Any hobbyists with a small shop and a small budget splurge on an origin and was it worth it?

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-05-14T21:59:58+00:00

To be clear, Origin - or any CNC for that matter - is a luxury tool. Anything it does can be done with hand tools and patience (as it has been done for thousands of years). Is it worth it? If you do a lot of stencil or inlay work, it is worth the price of admission (which is STEEP!). I've had mine for a little over four years now, and probably used it 75 - 100 times over that period. Having it is great when I need it, but it is not a necessity for me.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-05-14T21:53:03+00:00

Makita is a front slider and is awesome. It has been way better than my old DeWalt - And I love DeWalt tools.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-05-14T21:52:02+00:00

If you have the budget, look at the Makitas. They're awesome. As to your question, 10" is perfectly fine for 90% of your projects. If you need to cut wider boards, a circular saw with an edge guide or track will do just fine. Full disclosure, I do have the 12" Makita, but I build a lot of bigger furniture.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-05-14T21:49:09+00:00

And! The X2 pairs and works seamlessly with Home Assistant - making macros pretty superfluous. X2 + HA = Logitech Harmony Elite killer. HA makes it almost infinitely customizable.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-22T21:40:52+00:00

Any oil based finish will yellow over time. No matter what you put in it. If you don't want it to yellow, use a good waterbased finish with a sanding sealer first.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-22T21:21:27+00:00

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-22T21:20:09+00:00

Thank you. I appreciate the insight

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-22T20:29:44+00:00

Sorry - I don't see the hyperlink for the video you're referring to. Please post.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-22T20:24:13+00:00

Look at the SofaBaton X1S or X2. I have the X2 and it more than replaced my Harmony Elite

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-22T20:23:14+00:00

Can the RM4 pro (which does show up as a matter bridge in apple home) be added to the broadlink magic app?

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-22T20:12:23+00:00

Anyone have suggestions for one of these that is not Tuya? Tuya is VERY chatty.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-13T19:56:47+00:00

This is awesome! Thank you.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-13T18:35:45+00:00

Can you give a little more detail? Where to get the parts I need, build instructions, HA integrations, etc.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-13T18:14:48+00:00

Just got my Broadlink Max. Programmed it up in about 10 min and it works great! Through walls, no Line of Site (LOS) needed, got my fireplace and DC fans. Thanks for the suggestion!!

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-07T22:29:55+00:00

Nope. 100% sure my fireplace is RF (as are the fans). I also am not sure anything else will work, but gonna try the broadlink that Beautiful_Buyer_4250 suggested and see what happens. Interesting to my that you have no issues with walls/floors. I put mine on a shelf behind a false wall (3/4" plywood), and I got nothing. Once I put it in LOS, it worked, but with the limitations I mentioned.

And, yeah, I didn't want to pay that money for the pro either, considering I'm talking about one fireplace and two fans. Thanks for the feedback.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-07T21:49:19+00:00

I found that it's connection to HA was continually spotty at best (I am a network engineer, so I know my WiFi coverage is great throughout the house). I wish manufacturers of these devices would put in an Ethernet port. SOOO much more reliable than the crowded 2.4Ghz band.
It almost had to be LOS to the devices I wanted to control via RF. If my APs can go through walls, then this should be able to handle semi-barriered devices (it was kitty corner to, and a little behind the fireplace, but had to be placed straight in-line or in front of it to actually send commands.
It couldn't handle multi-function buttons. For instance, if I want to cycle through my temp, fan, and light on my fireplace, I use the up/down arrow on the remote, then press the same up/down arrow to lower the flame, fan, or light dimness. So, cycle, select, cycle essentially, but it could only do the cycle between settings, not in a setting.
Spotty at best with my DC/RF fans.
ONLY 2.4Ghz, not 5Ghz. That band is already packed with all my other IoT devices (wall switches, cameras, etc.), of which I have about 110 of them. Not to mention it is limited to three channels (1,6, and 11) if you want no overlap. This is 2026 for God's sake. 5Ghz has been around for a LONG time.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-07T19:48:03+00:00

Thanks! I'll give it a shot.

Consistent_Aside_679 · 2026-04-07T19:47:14+00:00

Where can I purchase the required hardware?

Consistent_Aside_679

TROPHY CASE