Lunyee 3018 Pro Max CNC Router Review: Real-World Testing for Home Workshops

Written by Andrew Collins

Over the past few days, I’ve been testing the Lunyee 3018 Pro Max CNC router at home to see how it handles different materials, including wood, aluminum, acrylic, and PCB boards. This entry-level desktop CNC machine already has a solid reputation among hobbyists, so I wanted to see how it actually performs when used for everyday, hands-on projects at home. Here’s what I found.

 

 

Assembly and First Impressions

The 3018 Pro Max CNC comes mostly pre-assembled, which makes setup quick and simple. Putting it together mainly involves connecting the axes, installing the spindle, and hooking up the control board. Even if it’s your first CNC machine, you can realistically have it up and running within a short afternoon.

I was impressed with how straightforward the setup was. The components feel sturdy enough for a home workshop, and you don’t need to make many adjustments before starting CNC milling or engraving projects. For hobbyists and makers, this ease of setup is a big plus.

 

 

Spindle and Tooling

The spindle is rated at 500 W and 12,000 RPM. In day-to-day use, it proved reliable for the kinds of CNC tasks I’d realistically attempt in a home workshop. I would approach harder metals cautiously, but for wood, aluminum, acrylic, and PCB work, it does the job well. The ER11 collet supports tools up to 8 mm in diameter, which gives you flexibility to use a variety of engraving bits, end mills, and PCB milling tools.

For small home projects, it handles most tasks without extra tools.

 

 

Mechanical Feel and Motion Quality

Mechanically, the 3018 Pro Max CNC follows a conventional desktop CNC design. It has an aluminum T-slot table, linear bearings, and trapezoidal lead screws. Movements are smooth and predictable, and the adjustable anti-backlash nuts help maintain consistent accuracy for light to medium cutting.

Manual axis knobs are a nice touch—they make setup, zeroing, and small adjustments easy. I found this especially useful when switching between materials or making small adjustments without having to re-home everything.

 

 

Electronics and Control

The electronics are neatly mounted at the rear, with a 48V power supply managing all motors and limit switches through a single control board. The emergency stop button is easy to reach and reliable.

The included offline controller is simple to use for standalone operation, letting you jog axes and run pre-generated G-code. For more control and real-time adjustments, connecting the router to a computer with GRBL-based CNC software works smoothly. This setup is handy for CNC milling, PCB engraving, and other home projects that require precision.

 

 

Software Workflow

CNC milling requires a bit more planning than laser engraving, particularly for controlling depth and Z-axis movement. My workflow involved designing parts in CAD/CAM software, selecting cutting parameters, generating G-code, and then running the jobs through GRBL software.

Height mapping turned out to be especially helpful for PCB milling, where even slight surface variations can cause problems. With GRBL, you can visualize your project in real time and make manual tweaks as needed. This ensures smooth and accurate results whether you’re working with wood or softer metals.

 

 

Real-World Material Testing

Wood: Plywood and solid wood worked very well. Plywood showed minor tear-out, which is normal, while solid wood produced clean, precise results. Both are perfect for home CNC projects.

 

Aluminum: Engraving with a 60° V-bit gave crisp, professional-looking text, suitable for small nameplates and signs. Thicker aluminum requires slower passes, but the machine handles light aluminum milling reliably.

Acrylic: Engraving acrylic sheets was straightforward. The 3018 Pro Max CNC produced clean lines and precise details, with minimal chipping or melting. It handles small to medium acrylic projects well.

 

PCB Milling: Single-sided PCB milling worked smoothly, including trace isolation, drilling, and board cutting. Height mapping helped compensate for slight surface variations, resulting in practical, usable boards for hobby projects.

 

Steel: The machine can manage shallow engraving on steel, but it’s not designed for heavy-duty steel machining. Careful operation and reduced cutting depth are necessary here.

 

 

Who This CNC Router Is For

The 3018 Pro Max CNC is ideal for beginners learning CNC milling and routing, hobbyists working with wood, plastics, acrylic, PCBs, and light aluminum, and makers experimenting with small home projects.

It is not meant for industrial applications or heavy steel cutting. Keeping this in mind will help set realistic expectations and ensure satisfying results.

 

 

Overall Impression

The Lunyee 3018 Pro Max CNC router is a reliable entry-level desktop CNC machine. Setup is easy, operation is predictable, and it’s versatile enough to handle wood, plastics, acrylic, PCB boards, and light aluminum projects. While it’s not designed for industrial use or heavy metal machining, it offers a solid platform for learning CNC milling, experimenting with engraving, and completing practical home projects.

If this is your first CNC router and you’re comfortable working within its intended limits, the 3018 Pro Max feels like a practical and approachable starting point.