Northwood Ironside 3
Image: northwoodmachine.com, Northwood
Key Specifications
Spindle Taper
Tool Capacity
Table Size
Spindle Power
control
table orientations
How much does the Northwood Ironside 3 cost?
Price estimate
We do not have a price for the Northwood Ironside 3 that we can stand behind, so we show no number. Configuration, options and installation move the final price a long way: a quote is the reliable figure.
Overview
A stationary table with the gantry travelling over it: that is the Northwood Ironside 3, the three-axis router Northwood builds for panel processing and nested-based cabinet work. Sheets of MDF, particle board, plywood, melamine, laminates, phenolics and plastics stay put while the bridge moves, so the floor space needed is close to the size of the table.
Tables start at 4 feet by 8 feet. Standard single-zone tables go up to 5 feet by 12 feet, and in the table these appear as 49 x 97 in (1,245 x 2,464 mm), 61 x 121 in (1,549 x 3,073 mm) and 61 x 145 in (1,549 x 3,683 mm). Dual-zone tables can extend up to 30 feet, which turns the machine into a pendulum cell with two loading positions under one gantry. Sheets register against steel location pins of 1.25-inch diameter. The standard surface is an aluminum matrix, a phenolic table is optional, and either accepts cups or pods.
Northwood treats the tooling as open. The spindle row lists 13 kW (17.4 hp) air cooled, 16 kW (21.5 hp) liquid cooled and 25 kW (33.5 hp) liquid cooled, and around the spindle the machine can carry saws, drill units up to 40-line, dual heads, a molder with an HSK-80 quick change and a 12-tool changer, with 8, 10 and 20 as options.
Z travel is 14 in (356 mm), and the upgrade is 36 in (914 mm), more than the 24 in (610 mm) upgrade of the moving table Iron Horse 3. Shops that want a fixed specification at this size should look at the Ironside R-Series, which Northwood sells with one spindle and one tool changer.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| CNC Control | FANUC 0i-Model F Plus with Alpha iD Servo System |
| Table Size | 49 x 97 in (1,245 x 2,464 mm), 61 x 121 in (1,549 x 3,073 mm), 61 x 145 in (1,549 x 3,683 mm), custom |
| Table Orientations | Narrow |
| Table Options | Single or multiple vacuum zones, 3-standard automatic part location stops (additional available) |
| Spindle Motor Power | 13 kW (17.4 hp) air cooled, 16 kW (21.5 hp) liquid cooled, 25 kW (33.5 hp) liquid cooled |
| Spindle Mounted Fourth Axis | C-axis |
| Spindle Taper | HSK63F and HSK63A |
| Tool Capacity | 12 standard (optional 8, 10 and 20) |
| Adjustable Spindle Spacing | Spindle center spacing (manual or servo) or independent X/Z on multi-tool machines |
| Z Axis Travel | 14 in (356 mm) standard, 36 in (914 mm) upgraded |
| Tool Part Probe | Standard Northwood Probe (optional Renishaw TS27R, NC4 non-contact or RMP400) |
| Line Boring Drill Unit | 5-line, 9-line, 21-line (13 vertical, 8 horizontal), 29-line, 35-line (all vertical), 40-line |
| Saw | Single direction saw, programmable 360 degrees saw/V-groover, direct drive servo saw, 5-axis direct drive saw |
| Molder | 6-inch wide shaft, 12-inch wide arbor, HSK-80 integral quick change molder |
| Vacuum Pumps | 40 hp Liquid Ring, 10 hp Dry Claw, 25 Dry Claw, 10 hp Rotary Vane, stacked system |
Specifications sourced from northwoodmachine.com — verified 2026-10-05
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Traveling gantry over a fixed table from 4 feet by 8 feet, with dual-zone tables up to 30 feet
- 1.25-inch diameter steel location pins and an aluminum matrix table that accepts cups or pods
- Z travel upgrade to 36 in (914 mm) over the 14 in (356 mm) standard
- Molder option on a 6-inch wide shaft or 12-inch wide arbor with HSK-80 integral quick change
- Line boring/drill units from 5-line to 40-line and four saw types
Limitations
- Narrow orientation only; the Iron Horse 3 can also be laid out wide
- The standard tool changer holds 12 tools; the 20-position changer is extra
- The phenolic table, saws, drills and molder are all additions to the base machine
- Northwood's page mentions four primary spindle options while the table lists three ratings, and no feed rates are published
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Tables start at 4 feet by 8 feet and standard single-zone tables go up to 5 feet by 12 feet. The table row lists 49 x 97 in (1,245 x 2,464 mm), 61 x 121 in (1,549 x 3,073 mm), 61 x 145 in (1,549 x 3,683 mm) and custom. Northwood adds that dual-zone tables can extend up to 30 feet.
02
Sheets are located against steel pins of 1.25-inch diameter, and the table lists three automatic part location stops as standard with more available. Vacuum hold down works through the standard aluminum matrix table or an optional phenolic table, in single or multiple zones, and the tables accept either cups or pods.
03
The Ironside R-Series is the fixed-specification version: one 13 kW (17.4 hp) air-cooled spindle, a 12-tool changer, 9 in (229 mm) of Z travel and an optional 9-line drill. The Ironside 3 is configurable, with liquid-cooled spindles up to 25 kW (33.5 hp), Z travel of 14 in (356 mm) or 36 in (914 mm), saws, a molder and larger drill units.
04
Northwood lists saws, drills in 9-line, 21-line and 35-line versions, dual heads and 12- or 20-position tool changers on its page. The table adds 5-line, 29-line and 40-line drill units, a programmable 360 degrees saw/V-groover, a 5-axis direct drive saw and an HSK-80 quick change molder. Spindle spacing on multi-head builds is manual or servo.
