Bridgeport EZ Track SX Question

[talvare]

I have been searching for a used vertical mill for several months and have decided to start learning CNC machining. This is strictly a hobby for me and although I have a little experience in writing programs, I have no CNC experience. Today I looked at a used Bridgeport EZ Track SX with 2-axis CNC that I am interested in buying. I would like to hear some feedback/opinions from experienced users of these or similar machines. Also would like to hear opinions on CNC/CAD software. Also, how difficult / expensive would it be to add a third axis control to this machine.
Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[dreammstr6]

i purchased 2 of these machines a few months ago i love them. the conversational g code built in the program makes it easy to design and build parts. i'm still learning to use the beast completely but i'm loving it.

[talvare]

Thanks for your input. At this point I'm so green that there virtually isn't anything I don't need to learn about this new endeavor.

[machintek]

The original EZTRAK SX dates back to 1992. It did not have a hard drive. It booted from a floppy and used a 386 processor.
It would be worth your while to know if it was upgraded to a newer mother board and when were the motors overhauled last.
If the CRT is bad, I just saw a really neat repair done by one of my customers. He purchased a same size LCD display that is used with a behind the head rest car DVD player. And in color!
EZTRAK is still the easiest and most powerful (control) machine out there for its price.

George

[dreammstr6]

George I did the same kind of upgrade on my mills except i used a POS (point of sale) monitors i got off ebay for $90 a piece. they are 10.4" and in color.

[talvare]

George,
Thanks very much for your input. I did question the seller about the history of this machine and he doesn't seem to have much knowledge of it. Is there any way for me to tell visually if the controller has been upgraded. If I decide to buy this machine, would you recommend to upgrade the existing controller or change the whole unit to a newer model. If feasable, I would like to consider adding the Z axis control.
Thanks again