Here we go:
The BOSS series 1 iron supported 300 lbs. The BOSS series 2 supported 1000 lbs.
FYI: EZTRAK 1 supports 300 lbs. EZTRAK 2 supports 600 lbs. Actually, the iron can support more but the cheaper drives cannot accel or decel the mass. By the way I have had cases of service calls where the knee elevating leadscrew tore out the mating thread in the brass nut (on its way down). These customers would not admit how much weight this required on the table but usually a large forklift was involved.
Lets jump to question 6.
The regular series 1 iron used on the series 1 standard, EZTRAK, V2XT and such has 30 inches or X travel and 12 of Y travel. All these tables, saddles and knees look the same. The series 1 CNC iron will only travel 18 inches in the X. The table casting is different, incorporating a coolant catch around the table and drains at both ends. Per the BPT bulletin about the design, they wanted the moving center of mass not to extend past the saddle for the purposes of better accuracy and rigidity. The Y axis travel was still 12 inches. BPT considered this true CNC iron, not a retrofitted series1.
All BOSS machines had the option of 2 spindles. A Kurt Quick Change 30, and a Universal Quick Switch 200. The tool holders are not interchangable. The Quick Switch nut had two springs in its circumference and a trigger pin. The tool holder was inserted into the spindle and the nut would snap spin grabbing the tool holder. Yes, I replaced many of the small pins that held the nut open. To be safety concious, the wrench was still used to make sure the nut was tight. The Kurt QC30 was usually hard tightened and then the wrench was used. The QC30 tool holders had a 1/2 X 30 thread in the end which facilitated the installation of the OPTIONAL (question 3) air driven power draw bar. The tool holder nut was removed and replaced with a skirt to protect the operator from getting clothes and such caught in the exposed drive keys. Longer drive keys were fitted as well. This option paid for itself in a few months time.
FYI: BPT has used QC40 on the series 2 standard. The Series 1 standard accepted the 2 mentioned above and the R-8. Except fot the M head. It came with either the number 2 Morse taper, number 7 Brown and Sharp or the number B3 taper.
The tapers were matched to the HP of the machines. Hence the 4 HP series 2 standard got the QC 40.
All CNCs made by BPT had chromed ways or used turcite. The BOSS machines had chrome.
I am not familiar with the AJAX retrofit. If it is targeted at a manual machine conversion or a CNC conversion. I can see where converting a CNC would be cheaper as all pulleys, motor mounts, ball screws, etc are already engineered and there. A series 1 standard may not have chrome ways, may not have a rigid ram (pros and cons), and will not have a electric automatic way oil system.
Theoretically the series 2 CNC iron should be more rigid than the series 1 CNC iron. With a used machine that is something that nust be evaluated on a individual basis.
I hope this helps.
George W.  |