On my early clocks I cut all the parts using a scroll saw. After cutting a few 120 tooth wheels (gears) on the scroll saw, knowing that one slip and you must start again, the novelty wore off and I looked for alternative methods.
A CNC router appeared to be the logical choice. Having looked in to the options the line of routers manufactured by Zenbot looked like excellent value for money. In 2013, I purchased a Zenbot with a 16” X 24” cutting bed and a Hitachi router. I use MACH3 software running on an old HP desktop PC to control the motion of the Zenbot router. MACH3 is a very sophisticated program capable of controlling very complex computer-controlled machinery and I only use the most basic functionality of the software. I system has worked flawlessly for the last 7 years and I am very happy with my choice. My only regret is that I now wish that I had bought a larger member of the Zenbot product line as I find that I regularly hit the 16” X 24” limit of the cutter bed.
When I bought the Zenbot, I did not appreciate the amount of dust that it would produce and I quickly purchased an Axiom dust shoe that wraps around the router and directs the dust in to a flexible hose, through a dust separator that is driven by a shop vac.
