Dose anyone have any feedback they would like to share on the RW line of machines? We are thinking of purchasing a RW15 or 20 to replace one of our ageing Hitachi Seiki machines. I looked them over at IMTS in '04 and liked what I saw. They have sort of a bad rap in this area, mostly people that had the 1990's knee mills and machining centers with the fiberglass enclosures.

The rw15 and rw20 are pretty nice machine compaired to the older knee mills and partner series. If you give me your area I can send a users list of those machines. I am the service manager for Milltronics so I have see the improvment of the machines through the years. The rw12 is a machine with dove tail ways, so don't compare the rw15 or 20 with it. Take a look at the VM machines also if you are looking for higher speeds.

You can take my info any way you want, but I will always be honest.

now off for New years

Mark

TR,

I don't have the mill you are asking about but I did just buy a VM-22 and I like it a lot. Earlier in the week I wanted to double check the backlash and it came from the factory set at:

X=0.0002
Y=0.0005
Z=0.0000

Well the factory settings were wrong, I finally dialed it in and I was pretty shocked to find that it was actually:

X=0.0000
Y=0.0000
Z=0.0000

Yeah, I know it's only 5 months old but I thought that was pretty cool. Flip side of the coin, I have a knee mill we bought 11 years ago and it was a lemon. (I posted the story elsewhere on this site.) Mark Holden is really friendly and always been up front with me, I think he would be a good person to talk to about specifics on newer machines. If you email me, I'll get you in touch with someone who owns one of the machines you asked about. (I'm not affiliated with Milltronics in any way shape or form.)

I just don't want to post their personal info on a public forum. I think you'll like the control on their machinery, very straight forward and easy to use but don't expect much out of the owners manual. That's really my ONLY gripe, the OM doesn't have an index with keywords so unless you are already familiar with the control, you'll have to read the whole manual to find anything or else email Mark, he knows where everything is at and they have Application Notes they don't send with the machine that absolutely rock as far as explaining how to use everything!! (Ask for them if you get stuck.)

(YES, I'm pushing for Application Notes being published in PDF on www.milltronics.net and an index with keyword search to find what you need!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) That could make them a serious threat to anyone out there in the medium duty market. I'll say it one more time, you'll love the features, price and definitely the control, just be warned about the manual, it's decent but far from what you'd expect on a $70,000 machine. Most of the info is there if you know how to find it but sometimes it's not there after all, UGH!!

One more thought, read the presidents message here:

http://www.milltronics.net/company/tim's_message.htm

I had three minor things not quite right with my machine when it was delivered. The microswitch on the Z axis rattled off in shipping, the installer pinched the Z lube tube and cut it in half and there was an accident involving some sheet metal on installation. My point is, I had three VERY MINOR problems with this thing and none of them were manufacturing problems. About the only thing that is bunk about the machining centers are the door handles, you're going to lose a few finger nails the first week from pinching your fingers in the doors, (there is NO clearance at all and when the door falls in its catches to stay open, the full weight of the doors falls on your finger tips!!) I bought two little magnets and fixed it but that was only serious complaint.

This is worth reading I thought too for comparison.

http://www.milltronics.net/products/docs/rwvsrhvsvm.htm

(I'm looking at the TT-22 in another year or so, to free up my VM-22, if they get it for sale, it's absolutely perfect, if not I'm thinking about the RW-20's...)