ShopSabre RC8
Image: shopsabre.com, ShopSabre
Key Specifications
Rapid Traverse
Repeatability
machine dimensions
cutting area
z clearance
z axis travel
How much does the ShopSabre RC8 cost?
Price estimate
We do not have a price for the ShopSabre RC8 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 full 4x8 sheet is the reason to buy the ShopSabre RC8. Its cut area of 51 x 97 in (1,295 x 2,464 mm) covers the sheet with a small margin, on the entry-level RC frame: welded structural steel, six legs, a steel tube gantry, and rack-and-pinion drive on X and Y.
The figures that govern cutting are shared across the RC Series. Rapid speed is 1,500 ipm (38.1 m/min). Positional repeatability is +/- 0.002 in (0.051 mm). Z travel is 9 in (229 mm) with 8 in (203 mm) of clearance under the gantry, and every axis rides on 25 mm linear guide rails. The long Y axis is driven from both sides, which keeps a gantry of this length square while it accelerates.
ShopSabre describes the RC as its machine for hobbyists, lower-accuracy applications and low-production shops, and that is a fair guide to where the RC8 fits. It will nest cabinet parts out of sheet goods, but a shop that runs sheets all day, or that needs the +/- 0.001 in repeatability of the PRO 408, is looking at the wrong series.
Two spindles appear on ShopSabre's page. The feature list names a 2.2 hp air-cooled spindle with ER25 collets. The Well Equipped package lists a 3 kW (4 hp) HSD spindle with an 18,000 rpm maximum. The tabletop in that package is surfaced MDF with T-slots, and a vacuum pump from FPZ or Becker is an option, so vacuum hold-down for sheet work is something to add to the order, not something to assume. Floor space needed is 79 x 116 x 69 in (2,007 x 2,946 x 1,753 mm).
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Machine Dimensions | 79 x 116 x 69 in (2,007 x 2,946 x 1,753 mm); height with tool changer 78 in (1,981 mm) |
| Cutting Area | 51 x 97 in (1,295 x 2,464 mm) |
| Z Clearance | 8 in (203 mm) |
| Z Axis Travel | 9 in (229 mm) |
| Rapid Traverse Rate | 1,500 ipm (38.1 m/min) standard |
| Repeatability | +/- 0.002 in (0.051 mm) |
| Drive Motors | Closed Loop Motors with Planetary Gears |
| Drive System | Ball screw Z-axis with planetary drives; rack-and-pinion X and Y axes with ShopSabre Floating Drive Technology |
| CNC Control | Ethernet/network-ready machine controller with at-machine PC and Windows OS |
| Linear Guides | 25 mm linear guide rails and bearings on all axes |
| Software | Vectric VCarve PRO CAD/CAM software license |
| Dust Port | 4 in (102 mm) |
| Well Equipped Spindle | 3 kW (4 hp) HSD spindle, 18,000 rpm max, ER25 collet system |
| Well Equipped Tabletop | Surfaced MDF tabletop with T-slots for material clamping |
Specifications sourced from shopsabre.com — verified 2026-10-05
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Cut area of 51 x 97 in (1,295 x 2,464 mm) takes a full 4x8 sheet
- Dual-drive Y axis on a welded one-piece steel frame with six legs
- 25 mm linear guide rails and bearings on all axes, with a ball screw on Z
- 1,500 ipm (38.1 m/min) rapid speed from closed-loop motors with planetary gears
- Vectric VCarve PRO with nesting, 2D, 2.5D and 3D CAM capabilities is included
Limitations
- Repeatability of +/- 0.002 in (0.051 mm) on rack-and-pinion X and Y axes
- Vacuum pumps are options; the packaged tabletop is surfaced MDF with T-slots
- The 51 in (1,295 mm) width will not take 5x10 sheet; that needs the RC10
- With a tool changer the machine stands 78 in (1,981 mm) high
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Yes. The cut area is 51 x 97 in (1,295 x 2,464 mm), which leaves a small margin around a 4x8 sheet. The machine's own footprint is 79 x 116 x 69 in (2,007 x 2,946 x 1,753 mm), so plan loading space at one end or one side.
02
Drive and accuracy. The RC8 uses rack and pinion on X and Y with closed-loop motors and lists +/- 0.002 in repeatability. The PRO 408 has ball screws on all three axes, AC servo motors and +/- 0.001 in repeatability, with 16 in of Z travel against 9 in on the RC8. The RC8 has the higher listed rapid speed, 1,500 ipm against the 1,200 ipm of the PRO 408.
03
Not in the package ShopSabre lists. The Well Equipped RC comes with a surfaced MDF tabletop and T-slots for clamping. FPZ and Becker vacuum pumps, a phenolic tabletop and hybrid T-slot and vacuum tops are listed as options.
04
Z travel is 9 in (229 mm) and gantry clearance is 8 in (203 mm). That is enough for thick foam, laminated blanks and a spoilboard with fixtures, though the usable depth of any one cut still depends on the length of the tool.
