I was just installing the new Carbide Motion on my MacBook for the first time and noticed “Nomad 4” in the pulldown menu for device setup. Something new in the works?
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Yep, it’s done. We just need to get a product page finished, and it’ll be live. It will not replace the existing Nomad 3; the Nomad 4 is a much higher-end unit.
@wmoy might be convinced to share a photo or rendering.
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Not resting on laurels eh 
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I will drop this here. My N4 next to the old 883 Classic+, which I have since sold.
It’s been hard avoiding mentioning the “doesn’t officially exist” N4 for the past few months. I received mine in late July (and there is a story behind that), and actually don’t know a single thing about the N4 other than there is definitely one… 
I don’t know how good a job I’ve done, just mentioning my leadscrew (as opposed to my old belt-drive) Nomad with the 24krpm spindle, both of which apply to an N3.
I will wait for the official specs to come out, and just say it is ballscrew and profile rail on all three axes, has a 65mm, ER16, 24krpm VFD spindle, and an 8 x 10" integral-bed-of-threads table. Z travel is more than 3" but less than 4" (I haven’t pushed its limits yet). I picture it as the offspring of an N3 and an HDM (neither of which I know of other than reading about them…)
It is a wonderful machine. I have been mostly machining aluminum and FR1 PCB with it so far, along with a little nickel silver and some micro-machining in 410 stainless (a few experimental optical apertures for work, using a .009" ball-end mill at .001" stepdown…)
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Please do take the time to write that down and share it when you get a chance and it seems appropriate.
I’ve long argued that the partners at Carbide 3D should write a book detailing the history of CNC coming to the individual/hobbyist, something along the lines of:
or
c.f.,
As it is, there’re two Kickstarters and a blog and some notable forum posts here (esp. the one about the text which did not include a pun) and one book:
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I will attempt to do that over the weekend, Will. It’s a story more about me than about C3D, but it’s like cords in a macrame and the two interact at various points…
In the meantime, now that the subject has been broached, I’ll add a few more photos without much text.
Unboxing (I had the N4 delivered at work)
Closer view of the interior
My DIY sound enclosure open
and closed
“Show off your shop” (in my case the living room of my one-bedroom apartment)
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Here’s one of the test pieces we’ve made on the prototype at work.
Should have more details to drop very soon…
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Love the bite taken out of the left clamp. Makes me feel a bit better about eating my own clamps from time to time…not that I’ve ever done that 
Oh and obviously the actual piece is also gorgeous 
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Any update to the Nomad 4?
Over the weekend, I moved the spindle clamp from the upper holes to the lower ones and re-trammed the spindle, so I have less spindle stickout given that I am using mostly tiny endmills on thin workpieces.
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I noticed the “mid grip” in the photos and wondered why it wasn’t gripped at the lowest possible point.
Any clues on the mass of this machine (and whether it is likely to ship overseas?)
HDM isn’t available in Europe and I need a step up from my N3.
My spindle is probably 1.5" lower than it came. I ran into the bottom of the Z travel a couple of times so I slid it down. The resulting protrusion bothered me, but not enough to not let it go until this past weekend…
The machine is a beast. I did’t weigh it but it was heavier to do a 1-man lift onto my bench than I should have attempted. (It wasn’t on the floor, but on cribbing on a thick hand truck at the time…) I’d be surprised if it wasn’t 40kg but don’t quote me on that–I am as interested to see the C3D specs on the machine as anyone–I have nothing at all in writing on it… 
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That Spindle upgrade is just the right move. Very exciting!
Ballscrews? Round plain bearings or profile rails for x/y?
I’m struggling to find time even for the Nomad 3 I have, but maybe if it cuts faster I’ll be able to get more done 
Time to use that PTO!
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Ballscrews and HG-15 bearings all around.
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Behold! The update you seek…
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Unfortunately, the update I sought would include international shipping. You really need a European assembly house if N4 and HDM cannot be shipped in one piece. PM me if you want to talk more.
Thank you for updating! At that price point, maybe I’ll take a look a closer look at HDM. Besides the workspace, are there any mechanical advantages or disadvantages compared to the HDM, or should I think of it as an HDM with a Nomad footprint? I also get that HDM has a more powerful spindle option, but in my situation, I only have access to 110V.
Edit: More context
Randy, completely unrelated, but was your old avatar the Geico Caveman? If so, I used to read a lot of old threads and was wondering where you went.
Fundamentally, it’s about on par with the HDM - They use the same external control box and run the motors at 36V. HDM has bigger motors, but also more mass to move.
From a work volume perspective, the HDM does give you more bang for your buck. If you \need the footprint of the Nomad though, and need something enclosed, there’s not much else shipping now that can match the N4’s productivity and “power density”.
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Thank you! That makes sense.