Debating low rider vs Maslow

I understand they are a bit of two different beasts but I’ve was curious if the low rider had similar cutting speeds to the MPCNC?

Also does anyone know if this cuts faster than the Maslow? I want able to easily find the speeds on that.

Since I didn’t explain what the Maslow is here I go. It’s a draw plotter vertical CNC machine that runs around $500 for all the parts. What’s the total cost on the low rider?

Thanks for all your help and advice in advance

I cut a little faster with the LowRider CNC than the mpcnc. It is basically the exact same just the Z Axis is much more rigid because it is very short, allowing for less flex and faster cutting. I have not done any kind of speed test though. The last cuts I did in plastic and it isn’t the best to do speed tests in. I hope to mill a full sheet worth of lowrider parts here pretty soon. I will ramp up the speed on each set until I see issues.

I am aware of the Maslow but I don’t of the specifics like max speed and such.

My Low Rider seems more rigid than my MPCNC (I didn’t have the latest version though). I’ve been cutting quite a bit faster (2-3x) with it, and I think it could go faster. I’ve never been interested in going as fast as possible, because I’m more interested in saving materials than parts/hour.

I haven’t seen the Maslow first hand, but I like the idea. I don’t want to disparage their machine, but the low rider has been a lot of fun. I think you have two good choices on your hand. With either machine, you’re going to have a lot of fun.

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I second Jeff’s opinion.

Build one, doesn’t matter which one. Then use the built one to build the other! Can never have enough computer controlled sawdust machines.

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From the research I have done Maslow looses accuracy the farther from the center you get. That issue is raised multiple times on the Maslow forums. The recommendation from the Maslow community is to keep your design in the center “sweet spot”. So it seems to to be an decision based on the accuracy that needs to be made. If you need accuracy edge to edge the low rider seems like the obvious choice. If you are looking for a $500 plywood CNC then the Maslow is a great choice knowing its limitations.

 

 

Interesting, for plywood based designs is the accuracy loss really that drastic?

It can be, depends on how far out it gets. It’s the same issues with delta style 3d printers, we lose resolution on the outer edges of our printing space. If the maslow is cutting something like finger joints for a large box and they’re on the outer edge of its cutting space, they may or may not fit properly.

In one of there videos they were saying 1/8 off around the edges, that’s pretty bad if you are trying to fit stuff together.

I have a first-generation Maslow (without the ring). I’d classify it more as an ongoing group project than functional tool right now. The accuracy was pretty bad for me even after a few rounds of calibration. They (Maslow and the community) are very active in improving the Maslow and are trying to address the biggest issue with the router basically being a pendulum between the two fixed points on the sled that the chain attaches to. There are several solutions to this being tested that make the chains behave as if they terminated exactly at the router bit, reducing computing and error. this requires either linkage systems on the sled, rings and rollers, or other complications to the system.

It’s a pretty fascinating project, however, and there are several very smart people in the community working on it, but it’s never been a fully functional tool I could just use. I didn’t have time to test out the ideas that were thrown around, and it never really addressed the fundamental problem for me: it’s a sled that rides on your workpiece. If you want to cut near the edge or a milled pocket, the sled might tilt. 3d carving is basically out of the question. Little bits that get kicked up interfere with the sled. Etc etc.

Was drawn to the mpcnc and lowrider initially thinking I’d just make a floating XY frame out of the components for my Maslow for it to hover above the work, but then thought better of it and am going to try out a modified low rider to replace my Maslow. I don’t want my cutter riding on the worksurface - because then I can surface plane, carve, and use small bits of scrap easily instead of full sheets of plywood.

I still have an idea for the Maslow: using the geared motors for a power-tilting table for the lowrider. We’ll see…

Can’t wait to see what comes of your efforts. Feel free to ask questions, I think we have a pretty solid community here of smart people as well.

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maslow cuts at a max of 1000mm /min, but most users run it slightly slower
I think I read a youtube comment that stated the lowrider shouldn’t go faster than 30mm/sec (1800mm/min) so lowrider seems faster.

Maslow takes up less space (vertical) and the frame is cheap and easy to build by any carpenter
Low Rider frame is something you make yourself so harder for the novice.

Maslow is $410 without router and pc, with those components it’s pushing $700 to $800.
I would imagein the low riders table also pushes up the price point close to that as well.

Disclaimer I have not used either machine, bought the maslow, but still have not assembled it.