10 Years!

A Decade of Making: 10 Years of V1 Engineering

It’s hard to believe, but it has been 10 years since V1 Engineering officially became more than just a pile of conduit and a dream on my kitchen table. That feels both like a lifetime and a blink of an eye. Ten years ago, V1 Engineering Inc started with a simple idea, a CNC machine that anyone could build using a 3D printer and common hardware.

When I first posted the "Mostly Printed CNC" online, I wasn't trying to start a company. I was just a guy who wanted a CNC but couldn't justify the "hobby" price tags of the time. I wanted something accessible, something modifiable, and something that utilized the 3D printer I already had. Looking back, it’s clear that a lot of you were looking for the exact same thing.

“Celebrating a decade of DIY engineering is no small feat. From the first 3D-printed CNC part to a global community of makers, V1 Engineering has redefined what's possible in a home workshop.” - AI (I actually like what AI has to say…this time)

A Huge Year (2024–2025)

I can relive the past but a lot of you already know that story so how about what happened in just the last year. The last year or so been some of the most intense and rewarding in our history. If you’ve seen me hanging out on the V1E Forums, you know I don't sit still for long. It seems every year is more hectic and rewarding than the previous years, funny how that works

- The LowRider 4 (LR4) Launch: This was the highlight of my year. We took everything we learned from the MPCNC and all the previous major and minor revisions of the LowRider CNC’s and tightened the screws—literally and figuratively. Seeing the first community builds pop up on the forums, many of them cutting faster and cleaner than I even anticipated, reminded me why I love this process.

In fact this machine was so good it outperforms the MPCNC in all sizes with a small footprint. So in order to keep costs down manufacturing and sourcing we consolidated to just the LowRider.

- The Jackpot3 CNC Controller: Electronics took a massive leap forward this year with the introduction of the Jackpot3 CNC Controller. Running on FluidNC, it has become the "gold standard" for V1E machines, offering WiFi control, easier configuration, and a level of reliability that makes the old RAMPS days feel like ancient history. I believe it’s made the "V1 experience" so much more approachable for newcomers.

- A Growing Community: New users in the forum this year are growing, The Facebook group is ever expanding, and we added two new manufacturing partners. https://northwoodscustomcreations.com/ and https://hawiwe.de/.

A Personal Thank You

Ten years is a long time in the "tech" world, but in the "maker" world, it feels like we’re just getting started. V1 Engineering has always been about making cool things with cool people.

I might provide the files, but you all provide the soul of this project and I would not do any of this without the friendships that I have created with so many of you over the years. Some of you post a lot, some of you almost never post but when you do, it is clear you have been in the background following along for a long time.

To every person who has bought a hardware kit, printed a part for a friend, or answered a question for a "noob" on the forums: Thank you. You’ve allowed me to do what I love for a decade.

Keep making a mess of your workspace,

Ryan Z (Vicious1)