WoodWorkCalc
The next tool for your shop

Your next idea deserves the right machine.

CNC routers use a computer-guided cutting bit; lasers cut or mark with light. Explore the projects each can make, compare your whole setup budget and learn from public reviews.

Already equipped? Choose a project →
Start with your idea

What would you love to make?

Carved wooden signsLarger wood panelsEngraved giftsRead public machine reviews →

Not ready to buy? Explore a setup activity first. Budget matches are planning options, not a promise that a particular project will fit.

Research before you buy

63 machines & ranges. More ways to build.

Explore configured-price & quote options ↓

43 priced configurations · 20 additional models and ranges · 15 brands. Manufacturer sources checked September 14, 2026. Prices are snapshots, not live offers.

What can each laser cut?

Set your budget

$0$50,000

Includes the listed setup allowances and your additional reserve.

Allow for local tax, delivery, software, electrical work and anything your shop still needs. Add these to your reserve.

2 machines within $50,000

Lowest total first · USD · checked September 14, 2026
Carbide 3D Nomad 3
CNC · Router / mill · Precision desktop

Carbide 3D Nomad 3

Grey HDPE

$3,270
Machine + setup estimate + reserve

Small detailed carvings and prototypes

Before buying: Grey HDPE variant with 130W spindle. Compare with the newer Nomad 4 before ordering.

8 × 8 × 3 in cutting area

Costs & things to check
Selected machine / bundle
$2,800
Dust extraction and fittings (allowance)
$250
Cutters and workholding (allowance)
$120
Support and spoilboard (allowance)
$100
Your extra reserve
$0

Allowances are WoodWorkCalc planning estimates, not supplier quotes. They only count toward the filter in setup mode. Existing equipment can reduce actual spend.

  • Grey HDPE variant with 130W spindle. Compare with the newer Nomad 4 before ordering.
  • Confirm usable travel and stock clearance before choosing a project.
Check manufacturer price & contents ↗
Owner experience · Carbide 3D Community

Carbide 3D Community · JamesH (James Hall)

What stood out: The owner reports growing confidence after making the sample tray and finds the enclosure helpful for cleanup.

What to weigh up: The post describes a heavy machine and some initial confusion with the interlock and probing accessory.

Version and context: One owner's first week with a Nomad 3, on the manufacturer's forum. It does not cover the newer Nomad 4 or establish long-term reliability.

Read the original owner post ↗

Purchase and identity are not independently verified by WoodWorkCalc. Forum advice is not a substitute for the machine manual.

Build my package →
Carbide 3D Nomad 4
CNC · Router / mill · Precision desktop

Carbide 3D Nomad 4

Black

$5,870
Machine + setup estimate + reserve

Small precision parts and detailed wood carving

Before buying: Black enclosure; includes 1.2kW VFD spindle. Small bed suits detail work rather than panels.

10 × 8 × 3.5 in cutting area

Costs & things to check
Selected machine / bundle
$5,400
Dust extraction and fittings (allowance)
$250
Cutters and workholding (allowance)
$120
Support and spoilboard (allowance)
$100
Your extra reserve
$0

Allowances are WoodWorkCalc planning estimates, not supplier quotes. They only count toward the filter in setup mode. Existing equipment can reduce actual spend.

  • Black enclosure; includes 1.2kW VFD spindle. Small bed suits detail work rather than panels.
  • Confirm usable travel and stock clearance before choosing a project.
Check manufacturer price & contents ↗
Build my package →
Explore the wider market

More machines to configure or quote

These 20 additional listings need a confirmed configuration price. They are excluded from the budget slider, setup totals and project-machine selections. Search, brand, technology and machine type apply here; budget and project filters apply only above.

0 additional listings match your catalog filters · checked September 14, 2026

No additional listings match. Try clearing your catalog filters.

This is a curated shortlist, not a complete market ranking or live inventory. Prices refer to the variants shown and can change. A project match indicates a type of work, not a verified fit: check usable travel, stock thickness, tooling, power and installation requirements against the exact machine.

Learn the setup before the first job

Buy the capability, plan the whole setup

The machine is only one line on the list.

Try a setup, replace the allowances with real quotes and mark suitable equipment you already have. Changing setup or machine resets the equipment list.

Machine Only / USA · $239 observed machine price. Check current contents ↗

Prepare these first

USD allowance
USD allowance
USD allowance

Check tax, shipping, software, electrical work and installation separately; use the reserve for costs not covered above. These editable amounts are planning allowances, not vendor quotes. This worksheet is independent of the catalog filter above.

Thinking of selling? Check the recovery math.

Use a realistic selling price and include materials, your labor, packaging, platform fees and other per-unit costs. This estimates recovery of the upfront amount above, not overall business profitability.

32 items

At $20 contribution per item, before ongoing fixed expenses.

Formula: upfront spend ÷ (selling price − variable cost), rounded up to whole items. Demand, waste and run time still need testing. SBA break-even method ↗

A cheap check before an expensive order

Will the blank fit after you hold it down?

Enter the usable travel from the exact machine specification, then allow space for workholding and tool access. These sample dimensions are not a selected machine’s specification.

Not enough room with this marginRemaining area: 340 × 240 mmSolid outer line: travel · dashed line: reserved-margin boundary · colored rectangle: blank

This is a 2D planning aid, not a collision check or cutting authorization. Check actual clamps, cutter radius, travel limits, Z clearance, dust-boot access and loading space. Rotation must also suit grain and artwork. A full sheet may need breaking down before it reaches the machine.

Lessons worth learning before the receipt

Spend less on the wrong things.

Practical planning prompts for a first machine or the next upgrade. Start with the work, then compare equipment that can do it.

01

Buy for a real product, not a feature list

Write down three things you intend to make: material, finished size, thickness and quantity. A sample file and a real test piece are more useful than a list of maximum speeds.

Before you spend

Ask the seller to demonstrate your material and intended operation. Separate cutting, surface marking and engraving when comparing claims.

02

A bigger power number does not answer every question

Check whether a laser rating describes optical output or electrical consumption. For CNC, evaluate the spindle, motion system, tooling and workholding together.

Before you spend

Compare complete configurations. Ask which module, spindle, software and accessories produced the advertised result.

03

The footprint is bigger than the cutting area

Lids need room to open. Sheets need somewhere to enter and exit. Add the bench, extraction, computer and access for cleaning before deciding where a machine will live.

Before you spend

Mark the planned footprint and loading area on the shop floor. Check delivery access, support requirements and the manufacturer’s service clearances.

04

The software is part of the purchase

Drawing a shape, creating a toolpath and controlling a machine can involve different software. A vector file is not a verified CNC program.

Before you spend

Try the full design-to-machine workflow before buying. Check supported controllers, postprocessors, file formats, paid features and license terms.

05

The cut is only part of the job

Quoting, preparing stock, alignment, sanding, cleanup, finishing and packing all consume time. A faster machine may not fix the slowest step in your process.

Before you spend

Time one complete product, including a reject allowance. Upgrade the operation that actually limits useful output.

06

Used equipment needs a complete-cost check

A lower asking price can be offset by missing workholding, worn consumables, software access, moving costs or unavailable replacement parts.

Before you spend

Request a repeatable test cut and exact model/serial details. Confirm included items, license transfer, service support, operating history and a delivered setup cost.

Three routes. Different strengths.

Use this to narrow the process before comparing prices. Capabilities still depend on the exact machine, material, tooling and thickness.

Match the process to the product
What mattersCNC routerBlue diode laserCO₂ laser
Useful starting workWood signs, pockets, profiles and joineryWood engraving and suitable thin-sheet productsWood and suitable acrylic cut-and-engrave products
Material removed byA rotating cutter; tool geometry affects the resultA focused laser beam; absorption and thickness matterA different laser wavelength; material compatibility still matters
Watch the limitationInside corners retain a cutter radius; fixtures take spaceClear acrylic is not a suitable blue-diode cutting targetExhaust, maintenance, footprint and accessory limits
Plan into the setupWorkholding, cutters, spoilboard and dust controlApproved material, exhaust, focus and material testsExhaust, specified cooling/maintenance and material tests

References: xTool acrylic guidance, Shapeoko capabilities, and P2S specifications.

One-time costs to confirm

  • Delivered machine price, tax and unloading
  • Bench, power, extraction or exhaust installation
  • Required software, workholding and first-job tooling
  • Stock for commissioning, fit tests and the first product

Costs that keep coming back

  • Cutters, spoilboards, cleaning supplies and filters
  • Material waste, rejected parts and replacement stock
  • Software renewals, maintenance and service parts
  • Your setup, cleanup, finishing and packing time

Ask for maintenance intervals and consumable prices for the exact model. A machine allowance is not a monthly operating budget.

START

Prove one product

Use affordable test stock and learn one repeatable setup.

MEASURE

Find the slow step

Record setup, cutting, finishing, rejects and packing.

UPGRADE

Buy back useful time

Choose an upgrade that solves a measured limitation.

Choose a first project →Check the job cost
Planning for production

Planning for larger production

For automatic tool changes and larger production work, compare installation, service, tooling and workholding alongside the machine. The ShopBot Desktop MAX ATC is one option to quote against your requirements.

Explore ShopBot MAX ATC ↗

Quote-based comparison: excluded from budget matches until you have a configured total.

Put your setup to work

Choose a first project before you buy

Use a real blank size, material and production goal to check your shortlist. A desk sign, laser tray or batch jig makes the tradeoffs easier to judge.

Explore project packages →Estimate CNC job costs