X3 Canada need help

[seedkey]

Hello guys, any idea who sells an X3 in Canada.
Any ideas on how to get one?
thanks

[Neil_J]

Originally Posted by seedkey Hello guys, any idea who sells an X3 in Canada. Any ideas on how to get one? thanks

Not sure of anyone selling them in Canada. You could drive across the border and get one from Grizzly our exchange rate might save you a bit of cash, and help our economy out a bit

http://grizzly.com/showrooms.aspx

[lagfish]

I got a 15% off coupon from Ebay, drove down to harbor freight in Syracuse, and bought one for $850. The only advantage I see of buying one from Canada is aftersales support. But converting the mill to CNC will probably void any warrentees. I still have a coupon if anybody wants it for free.

[tmarks11]

An alternative is you could buy an Optimum BF-20 clone from Busy Bee, which is about midway between an X2 and an X3. A few other members here have converted them to cnc.

http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/pictu...3&NTITEM=CT129

[ataxy]

busybee dont have them in stock also after trying a x3 recently i can tell you its on par with an x3 in all aspect it also has swivel head that tilts 90 degree left and right

[tmarks11]

Here is some other threads of cnc mod of the BF-20

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...ad.php?t=15538

Ataxy-
could you clarify your comment a little more? Are you saying it is as rigid, as accurate, or as high a quality?

I was hoping the Optmium line would surpass the Sieg line in fit and finish of the finished product. It is probably like much of Chinese manufacturing; the quality of the product is directly proportionately to the quality controls imposed by the importer. Optimum of Germany is probably paying for a higher level of fit and finish then Busy Bee or Penn Tool.

The Optimum BF-20 has MT-2 taper and reportedly plastic gears in the gearbox (although this might be just a sacrificial gear similar to the gear found in a lather geartrain?).

[ataxy]

Originally Posted by tmarks11 Here is some other threads of cnc mod of the BF-20 http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...ad.php?t=15538 Ataxy- could you clarify your comment a little more? Are you saying it is as rigid, as accurate, or as high a quality? I was hoping the Optmium line would surpass the Sieg line in fit and finish of the finished product. It is probably like much of Chinese manufacturing; the quality of the product is directly proportionately to the quality controls imposed by the importer. Optimum of Germany is probably paying for a higher level of fit and finish then Busy Bee or Penn Tool. The Optimum BF-20 has MT-2 taper and reportedly plastic gears in the gearbox (although this might be just a sacrificial gear similar to the gear found in a lather geartrain?).

in my opinion after trying an x3 and having a bf20 clone both are equivalent in performance in the rigidity department and precision and as high quality i guess it also offers the capacity of the sx3 of having a tilting head and the capacity by changing the table to have 18x-7.5y-11.5z wich is an enveloppe that i think no seig has also i dont know about the dovetail of the seig but all precision surface on my machine are hardened and grounded

yes its only sacrificial

[lagfish]

If you do your CNC conversion right on the X3 (with spacers and drilling a hole at the bottom of the column, you can get the same size envelope as the BF-20. Granted, it's not as rigid at the ends of its travel on the Y axis because the dovetails are not fully engaged.
Even though the BF-20 is a good 100 lbs lighter than the X3, I don't doubt that it's as rigid. Sometimes you can achieve the same rigidty without using as much mass through good design.
My reasons for going with the x3 instead of the BF-20 was
a) I saved about 200 bucks, and I didn't mind going to the US because I got some clothes shopping done as well
b) X3 has a proven track record
c) I prefer the R8 taper to MT2

[ataxy]

Originally Posted by lagfish Even though the BF-20 is a good 100 lbs lighter than the X3, I don't doubt that it's as rigid. Sometimes you can achieve the same rigidty without using as much mass through good design.

if i look at harbor freight website they say the x3 is 325pound while my bf20 as it is now weight 294pound (that is with the longer table)
also if you look in europe the bf20 as alos a well established based and track record anyway in the end both of them are worthy benchtop mill wich are able to to the same job quality and precision wise it mostly comes down to look