Thermwood Model 65
Image: thermwood.com, Thermwood
Key Specifications
Tool Capacity
Table Size
Spindle Power
axes
table type
spindle speed range
How much does the Thermwood Model 65 cost?
Price estimate
We do not have a price for the Thermwood Model 65 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
The Thermwood Model 65 puts a five-axis head on a long, narrow bed. A moving bridge runs over a fixed solid aluminum table offered as 5'x10', 5'x20' or 5'x40', with table extensions available up to 100', and the head has a 24 in (610 mm) vertical extended Z axis to work with. Thermwood builds it for large composite parts and three dimensional patterns.
Most five-axis routers are sized around a mould or a thermoformed part, roughly as wide as they are long. This one suits a different shape of work: long panels and skins that have to be trimmed along an edge or drilled normal to a curved surface. With five axes the cutter can be tilted to follow that surface, so a part is trimmed and drilled in a single setup where a three-axis machine would need it turned or re-fixtured.
The spindle is a 12 HP (8.9 kW) HSD unit with a 3,000-24,000 RPM range. Thermwood's standard list for the Model 65 names no tool changer. A 10 position rotary tool changer and an at-the-head automatic tool changer are the two options, and on five-axis trimming jobs that swap between a router bit and a drill many times per part, one of them is close to a necessity.
Several items worth having on a machine of this size are extras: an 18 HP (13.4 kW) HSD spindle, automatic lubrication, automatic tool length measurement, a 2nd head spindle and an electric drill. The control is the Thermwood SuperControl, and axis alignment is laser compensated in three dimensions, which matters more as travel grows.
The three-axis Model 63 uses the same bed layout and the same table sizes. If the parts are flat or only need machining from above, it does the job with a simpler head.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Axes | 5-Axis |
| Table Type | Fixed solid aluminum table with moving gantry |
| Table Size | 5'x10', 5'x20', 5'x40'; table extensions available up to 100' |
| Spindle Motor Power | 12 HP (8.9 kW) |
| Spindle Speed Range | 3,000-24,000 RPM |
| Optional Spindle | 18 HP (13.4 kW) HSD spindle |
| Z Axis | 24 in (610 mm) vertical extended Z axis |
| Tool Capacity | At-the-head automatic tool changer or 10 position rotary tool changer (opt.) |
| Second Spindle | 2nd head spindle (opt.) |
| Electric Drill | Electric drill (opt.) |
| Drives | Intelligent servo drives throughout |
| CNC Control | Thermwood SuperControl |
Specifications sourced from thermwood.com — verified 2026-10-05
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Five-axis machining on beds from 5'x10' to 5'x40', extendable up to 100'
- Trims and drills contoured composite parts in a single setup
- 24 in (610 mm) vertical extended Z axis for tall workpieces
- Three-dimensional laser compensated axis alignment over the full travel
- 10 position rotary tool changer available for multi-tool trimming programs
Limitations
- Tool changers are options; none is in the standard feature list
- The bed is narrow for its length, so wide moulds are better served by the Model 70
- The 18 HP (13.4 kW) spindle, automatic lubrication and tool length measurement are all options
- No rapid traverse or accuracy figures are published on the product page
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Thermwood describes it as a large bed five-axis CNC router with a moving bridge and stationary table, designed for two and three dimensional machining of large composite parts and three dimensional patterns. It lists aerospace, composite fabrication, marine and boat building, pattern and mold making, military and defense, wind energy and architectural millwork among the users.
02
Table sizes are 5'x10', 5'x20' and 5'x40', and table extensions are available up to 100'. The Z axis is a 24 in (610 mm) vertical extended Z axis on all of them.
03
A 12 HP (8.9 kW) HSD spindle with a 3,000-24,000 RPM speed range is standard. The option is an 18 HP (13.4 kW) HSD spindle. A 2nd head spindle and an electric drill can also be added, which helps on long beds where two heads can share the travel.
04
Two are offered as options: an at-the-head automatic tool changer and a 10 position rotary tool changer. Neither appears among the standard features, so a base Model 65 is quoted without one. Automatic tool length measurement is a separate option.
05
It depends on the shape of the work. The Model 65 bed starts at 5'x10' and grows in length. The Model 70 is built for large, heavy fixtures, with tables from 10'x5' (3.0m x 1.5m) to 10'x20' (3.0m x 6.1m) and an extended Z axis available up to 60 in (1,500 mm). Long, slim parts point to the 65; wide tooling points to the 70.
