What is a Terco?

[grinderdust]

Has anyone heard of a terco milling machine?

[kuhncw]

No, but I have heard of Hurco, located in Indianapolis, IN.

Regards,

Chuck

[turmite]

There is a company called Terrco that makes carving machine (manual duplication) but I don't know if they have moved into cnc.

Mike

[10101]

I own a Terco CNC-45 Mill. What kind of questions do you have?

[karolinali]

Terco is a Swedish company that manufactures things for school and education. They have (or had) some CNC machines for education.
Check this link for a picture of two of them http://www.desktopcnc.com/out_of_prod/old_terco.htm

I own one of the top pictures, a 4441 milltrainer. The control accepts only 100 steps of G-code and has no computer connection. It was out of manufacture even 10 years ago, when I got it. Mine was manufactured earliest 1983.
While the control is Swedish built, I don't think the mill part is, and it probably goes by another name from an US (or possibly UK) manufacturer.

I have scrapped my control due to its limitations, and that it is big, heavy, noisy and gives a lot of heat and that mine lost its memory all the time. So now I am looking into replacing it with something modern.

[turmite]

Originally Posted by karolinali Terco is a Swedish company that manufactures things for school and education. They have (or had) some CNC machines for education. Check this link for a picture of two of them http://www.desktopcnc.com/out_of_prod/old_terco.htm I own one of the top pictures, a 4441 milltrainer. The control accepts only 100 steps of G-code and has no computer connection. It was out of manufacture even 10 years ago, when I got it. Mine was manufactured earliest 1983. While the control is Swedish built, I don't think the mill part is, and it probably goes by another name from an US (or possibly UK) manufacturer. I have scrapped my control due to its limitations, and that it is big, heavy, noisy and gives a lot of heat and that mine lost its memory all the time. So now I am looking into replacing it with something modern.

Check out Mach3 or the new Quantum software from www.Artsoft.ca

[DareBee]

artsoft.ca maybe not what you want.
Try www.machsupport.com

[grinderdust]

Thanks for all your replies. I was looking at a mill trainer just like that 4441 a guy had for sale. I never did get the terco but was curious about the specs like spindle speed and feed screw type. I have seen two of these for sale over the years. Might never see one again. That link karolinali gave is more than info than I was able to scrape up in years. Isn't 1983 for cnc tools like 1883 for manual machine tools?

[karolinali]

Originally Posted by grinderdust Thanks for all your replies. I was looking at a mill trainer just like that 4441 a guy had for sale. I never did get the terco but was curious about the specs like spindle speed and feed screw type. I have seen two of these for sale over the years. Might never see one again. That link karolinali gave is more than info than I was able to scrape up in years. Isn't 1983 for cnc tools like 1883 for manual machine tools?

One of those was just going on ebay for $675, but with the number 4460. The photos and data are still available. It looks almost exactly like mine, so there are at least no external differences. I take data from there:
Table Speed: 0 - 20" minute
Programming Accuracy: .001"
Spindle Motor: Thyristor controlled DC motor
Table: 13.78" X 5.9"
Longitudinal Travel: 7.48"
Traverse Travel: 3.15"
Vertical Travel: 1.57"
Spindle Motor: 180W
Spindle Taper: Morse 1
Spindle Speeds: 500 - 2500 RPM
Number of Speeds: 9
Weight (Mill Only): 230 lbs.

The Terco 44XX appears very solid. It is all steel and the table is thick. I guess that can be seen from the weight. The spindle is 500-2500 rpm in step of 250. The spindle is only 180W, but looks very solid. The screw type I cannot say, since I don't know about different screw types. It looks as solid as everything else.

It just needs a completely new control. Since the mill has three steppers, such controls are easily available. The only problem then is spindle control. The spindle motor is a direct-drive permanent magnet DC-motor of unknown voltage requirement, but it looks like it was going directly on rectified mains voltage.

I got mine without a tool holder, which initially gave my problems. It is Morse 1, and a special screw fitting keeping it together. The picture for the machine on ebay looks like it has a normal drill holder, which does not work for milling. (I have tried it, and it falls out all the time).
I got mine from Terco, but it was 10 years ago, and it might have been the last spare they had.

This milling machine used to have a kit so it could double as a CNC lathe.