutoSpin T1 Router
We also recently announced the new router, now officially named the AutoSpin T1 router. Learn more about it on the landing page or the article here.
Thank you so much for everyone participating in the naming contest!
gControl Panel Computers
Our second batch of 300 Panel Computers have shipped last month and are on the way to our shop. We expect to start shipping the rest of the batch mid to end of this month, which will allow us to ship computers to the rest of the customers who are waiting. We are expecting them to arrive mid-January currently.
Thanks to strong demand, we’ve started manufacturing a second batch of 500 computers. We’re expecting these computers to be ready to be ready to ship around the end of February to early March, which means that by the springtime, we’ll have enough stock to keep shipping computers out.
Gilberto has been working hard on getting lots of new features and guides implemented for gControl including:
Having gSender start up automatically when the computer is turned on.
We’ll be at the Toronto Woodworking Show from Jan 17 to 19th. If you want to see the AltMill, LongMill, and all our other cool do-dads and accessories, make sure to check us out at the show!
Hey everyone. I’m excited to share more details about the AltMill 2×4 (the AltMill with a 4×2 ft working area) and other sizes coming soon. We are expecting the launch of the AltMill 2×4 A few months ago, Ben took some time to put together a version of the AltMill with a 2×4 foot (approximate) working area using spare and scrap parts left over from production and posted a video about it. Since then we had a lot of interest in smaller versions of the AltMill.
Availability to order the AltMill 2×4 is tentatively scheduled for Jan 29, 2025 and expect to ship at the end of March. The AltMill MK2 2×4 will be available for order on Jan 29, 2025 at 11AM EST.
AltMill MK2 2×4 (machine only) to be $3890CAD or $2790USD.Spindle and Dust Shoe Kit pricing at $690CAD/$515USD
Since showing off this version of the AltMill, the response from the community has been overwhelming, encouraging us to develop and work on exploring different sizes of the AltMill.
Why different sizes?
After building and testing the AltMill, it became clear to us that the design and platform had a lot of potential to be used in a lot of different applications. The main innovations of the AltMill come from optimizing the design for rigidity while making it as easy and efficient to assemble at scale, which translates to different sizes as well.
As it stands, we believe we haven’t fully unlocked the power of the AltMill. We still have a lot of development and progress to make with:
Higher power spindle options
Automatic tool changers
Coolant options
Advanced clamping, vices, and other hold-down methods
The main goal for building all the different sizes, ultimately, is to serve a larger audience who want to use their machines for different applications beyond just the typical woodworking projects that our machines and industry have been focusing on such as:
Aluminum milling
Steel milling
Plasma cutting
Fiber laser cutting
Automating tasks such as drilling and tapping
Fundamentally, the AltMill serves as a platform for CNCs designed for many different uses and leverages development across all of the different platforms to trickle through the whole ecosystem.
Who is it for (AltMill 2×4 and smaller)?
We’re not a 100% sure yet but here’s some of our thoughts.
People who want to do small-scale production for a specific part:
Although a larger machine is more versatile, for users who want to have a machine suitable for machining specific products and parts, a machine just large enough for that specific part may be the best option, especially in space-constrained locations. For example, the AltMill could be jigged up to make guitars in a production setting, as the workspace is large enough for a full neck and body.
Another advantage of the AltMill is that businesses that need to do production can in theory order and have a machine shipped to them directly on short notice (or at least once we finish optimizing our production), allowing them to scale production quickly when they need additional machines.
Education or use in an institution:
We’ve also gotten interest from people who want to use CNC for teaching or institutional use, where the focus is less on producing parts and more on learning and testing. This could be in CNC software companies testing their CAM software or colleges that need lower-cost CNC machines that are robust enough for students to use while fitting in smaller classrooms.
The AltMill works on the same core technology as any industrial CNC machine, which means that it can provide an entry into CNCing without the risks and costs which come with industrial machines. The open-source nature of our designs and company also allows for institutions to adapt their machines to their needs as well.
For fun:
While AltMills are not cheap, they do come in at a price point that makes it accessible to most dedicated hobbyists. We expect pricing for all versions of AltMills to be around the current price of our 4×4, with variations based on size and configuration. This means that users may choose to buy a CNC machine just for the heck of it.
Sm-AltMill (Small AltMill)
Concepts of a smaller, metal milling-focused CNC internally called the “YesHappy” or “Sm-AltMill” have been tossed around in the shop for some time. From our perspective, we feel there’s a gap in the industry for a small, benchtop-sized CNC machine for milling aluminum and steel. While there are some options in the $2000-5000 range, we feel they are either underpowered and only good for small parts, and consumers need to spend around $10,000-$30,000 to purchase a smaller milling CNC or VMC.
Prototype Sm-AltMill
Here’s a list of machines that we found that are sort of in this space.
Machine
Price (CAD)
Cutting Area(in)
Spindle Power(kW)
Motion System
4 Axis Compatible From Factory
Makera Carvera
7800
0.2
Slide Bearing
Yes
Shariff DMC
4550
2.2
No
Sainsmart Gemnmtsu
1945
0.4
Delrin Wheels
No
Yorahome Crossriver 6060
4107
24x24x5.8
0.5
Linear Guide
No
Carbide 3D Nomad
3640
8x8x3
0.12
Slide Bearing
No
Source Rabbit Quantum
12800
13x13x4
1.4
Linear Guide
Yes
Langmuir MR-1
6500
23x22x6
2.5
Linear Guide
No
Kitmill AST
11000
8x5x4
0.1
Linear Guide
No
Stepcraft-3 D420
3000
12x16x5
1
No
Coast Runner
No
Onefinity Machinist
2400
16x16x5
Makita
35mm Rail
Yes
Bantam Tools
11000
7x9x3
Linear Guide
Yes
So where do we land for this? Here are some considerations:
With our software and hardware stack, we can support advanced functionality such as 4th axis support, coolant control, closed-loop steppers, and more without additional development, since functionality has already been worked on and developed for AltMill and LongMill already.
Since we are already assembling and building AltMill at volume, we can take advantage of economies of scale for many of the parts used in the other-size machines.
The rigidity and accuracy of the AltMill generally exceed the majority of the machines on this list and can be optimized further. Based on our testing, we’re able to reach material removal rates on the regular AltMill 48×48 compared to the highest-powered machines in this list, and we expect that a smaller version of the machine would increase the overall rigidity to continue to meet or exceed performance across the board.
There are a couple of things that we’re working on now including:
Reaching out to people in the machining community to get their thoughts on this sort of product
Figuring out the balance between cost, features, and performance
Playing around with different add-ons such as ATC and coolant
Building a small batch of beta units
Testing metal-specific tooling
Larger machines (AltMill 4×8)
On the other hand, we’ve also been getting a ton of interest in a 4x8ft version of the AltMill. Our team has been considering this as well, and identified two main short-term challenges and one main long-term challenge in bringing this to market.
First is the packaging. One of the main advantages we have is being able to pack and ship everything through a courier like UPS. This avoids the need to deal with complicated freighting and equipment needed to load and move large CNC machines. However, using a courier for very large shipments can be expensive and sometimes not possible depending on the size and weight of the order. Additionally, shipping items through couriers run a higher risk for damage, as shipments go through many hands and get stacked and piled on top of other shipments.
We believe that using the courier method does make things more accessible since we can deliver CNC machines to residential locations. However, the larger and heavier the machines become, the more difficult it is to work around the limitations. That being said, we’ve seen lots of examples of this, and we believe, we can sort out something that works.
The second challenge is with power transmission. Since the Y-axis needs to get longer, it also means that the Y-axis ball screws will become more prone to whip if we keep the same design. This can be mitigated with a number of options, such as using rack and pinion, larger ball screws, or something else, but this means that we’ll have to engineer another way to move compared to the existing solution. Of course, designs and solutions already exist, and we believe that we’ll be able to figure something out in this area too.
Lastly, the other, perhaps long-term challenge comes down to our company scale. Larger machines take up more space, and although we just moved into a larger office about a year ago, we’d be looking at moving into an even larger space as soon as we start production for 4×8 ft CNCs. Additionally, and perhaps the even bigger challenge, is hiring and onboarding more team members to support the new product.
With that in mind, we do believe that there is a space in the market for an AltMill 4×8, and we have been chipping away at the design and logistics to eventually bring it to market. Make sure to stay tuned for new updates.
Pricing
There are some fixed costs associated with all versions of the AltMill, such as:
SLB-EXT controller
Spindle (although the specific version may vary depending on the use of the machine)
Closed-loop stepper motors
Gantries (although there may be variations for machines designed for milling metals to accommodate vices and additional workholding)
Couplers, bearing blocks, and other assorted hardware
On the other hand, costs for items that are size-dependent include:
Linear guides
Rails
Packaging and shipping
We predict that material costs for smaller machines will be relatively close to the 48×48 AltMill. Some additional costs include:
Resource and support costs for each variation of the machine
Unique packaging and assembly costs
Development costs
Additional machine-specific accessories such as coolant support and vices
All in all, we don’t expect pricing to be dramatically different compared to the current AltMill, which we believe is well-priced on its own. Customers should expect pricing for the AltMill 2×4 to be similar to the current price for an AltMill 4×4. Finalized pricing will be available near or at launch.
Next steps
Production for more AltMill rails is now in production, which includes approximately additional rails needed to build around 100 AltMill 2×4 We’re expecting them to arrive around the end of February, which means we’ll have the first parts needed to start building around 100 units.
Our team is currently working on media and marketing materials to prepare for the launch of AltMill 2×4 on the store, which is tentatively scheduled for Jan 29th.
We expect AltMill 2×4 to start shipping in March.
Additionally, we are in production for an additional 25 sets of rails and parts for a 16×16 inch working area machine (Sm-AltMill), which will be focused on metal milling. We do not have a specific launch plan for this yet, but we are collecting feedback and doing market research to understand how we want to configure the design for this. We will be reaching out directly to potential users for sales of the first batch, so if you’re interested, make sure to fill out the survey.
We are expecting the Sm-AltMill to be sold and built on an individual basis and customized and tested for different uses, which means that they will not be publicly available for sale at this time.
FAQ
Is there going to be a way to upgrade from a 2×4 to a 4×4?
It is likely we will have a kit available, but we likely will need a few months after the launch to sort out the product and resources for size changes, so we recommend picking the size you’ll be committing to up front for now.
What is the footprint of the AltMill 2×4?
The footprint is approximately 52in wide and 39in deep. From the bottom of the foot to the top of the motor, the height is approximately 56in.
Do the legs come with the AltMill 2×4?
Just like the AltMill 4×4, the AltMill 2×4 comes with steel legs.
What accessories work with the AltMill 2×4?
Any accessory that works with the 4×4 will work on the 2×4. This includes any spindles, gControl panel computer, Vortex Rotary axis, and more. We expect that future add-ons and features designed and developed for 4×4 will work on 2×4 as well.
What is the price for an AltMill 2×4?
Official pricing has not been established, but users should expect pricing to be similar but slightly less than a 4×4.
When are AltMill 2×4 expected to ship?
2×4 machines are expected to start shipping in March 2025.
Where can I buy an AltMill 2×4?
Pre-orders will be available on our website at the end of January.
Will there be any other sizes of the AltMill?
Besides the Sm-AltMill with a working area of approximately 16×16 inches, we don’t have any immediate plans for other sizes at the moment.
