Lunyee 3018 Pro Ultra Review: A Great Desktop CNC Router for PCB, Acrylic & Wood Carving

Written by Jasper Shaw

A few months ago, I finally got my hands on the Lunyee 3018 Pro Ultra desktop CNC router. As a hobbyist who’s dabbled in DIY CNC projects, I was curious whether a compact machine like this could handle PCB engraving, acrylic carving, and light wood relief carving without turning my workbench into a battlefield. After a few days of testing, here’s what I discovered.

 

 

First Impressions and Assembly

Unboxing the 3018 Pro Ultra was surprisingly straightforward. Everything came neatly packaged, including two manuals: one for assembly and one for operation. Clear photos and labeled parts made setup painless, even for someone new to hobby CNC routers.

The controller board is mounted on an acrylic plate and features four driver slots, even though the machine only uses three stepper motors. All connectors, from the USB port to the stepper headers, are clearly labeled, making wiring the X, Y, and Z axes simple. One minor inconvenience: swapping drivers isn’t easy since they are soldered in place.

Extras include silicone feet, a T-track table mount, screws, lubrication for the ball screws and linear rails, and a small starter set of end mills. Nothing fancy, but entirely sufficient for small CNC machine projects.

 

 

Frame and Mechanical Build

Most of the frame arrives partially assembled, which is a relief. The gantry and Z-axis come as one piece, saving time and frustration.

• X-axis: rides on 15 mm linear rails with a trapezoidal screw
• Z-axis: slightly thicker 10 mm rails
• Y-axis: cylindrical rods beneath the table

The Y-axis isn’t completely rigid—pushing through harder materials like hardwood causes slight flex—but it’s acceptable for most hobby projects. Attaching the gantry to the base is straightforward if you take a moment to square it.

The included wires are flexible, color-coded, and clearly labeled, so connecting the motors and spindle is mostly hassle-free. The GRBL controller includes a small screen and microSD slot. While you can technically run jobs offline, it’s a bit clunky. For precise PCB milling or wood carving, connecting to a computer is highly recommended.

 

 

Spindle and Electronics

The spindle is 500 W, spinning up to around 12,000 RPM—enough for small bits without stalling. A 1/8-inch collet allows easy tool swaps. Wiring is simple, and the included Z-probe reliably sets zero, especially handy when switching materials.

It runs GRBL-compatible software like Universal G-code Sender. Jogging feels smooth, and the stepper motors track accurately. One small annoyance: the controller doesn’t recognize the M30 command, so program endings require a minor workaround.

With this setup, the 3018 Pro Ultra is ready for PCB engraving, acrylic carving, and light wood relief work.

 

 

Testing: PCB, Acrylic, and Wood Carving

I was excited to put the 3018 Pro Ultra through real-world tests. I combined my PCB, acrylic, and wood carving experiments since they share similar setup and workflow.

PCB Engraving

I started with a small PCB using a 0.7 mm drill bit. The machine followed toolpaths accurately, cutting clean isolation channels between copper traces. Tight curves and close spacing didn’t cause issues, and drilled holes lined up perfectly.

There was a tiny bit of chatter in one corner, but nothing that ruined the board. For hobby electronics and small prototypes, the 3018 Pro Ultra handles PCB milling competently. Don’t expect industrial-grade precision, but for DIY electronics, it’s more than usable.

 

Acrylic Carving

Next, I tested acrylic. Using a 3.175 mm two-flute end mill at around 500 mm/min, I engraved a simple thumbs-up on a circular acrylic plate. Acrylic can melt or stick if pushed too hard, but a small dab of WD-40 kept things smooth.

The toolpaths came out clean, edges were reasonably sharp, and the spindle handled the cuts without stalling. Controlling spindle speed is key—too fast and the material melts; too slow and cutting efficiency drops. For hobbyist signage, custom tags, or even light metal carving, results were excellent.

 

Wood Relief Carving

Finally, I tried a layered wood relief—chair legs, bookshelves, and textured surfaces. I took multiple shallow passes (~0.5 mm per cut) to avoid overloading the spindle. The stepper motors tracked faithfully, and fine details came out surprisingly well.

Push too deep, and the Y-axis flex becomes noticeable. But for light hardwood carving or decorative plaques, it’s sufficient. Watching the relief emerge pass by pass was genuinely satisfying—almost like a small dopamine hit every time the CAD file matched reality. I even caught myself smiling a little when the details lined up perfectly.

 

Overall impressions from testing:

l Capable of PCB milling, acrylic engraving, and light wood carving

l Spindle and motors are sufficient for hobby-level projects

l Minor limitations: Y-axis flex, cable management, and offline controller usability

 

 

Final Thoughts

The Lunyee 3018 Pro Ultra desktop CNC router is a solid entry-level machine. Compact, capable, and user-friendly, the 3018 Pro Ultra delivers enough precision and spindle power for PCB engraving, acrylic carving, light wood relief work, and even light metal cutting for hobby projects.

For anyone stepping into DIY CNC projects, this router is more than adequate for learning, experimentation, and creative hobby work. It sits comfortably on a workbench, doesn’t intimidate new users, and produces satisfying results across multiple materials.

If you’re looking for a small CNC machine or a hobby CNC router that’s reliable, versatile, and easy to use, the 3018 Pro Ultra is a very solid choice.