ToolDance has unveiled the X1, a desktop CNC mill with a 1,500 W spindle and a nine-tool automatic tool changer, at IFA 2026 in Berlin, according to a September 4 press release. The company says the X1 launches on Kickstarter in October 2026. A banner on ToolDance's site lists a limited Super Early Bird price starting at $2,999, against a struck-through $5,999.
Machine specifications
The spindle is a 1,500 W permanent magnet synchronous motor. ToolDance says it keeps strong torque at low speeds for roughing cuts and reaches 24,000 rpm for finishing, with positioning repeatability of 0.01 mm. The work envelope measures 400 by 265 by 180 mm, and the machine accepts tool shanks up to 10 mm. A cast aluminum-alloy frame is reinforced along load paths to resist vibration.
The X1 runs both dry and with flood coolant across metals, wood, and engineering plastics. Flood coolant is a continuous liquid stream that controls heat and clears chips, which is standard on larger mills and rare on desktop machines. The nine-tool automatic tool changer swaps cutters between roughing, drilling, finishing, chamfering, threading, and engraving operations.
A few specifications set the X1 apart from smaller desktop machines. A spindle with 1,500 W is far above the trim routers and small spindles on many hobby machines, and a permanent magnet synchronous motor holds torque at low speeds, which matters when cutting aluminum or steel. A positioning repeatability of 0.01 mm is a claim about how reliably the machine returns to the same point, and it is the figure to check in independent testing. The 400 by 265 by 180 mm work envelope is large enough for fixtures, molds, and machine plates in a single setup, the company says, and a 10 mm shank limit allows larger cutters for heavier material removal.
Software and expansion
ToolDance Studio, developed in-house, is built around a three-step workflow from model to part. A Design for Manufacturability check reviews geometry, tool access, stock, and machining limits before cutting starts. A Workholding Guidance System recommends how to clamp each operation and walks through the setup visually, and an image-to-model feature generates editable geometry from photographs or reference images. The company positions the software as a way to lower the barrier for people new to machining.
An optional simultaneous four- or five-axis module is planned so the X1 can cut curved surfaces and complex parts in one setup. The press release does not say when the module ships or what it costs. ToolDance's site also shows compatibility icons for Fusion 360 and Siemens NX.
Competition and open questions
The desktop mill field includes Carbide 3D's Nomad, Bantam Tools' Desktop CNC Milling Machine, and Pocket NC's machines, which are known for compact metal-cutting setups. The X1's selling points against them are the spindle power, the nine-tool changer, and flood coolant at a stated early-bird price of $2,999. The Kickstarter campaign has not opened yet, so there are no confirmed reward tiers, delivery dates, or final retail price. The $5,999 figure on the site is the struck-through reference price. Backing a crowdfunding campaign for a new machine carries delivery risk, and the performance numbers here come from ToolDance.
The company calls its goal "Your Personal Factory" and says the X1 aims to bring industrial-grade manufacturing to makers, engineers, and small businesses. The unit stays on display at Hall 17, Booth H17-205 at Messe Berlin from September 4 to 8, with live machining demonstrations.
The price story is the part to watch. ToolDance's site shows a limited Super Early Bird starting at $2,999 and a struck-through $5,999, so the eventual retail price is likely to be closer to the higher number, though the company has not confirmed it. The Kickstarter had not launched when the release went out, and the company said only October 2026. Crowdfunded machines frequently slip their delivery dates, and the press release describes the product at a trade show, not a shipping unit. ToolDance's pitch is that live demonstrations at IFA show the full workflow from raw material to finished part, which is a sensible test for a machine that bundles software, coolant, and a tool changer.
ToolDance has not published the Kickstarter page address in the release, which points readers to its website for updates.
Sources and image credits
- ToolDance press release: ToolDance unveils X1 Smart Desktop CNC Mill at IFA 2026
- ToolDance official site
- Images: ToolDance press and product materials
