Newbie- Fadal 4020/HT Early 90's

[cam280]

I am considering buying a used Fadal 4020 (or 4020 HT) with an 88HS control
Simple question, are all 4020 VMC's box sytle, many blogs / threads say to only get a box type machine.
I have read, or misunderstood that not all Fadal's are box style

Also
Does anyone one know what an early 90's, (I think its a 1993 HT) very clean 4020 with tooling should be worth

And are they a good machine for beginners

[KTECH]

I am not by any means a fadal expert but i think all 40 20 were a bowed way with the exception of a 4020A something or other. I myself have a 3016L, it has the linear way, is decent but there are a few things I don't like. One is that most fadals with linearways with the exception of what appered to be special ordered machines have only a 7500 rpm spindle. I only seen 2 ever with 10 k . You also have to machine steel differently too. I would recommend a boxed machine. Also I would imagine you could get a 4020 for 20 k right now too.

[little bubba]

95% of all the 4020s you run across will be box ways. The 4020A was a linear machine, I've only seen a few for sale.

As for price, 18 months ago bought a '93 4020 extended Z, thru spindle coolant for $12,900 american dollars. It wasn't in the best shape and I got a good deal.

8 months ago bought a '94 4020, with a 4th axis and extended Z for $24,000, very well maintained machine, I think I may have overpaid a bit on that one, but I wanted a damn near identical machine to the one we already had, and the extended Z was a must.

I think they are a good beginner machine, really simple and friendly control, and easy(and relatively cheap compared to some others) to fix when you crash it.

[ThatguyDave]

I'm a first time CNC owner in the process of cleaning up and powering up a 96 Fadal 4020. I got it cause it seemed like a real reasonable machine to start with. Parts availability is unmatched and the overall machine design is pretty simple. So long as you don't expect it to mass produce parts like a Japanese horizontal or turn out molds like a smaller hot rod machine it should serve you well.

A 93 will likely need some immediate maintenance. Mine needs to have most of the gibs replaced as the turcite is debonded on over half of them. Both spindle belts are shot as well and I'd gamble at least some of the belview washer are shot in the drawbar assembly. The owners of my machine didn't believe in machine maintenance and basically were in the process of running it into the ground.

Good luck. Bubbas price of 14K sounds like a good one. They list for much more on ebay but who knows what others are actually paying.

[SHAILESHSHEOREY]

DOES ANY ONE HAVE FADAL FOR SALE SHOULD BE LOW PRICE AND GOOD WORKING CONDITION OLD WILL BE OK .
THANKS,
SHAILESH

[Neal]

All 4020 ever built were full box way machines. The 4020A version was linear ways on X and Y with box ways on Z.

Neal