Carbide 3D · Enclosed desktop
Nomad 3
The original plug-in-and-cut desktop mill: enclosed, quiet, with 3D CAM bundled.
$2,800Includes MeshCAM and an Alibre Workshop license.
Work area203 × 203 mm
Spindle130 W
DriveLead screw (anti-backlash)
MetalLight aluminum, slowly
Will's take
Still lovely on a desk, but the Nomad 4 has made it hard to recommend new.
The Nomad 3 is the machine that proved a CNC could live in a home office. It’s enclosed, quiet, beautifully finished, and comes with MeshCAM and Alibre, so you can go from a 3D model to a part without buying anything else.
The issue is value. 130 W, lead screws and an 8 × 8 inch bed for this price looked fine five years ago. Now there’s a Carvera Air for less and a Nomad 4 with ten times the spindle above it. If you find one used, great. New, I’d look elsewhere.
— Will
What I like
- Genuinely desk-friendly: enclosed and quiet
- Bundled 3D CAM and PCB software
- Excellent build quality and support
What I'd watch for
- Small bed and 130 W spindle for the price
- ER-11 collet limits tooling
- Slow in aluminum
Spec sheet Carbide 3D Nomad 3
| Work area (X × Y × Z) | 203 × 203 × 76 mm 8.0 × 8.0 × 3.0 in |
|---|---|
| Spindle | 130 W brushless spindle up to 24,000 rpm |
| Drive | Lead screw (anti-backlash) |
| Linear motion | Round rails X/Y, linear rail Z |
| Frame | Machined aluminum, HDPE & bamboo panels |
| Enclosure | Yes |
| Tool changer | Manual |
|---|---|
| Controller | Carbide Motion |
| Software | Carbide Create, MeshCAM, Carbide Copper |
| Metal | Light aluminum, slowly |
| Footprint | 17.5 × 19 in |
| Released | 2020 |
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