Where to buy CNC mill from trust worthy vendor?

[andyman]

So I've been doing a lot of searching and it seems like its pretty difficult to buy a CNC mill from a trust worthy US supplier. I want a turnkey solution because the lead times to retrofit an X3 is just too long and for the price just doesn't seem worth it (Promica is an 8 week turn around and they are in australia.)

What I want is a single point lube system, power draw bar, 4th axis, and dc brushless motor. Tormach seems ok but no drawbar for the pcnc 770.

I can't seem to find the KX3 anymore , nobody i selling them. Not even sure why. Littlemachine shop has the KX1 but thats way too small.

Syil seems like a good fit but I just don't trust it. I don't want to receive a defective 500lb piece of equipment.

So where the heck do you people buy your CNC mills from? As more time goes by I may just have to bite the bullet and get the Tormach but I really like the KX3 if its cheap enough.


So any suggestions?

[chipslinger69]

Just spend a little more and get the PCNC1100.

[Starleper1]

So where the heck do you people buy your CNC mills from? As more time goes by I may just have to bite the bullet and get the Tormach but I really like the KX3 if its cheap enough.

We don't buy, we build

[mwood3]

We don't buy, we build

Starleper1 is right, the majority of the threads you see here are home built machines, that being said...
I bet there are a few people that would be willing to build you a CNC machine on here....but then we get into the "trust factor" as Im sure they will want you to at least cover parts and material up front. It would be a nice service for those not able or not willing to build. if someone was willing to step up to the plate and gain some reputation.

[andyman]

I've got no problems building my own machine. But the issue is you don't get the features of a machine that was designed from the ground up. For example a built in powered draw bar (or one that was designed for the system), a lubrication system, etc etc.

I could source all these seperately and put it together. Probably save a small amount of money, but I'll end up paying for it in shipping.

So with that said, lets say for the sake of argument that I want to buy my solution. Who the heck can I go to in the USA to build me a quality system?

I am currently in contact with Syil in Cananda (got the initial quote). Still awaiting feedback for the regarding the power drawbar.

If someone has something similiar to what Syil canada is selling (X4) I am all ears!

[hoss2006]

These comparison charts are a little dated but you can still get a Smithy 622 (KX3)

http://novakon.net/145%20COMP%203.pdf

http://www.novakon.net/NM-200%20Seri...on%20Chart.pdf

Hoss

[TXFred]

I'll put in my vote for Tormach.

All of these machines are going to be Chinese made, which means that there will be some potential for failure. No one brand is immune to this.

You would do well to choose a company that you trust to be there when something breaks or goes wrong.

I chose Tormach because of their customer service reputation. And sure enough, my new 1100 had a few issues. A bad wall wart for the power drawbar (hard to diagnose), a broken fitting on the lube system, and Z axis noise all cropped up early on. Tormach's engineers were easy to reach, knowledgeable, and very helpful. Replacement parts shipped out the same day every time.

This evening I encountered a new issue with losing steps during surfacing operations. I left a message with them after hours, and I fully expect to get a call from them tomorrow morning.

For me, reliable support after the sale is worth a few thousand dollars added to the cost of the machine. I'd hate to have a purchase of this magnitude be reduced to uselessness because I could not get adequate support after the sale.

That's my two cents.

Frederic

[TXFred]

There's one other option, which is Dave deCaussin's machines. He builds them himself, and as this video shows, this is a formidable machine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISzkthutKnA&]Scratch Built mini version of Fadal's VMC 15 - YouTube

[andyman]

Ok after more research...

Tormach looks like a clear leader. They use belt and pullys so no DC brushless motor controller issues. Seems like they are a reputable company. But the flip side is more $$$$. I just need to calculate how much more before i pull any triggers.


Just read some scary reviews of customer service experiences of Novakon. Seems like they have the same issues as Syil. Although Syil Canada upgraded the spindle on their units..

Did a little more research on the X3 conversions. Looks like no easy way to oil and lube those things. And no covers for the Z ways.. Kind of a bummer. Considering the retrokit + mill almost equals a tormach.. Ok maybe a few thousand cheaper. Just gotta figure out if that few thousand is worth loosing some features.

[Fastest1]

What Fred forgot to say was that Dave was one of the owners of Fadal.

There's one other option, which is Dave deCaussin's machines. He builds them himself, and as this video shows, this is a formidable machine.

[Fastest1]

What Fred forgot to say was that Dave was one of the owners of Fadal.

There's one other option, which is Dave deCaussin's machines. He builds them himself, and as this video shows, this is a formidable machine.

[philbur]

I'm not sure a video on youtube constitutes a viable option. Maybe at some future date - maybe!

Phil

There's one other option, which is Dave deCaussin's machines. He builds them himself, and as this video shows, this is a formidable machine.