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The R7-CNC is a strong and capable router style CNC that was sold by SMW3D which later changed its name to Hobby-Fab. I have had the pleasure of knowing Brandon Satterfield for many years through the now defunct Google+. Over those years I have had the pleasure of working on many cool project with Brandon and the team at SMW3D. The R7 CNC was one of those projects.
Unfortunately the Chinese market spurring the race to the bottom on maker parts, kits, and components drove Brandon and his team on to greener pastures via the closure of Hobbyfab in 2019. But I am delighted to announce that Brandon has given me the OK to release the designs and plans on many of the cool machines we developed together out here on Github. After the initial designs we worked on together several years ago, Brandon and his team made many improvements and upgrades to those initial designs. There is no better example of that than the R7-CNC which was subject to continuous improvement. The files here are my best attempt to cleanup and document via detailed 3D models the final product as shipped by Hobbyfab.
In this Github you will find a detailed 3D model generated by me for the mechanical setup of the machine. I have the files saved in several formats. I work in solidworks natively, but I have exported the model into Fusion360, X_T, Step, 3D-PDF. In addition I have generated a DXF for the plates that make up the major fabricated components.
In addition to the models, I have included several of the supporting files Brandon had developed for his product, like manuals, reference material, etc. Some of this material might be slightly outdated to the model. But it should aid in helping a perspective maker in replicating this capable CNC router design on their own.
I would like to end this by saying Brandon and his group over the years they were in business did amazing work for the community. They sponsored projects to many makers via at cost or free components to develop cool projects. They were always available to answer questions to potential makers on the kits and projects they sold (day or night). The maker community lost something special with the closure of SMW3D/Hobby-Fab. But the impact they left on the maker community will live on.
Thank you Brandon and team. You are amazing. And I am glad to have been but a small part in your chapter of the Maker Revolution story.
-Eric Lien
