The Mega V is a desktop-size CNC router from MillRight CNC, an American brand that makes CNC routers and accessories.

What’s remarkable about the Mega V is its sturdy steel frame and the rack and pinion drive it uses.

The Mega V is the most popular CNC router sold by MillRight CNC and comes in 3 variants: Standard(19” x 19”), XL (35” x 35”), and Plasma(35” x 35”).

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MillRight CNC Mega V Review

In this Millright CNC review, I have reviewed Mega V after thoroughly evaluating it on the basis of its size, machining ability, rigidity, accessories, software package, ease of installation, customer service, and upgradability.

1. Size

Mega V	Work Area	Footprint (depth x width)
Standard	19” x 19” x 3.75”	27” x 33”
XL	35” x 35” x 3.75”	42”  x 48”
Plasma Version	35” x 35” x 3.75”	43” x 48”
XXL	50” x 50” x 3.75”	58” x 66”

MillRight Mega V Standard model has a footprint of 27″ x 33″ that provides you with a work envelope of 19” x 19” with a maximum Z-axis travel of 3.75 inches.

Whereas the Mega V XL model has a footprint of 42″ x 48″ with a work envelope of 35” x 35” and a maximum Z-axis travel of 3.75 inches.

The weight of the standard and XL models depends upon the bed type, but generally, they have a weight of around 100 lbs and 175 lbs respectively. 

The plasma version has a work envelope identical to that of the XL model with a slightly greater footprint of 43” x 48”.

Weighing in at 285 lbs, the plasma version is heavier than all the other variants as it comes with a pre-welded steel water table with work support slats and a breakaway mount.

With the popularity and success of the desktop version, MillRight decided to add more variety to the Mega V series by producing a larger version, The Mega V XXL router. 

The cutting area on the XXL version is 50” x 50”, which is large enough to work on half a sheet of plywood and can even work on a full-size sheet (4’ x 8’) by using the tiling technique. 

It has a footprint of  58” x 66”, but the maximum Z-axis travel remains the same at 3.75 inches, and has a weight of around 250 lbs.

The footprints mentioned above do not include the control box of 11” x 11” x 5”, and depending upon the placement of the control box, the footprints can change.

If a large work area is not your priority, you can also look at the MillRight CNC Carve King M and Carve King 2.

However, if you are looking for a more budget-friendly router with similar specifications, you can look at Shapeoko 4, which offers similar variants but provides a slightly smaller work area when compared to the respective variants of MillRight Mega V.

2. Material Capability

MillRight Mega V has the ability to perform cuts on a wide range of materials, such as wood, plastic, foam, carbon fiber, and soft metals like aluminum.

It offers a maximum cutting speed of 500 inches/min for softer materials like wood, and the cutting speed decreases with the increase in the hardness of the material.

The rigid structure of Mega V makes it possible to perform light-cutting operations on hard metals with decent finish and accuracy. 

But for the standard and XL models, it would be a good idea to go with the aluminum bed for better rigidity while performing light cuts on hard metals.

If you want to cut through hard metals, then the plasma version is a better choice, and its ability to cut hard metal depends on the type of plasma cutter that you use. 

Some plasma cutters are only capable of cutting through 1/4“ thick steel, while other plasma units, like Hypertherm Powermax 45XP, can cut through 1” thick steel. 

The hybrid kit allows you to have the benefits of two machines in one. 

Swapping the plasma cutter with the router and installing the MDF bed, turns your plasma version into a router version.

Unfortunately, the plasma version is currently unavailable, but you can look for used Millright Mega V Plasma models.

Apart from these, Millright has also launched their Mega V pro variant, ideal for machining soft metals, with occasional cuts in hard metals like steel.

They have also launched the Millright Mega V Full Sheet router, which provides a large work area of around 50″x98″x3.75″ to cut an entire sheet of plywood (4′ x 8′) in a single go.

If you are looking for a benchtop CNC exclusively for metals, you can check out – Best Benchtop CNC Mills in 2023 for Machining Metal 

3. Chassis 

The frame rails of Mega V are made from 8mm thick aluminum extrusions of 3.93” x 2.36” and the bearing plates are precision cut from ¼” thick steel.

Basic variants of the Mega V routers have an MDF bed with inserts, but, for better rigidity, they also offer a T plate bed made of aluminum.

The Z rails are made from bearing steel and the rollers are made from Acetron, a general-purpose copolymer, that is known for low friction and long wear life. 

Additionally, the rack and pinion drive, made from tough steel, which is very rare to be found in a CNC of this range, is what makes Mega V stand out among its competition.

Sturdy build and the use of an anti-backlash nut allow Mega V to provide a no-load positioning accuracy and repeatability of 0.001” per 12” in the X and Y axes, and around 0.0003” per 4” for Z-axis.

The router version provides a cut accuracy of about +/-0.004”. But the plasma version however is comparatively less accurate with a cut accuracy of around +/-0.03”. 

4. Linear Motion

The X and Y axes of the Mega V router are driven by an industrial-grade rack and pinion drive system.

The use of a rack and pinion drive is something that differentiates the Mega V from its competitors such as Shapeoko, X-Carve and Onefinity.

This drive system enables a rapid traverse speed of 650 inches/min along the X and Y axes, and about 920 inches/min along the diagonal. 

The drive mechanism for the Z-axis consists of a lead screw with an anti-backlash nut.

Lead screw provides better positional accuracy than a belt drive and the anti-backlash nut helps to attain excellent repeatability by reducing backlash. 

The X and Y axes rails of the Mega V are 100mm x 60mm with 8mm thickness and the z-axis uses an MGN15 Linear Profile Rail which offers greater precision with smoother movements and better mounting.

The custom-made aluminum extrusion with a considerably large V channel enables MillRight to use oversized rollers of 40mm diameter, enabling a greater contact area and a smoother function. 

5. Spindle

MillRight previously included a DeWalt DWP611 router in their Mega V router kit but has recently decided to replace it with a MAKITA RT0701C router.

All the Mega V routers shipped after 11/23/20 will come with a Makita RT0701C which houses a 120V, 1.25 hp motor.

It offers a wider range of RPM ranging from as low as 10,000 rpm to as high as 30,000 rpm and the closed-loop electronic speed controller maintains a constant speed even under load.

The Mega V router kit also includes a billet aluminum router mount and a carbide end mill.

6. Controller and Electronics

Stepper Motors

Mega V uses NEMA 23 stepper motors with a holding torque of 272 oz-in, which is greater than most of the CNC routers in this price set.

The motor has a step angle of 1.8º, which allows it to have 200 steps per revolution, which is similar to most of the stepper motors in the market.

Control System

The control box is pre-assembled, made of good-quality material, and based on the availability of space in your workplace, you can either place it on the side or on a shelf under the machine.

It houses powerful digital stepper motor drivers that drive the NEMA 23 stepper motors with a 48V DC power supply.

The Mega V uses a customized version of GRBL on an Arduino Mega board. 

The regular GRBL provides a control for 3 axes, but the tweaked version available with Mega V has the additional functionality to control the 4th axis. 

A USB cable is provided to connect the computer with the control system.

Electronics

Mega V CNC kit does not include a computer, so you should either have a computer or include the cost of a computer in your budget when you consider buying Mega V. 

The standard kit does not have the homing switches but you can include them in your purchase for an extra $40.

For emergency situations, an emergency stop button is provided which can be used to stop the machine immediately.

The pre-assembled control box does not require any tools to make connections. You just have to plug in the connections of all the motors and switches.

Drag chains provide a clean look to the machine by hiding all the cables and securing them.

A touch plate is considered a good upgrade to your machine and MillRightCNC provides a compatible touch plate for Mega V.

7. Software

The Mega V comes with a customized version of Universal G code Sender (UGS) that provides extra features like a 4th axis readout.

You can use a USB stick to transfer G-code or M-code to the controller.

MillRight does not provide CAD/CAM software with the Mega V series but recommends Fusion 360 from Autodesk for designing and generating G-code.

A custom-written post-processor for fusion 360, that supports plasma cutting and rotary axis is provided by MillRight.

For those who prefer Vectric, MillRight also offers post-processors for software programs such as Cut2D and VCarve.

8. Dust Shoe

Dust shoe is an important accessory because the dust produced during machining can shorten the life of your CNC.

The dust shoe can be added to your purchase from the official website of MillRight CNC.

They offer dust shoes for both, Makita and DeWalt routers, so make sure to select the right variant of dust shoes according to your router.

The dust shoe variant made for the Makita router has a 2″ long skirt and a 2.5″ dust collection port that is suitable for most shop-vac hoses.

Whereas the dust shoe variant for the DeWalt router has a 3″ long skirt along with a 4″ dust collection port which you can use to connect vacuum hose from dust collectors.

9. Laser Module

The Mega V can be upgraded with the SUPER 7 Watt laser from JTech Photonics. 

It is a 7 W, 455 nm diode laser with a high-resolution lens that can be used for engraving on wood, leather, and other similar materials.

It can also be used to cut many types of foams, plastics, and some thin, less dense woods like balsa and basswood.

This laser module features a power fault protection that prevents the laser from turning back on when the power restores after a power failure.

The key switch provides extra safety by making sure that the laser can be turned on only when the key is inserted and turned on.

It also provides the option to include an Emergency stop button for the laser.

The kit comes with a magnetic base mount that saves a lot of time by easy magnetic attachment.

You can purchase this laser module from the official website of MillRight CNC.

10. Rotary Kit

The rotary 4th axis can be included in your Mega V kit for an additional $469.

It enables you to mount the workpiece on the 4th axis and perform milling on cylindrical objects like baseball bats and chess pieces.

With the optional laser module and the 4th axis, you can even rotary engrave your workpiece.

11. Assembly

Mega V ships as a DIY assembly kit and you will have to put together all the parts and assemble them.

MillRight provides a detailed assembly manual and they also have a 2-part video series on YouTube that will guide you through the assembly process.

It can take you around half a day for the assembly of Mega V.

However, it can take you longer if you included the 4th axis in your kit. 

12. Community

MillRight CNC has a fairly large community with users sharing their experiences on many forums.

They also have an official forum where they provide tips and support, also users can share their experiences and ideas. 

13. Customer Support

MillRight CNC, LLC is a manufacturer based in the USA, with all its employees in the United States, including the support staff.

The previous warranty period for Mega V series products was 180 days, but MillRight has extended the warranty period to 1 year, on all its products purchased after 11/8/2021.

They also provide free technical support for this product and you can contact MillRight either by phone or email for support.

14. Final Thoughts

The MillRight Mega V is an excellent CNC machine that can achieve near industrial speeds and precision at a hobby machine price point. 

Its wide range of options and accessories offer the flexibility to choose the most suitable machine according to your needs.

With high speed and good repeatability, it can produce products with tight tolerance with less machining time.  

Its superior build and exemplary customer support make Mega V one of the excellent choices in its category. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I purchase the Mega V without the router?

MillRight does not provide an option to get the Mega V without the router. All the Mega V routers shipped after 11/23/20 come with a Makita RT0701C router and there is no option to choose a different router.

What tools do I need to assemble the Mega V?

The tools required to assemble the Mega V include some basic hand tools like wrenches, screwdrivers, and sockets. The control box comes pre-assembled, so, you won’t be needing the soldering iron and pliers.

Where is the Mega V made?

The Mega V is primarily made at a manufacturing facility in Georgia. Only a few components like the stepper motors and stepper motor drivers are sourced overseas.