Twotrees TTC3018 Pro CNC Router

What the metal Z does in practice:

• Less deflection. The spindle stays square to the bed when the bit meets resistance, so walls stay straight.
• No slack on reversal. The anti-backlash nut takes up the play between screw and nut, so a pass down and a pass up land at the same depth.
• Steadier engraving. Fine lettering in brass keeps its edges instead of showing a chatter pattern.
• Room for thin metal. Aluminium and brass sheet become a practical material rather than an experiment.

The rest of the machine is shared with the TTC3018: a 300 × 180 × 40 mm working area, a 775 spindle at 7,000–9,000 rpm with an ER11 collet, and a 32-bit GRBL board. At 15 lb and 420 × 355 × 280 mm, it stays a true desktop machine.

Brass is the friendlier of the two metals here. It cuts into short, dry chips and engraves with a crisp edge, where aluminium tends to stick to the bit when the feed or chip clearing slips.

Jobs that suit the Pro:

• Engraved walnut, maple and cherry nameplates, several per clamp-up.
• Cast acrylic signs and edge-lit panels with a single-flute bit.
• Brass and aluminium tags, labels and small plaques.
• PCB prototypes on copper-clad board with a V-bit.
• Small parts for models, jigs and enclosures in HDPE or PVC foam.

Those are cautious starting points. The right figure depends on bit diameter, sharpness and how firmly the blank is fixed, and it is always easier to speed a cut up than to recover from a snapped bit.

For batches, a simple jig pays back quickly. Screw a scrap fence to the spoilboard, push each blank against it, and the same zero serves every piece without re-probing X and Y.

The limits are the 40 mm of Z travel and the 775's power. Thick hardwood blanks and vises eat into the Z range fast, and deep aluminium pockets are slow. Frames offering 80 mm of Z plus a 500W spindle are compared on the 3018 Pro Max page.

1. Build the frame on a flat table and true the gantry against the bed before the final tightening.
2. Fit the metal Z carriage and spindle, then check the T8 screw turns without binding along its full travel.
3. Connect the controller and plug in the USB cable.
4. Open a GRBL sender, jog each axis, and confirm a 100 mm move measures 100 mm.
5. Fit a cutter in the ER11 collet, clamp scrap, zero, and run a short test file.

The control side is deliberately simple. The 32-bit GRBL board talks to the computer over the USB cable, and .nc or G-code files stream from there. There is no TF card slot, no Bluetooth and no Wi-Fi, so the computer stays connected for the whole job.

Twotrees names ArtCAM and Fusion 360 for design and supports Windows XP through 10. Since the board runs GRBL, the usual free senders suit it too; the 3018 software guide sets out the options. Before the first metal job, add clamps or a spoilboard, and a Z probe if tool changes are frequent.

The metal Z also changes the upgrade maths. On a nylon-Z 3018, the first serious upgrade for metal is an aluminium Z assembly, bought and fitted separately. The TTC3018 Pro arrives with that step already taken, so the next spend can go on clamps, a probe and good carbide bits instead.

Pick the TTC3018 Pro if:

• Thin aluminium or brass is a regular part of the plan.
• A computer beside the machine is not a problem.
• The budget stops well short of a 500W all-metal machine.

Against the Genmitsu kit specifically, the question is which matters more on the bench: a laptop-free workflow or a stiffer carriage. Owners who cut mostly wood tend to value the first; owners heading for brass and aluminium tags value the second.

Look elsewhere if offline runs matter (the 3018-PRO), if thick metal and 80 mm of Z are the goal (the Pro Max), or if wood and acrylic are the whole story and the lower cost of the plain TTC3018 appeals. Whichever frame wins, budget for workholding from the first day. What each budget buys is on the 3018 price page.