Crowdfunding / not yet shipping
ToolDance X1: Specs, Price and Kickstarter Status
The X1 is an enclosed desktop mill that ToolDance launched on Kickstarter on October 15, 2026. On paper it does what nothing else at this price does: a 9-tool changer, a 1.5 kW spindle and bolt-on 4 and 5-axis modules for a $2,999 super early bird pledge. It has not shipped, nobody independent has tested one, and the delivery target is Q1 2027. Treat it as a promising preview, not a buying decision.
Image: ToolDance
Super early bird $2,999
ToolDance states an MSRP of $5,999. Shipping is charged after the campaign. Delivery: Q1 2027 target (the campaign FAQ says shipping should start in March 2027). Status: Live. Kickstarter showed 21,512% of the $50,000 goal on Oct 17, 2026.
A pledge is not a purchase. You back a project, and the machine ships if and when it is made.
Why there is no score
Our scores weigh specs together with owner reports and real setup friction. Nobody outside ToolDance has a production ToolDance X1, so any score would be a guess. It gets one when machines reach buyers. Until then this page lists the claims and the risks.
Our news preview covers what the ToolDance X1 promises, how it stacks up against machines you can buy today, and the catches: read the ToolDance X1 preview.
Claimed specifications
Manufacturer claims, not verified by us or by any independent test.
| Status | Kickstarter campaign, Oct 15 to Nov 29, 2026. Not shipping. |
|---|---|
| Pledge price | $2,999 super early bird (stated MSRP $5,999) |
| Delivery target | Q1 2027 (FAQ: shipping to start March 2027) |
| Work area | 400 × 265 × 180 mm (the tool changer takes some of it) |
| Spindle | 1.5 kW S1-rated PMSM, up to 24,000 RPM (about 900 to 1,000 W on 120 V, per the FAQ) |
| Tool changer | 9 tools plus a workpiece probe, RFID recognition, shanks up to 10 mm, cutters up to 18 mm, tool length 35 to 100 mm |
| Motion | Preloaded ball screws, closed-loop NEMA 23 steppers with FOC and 14-bit absolute encoders |
| Controller | RTOS with 2 kHz interpolation |
| Repeatability | ±0.01 mm claimed (return to position, not part accuracy) |
| Sensors and controls | Workpiece probe, line-laser sensor, 1080p monitoring camera, touchscreen, MPG handwheel |
| Cooling | Air blast standard, flood coolant optional |
| Frame and size | Enclosed cast aluminium, 750 × 625 × 772 mm, 100 to 110 kg depending on the source |
| Power | Single phase 110 to 240 V AC |
| Software | ToolDance Studio and AutoCAM (Windows first, macOS later), G-code import, Fusion 360, NX and Mastercam plugins |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Optional modules
| 4-axis module | $699 campaign add-on |
|---|---|
| 5-axis module | $1,099 campaign add-on (development preview) |
| Flood cooling module | $799 campaign add-on |
| Dust collection module | $599 campaign add-on (quoted at $499 before launch) |
Campaign add-on prices. They are not retail prices, and at least one changed during the run-up to launch.
On paper
What it promises
- A 9-tool automatic tool changer with RFID tool recognition at a $2,999 campaign price
- 1.5 kW S1-rated spindle up to 24,000 RPM, several times the power of other enclosed desktop machines
- Preloaded ball screws and closed-loop NEMA 23 steppers with 14-bit absolute encoders
- Probe, line-laser sensor, 1080p camera, touchscreen and MPG handwheel in the base machine
- 4-axis and 5-axis modules bolt on later and need no separate controller
What to weigh
- Not shipping: this is a Kickstarter pledge with a Q1 2027 delivery target, not a store order
- Every number is ToolDance's own claim; nobody outside the company has a production unit
- ToolDance's FAQ says the spindle gives about 900 to 1,000 W on 120 V mains
- The 5-axis module is a development preview with a small working envelope
- One-year warranty from a brand-new company with no owner community yet
Who it suits: Experienced makers who want metal-capable automatic tool changing on a desk and can afford to wait, and to lose, the pledge.
Shipping today instead
If you need a tool-changing desktop machine this year, look at the Makera Carvera (6-tool changer, shipping now). For a smaller budget with manual tool changes there is the Carvera Air and the Makera Z1. Line any of them up in the comparison tool, or check current deals.
Still interested? The campaign runs until Nov 29, 2026.
Sources
- ToolDance X1 Kickstarter campaign and FAQ
- ToolDance website
- Hackster.io: ToolDance X1 is now on Kickstarter
- The Crafty Catsman: ToolDance X1 specs and prices (sponsored)
- Geeky Gadgets: ToolDance X1 launches on Kickstarter
- engineering.com: ToolDance unveils X1 at IFA 2026
Some links on this page may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you (disclosure). That never changes what we write about a machine.