I'm experienced with 3d printers, although this is the first time I have assembled a CNC machine as I usually purchase them preassembled. That said, I have learnt a lot just by constructing this machine by hand.It's a good idea to set aside a day or two to build everything, as this is not a 'straight out of the box' product. It took me three days in total to get anything engraved and that was before I delved into the numerous programs for designing custom projects. Once build the machine plugs straight into the computer/ laptop via the USB. Download the driver, open the attached programs and you are away.The instructions are lightweight. I received a general booklet and had to download the instructions specific for the 1600 model from the included USB drive. I had to scour youtube for a few tutorial videos from other CNC users to get everything just right.Something that is not mentioned is the bars of X and Y-axis come 'dry'. As in there is no oil on the bars upon arrival. There is no warning to this in the instructions, which should be addressed as it can damage the bars due to friction. I had to purchase CN-40 machine lubricant separately, which fixed that issue.It will take me a while to master the programming. The accompanying USB drive has the 'Candle' software and a plugin for 'Inkscape' to create gcodes with. In my case, the inkscape plugin is out of date and the latest version has a completely different way of generating gcodes. Candle itself works fine for sending the codes to the machine. If I can find an easier way of getting my designs into gcode format, I'd be all set.On a side note, I've yet to use the laser attachment that came with my machine and probably won't be until I master the basics.Pros--Small (could be a con if you need to do bigger projects.) For me I do smallish crafting such as engraving charms. I don't have a lot of space, so something small and moveable work perfect for me.-Surprising easy to build once you know how.-Can be upgraded.Cons--Lightweight instructions.-Software choice is a minefield.