What can i make with the Nomad 3 make that Shapoko 3 xxl can't?

I own a Shapeoko 3 XXL from 2018 when it first came out, I bought the Nomad 3 just last week… and now I am thinking on sending it back…

It’s a beautiful machine…I aways thought I will get one when I can afford it…

I seen the name (Carbide 3D) out of sterling silver video on youtube, and fell in love with it so I thought, hey I can do that…and all the maybe possibility’s?

But now it seems it’s really only a small cnc machine?, but it’s so expensive, so surely it would be able to do more, and to be honest I have not found anything online that it can do to help me pay it off.

I admit, it was an impulse buy as I wanted one, caught my eye and carbide 3d was great to me…

But the more I look into the nomad 3 it seems it’s has limited capability…Metals? why so why doe Rio Grande call it a beast lol…

The SO3 is a very good machine. Most people that use the Nomad are cutting very precise projects like jewelry and/or circuit boards. Many people use the SO3/4 to do the same projects that a Nomad can do. The real difference is size and the Nomad might be slightly more precise. The SO3 is more versatile in the cutting area and project size and tooling is more diverse and the 1.25 HP router is a little more strong compared to the Nomad.

Before you unpack the Nomad try the intended project on the SO3. If it works then send it back but if you are not satisfied try out the Nomad. Also the precision is dependent on your SO3 Z type. The Belt Z are good but a Z-Plus or an HDZ is much superior. I have an HDZ with the Dewalt router and am quite happy. They still sell the SO3 HDZ:

Yes i have the belt Z, from long ago, been happy for what I wanted to do…

Thank you…

The Nomad is a wonderful small CNC machine which does smaller, more intricate work, and handles small tooling w/ aplomb.

One notable advantage the Nomad has is a line of accessories — do you have projects which could make use of the flip jig?

Or, consider making a four-sided flip-frame:

I use mine to run a myriad of materials for knife handles and parts/inlays. Carbon Fiber, G10, various hardwoods, mammoth molar and tusk, stabilized sea sponge, and various bone/antler.

I did run some medallion sized coins with the Tetons in topographical relief on them in the past but I wasn’t quite as pleased with the final product.

I’m in the process of putting a jig together strictly for the production of machining a bezel for a watch that I own. It’s a flip machining project, but I’ll be trying the Nomad’s prowess on the following materials; titanium, brass, bronze, copper, Timascus(titanium Damascus), Zircuti (titanium and Zirconium Damascus), mokume gane (layered copper, brass and nickel) and some stainless steel Damascus (likely 440c/304 layering).

I’m anxious to see if I burn the thing down with the zirconium chips, so we’ll see what happens with that.

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But is it really capable of cutting jewelry like a name necklace with ease?

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