Need Help!- Possible American Way AW-100 purchase

[bseibenick]

I am looking at an American Way AW-100 cnc lathe at the local mahine dealer. I cannot find much info on this machine. It does have a gang tool bar on the slide. I am not sure what the swing is. I would like to be able to turn a 6" dia by 1" thick slug of steel on it. My plan is to do a control retrofit to this lathe.

Is anyone familiar with this lathe? Any ideas what to offer them for this machine? Is this worth my time or should I pass? The dealer doesn't even know much about this item and told me to make an offer.

I have attached a few pictures.

Thanks,
Brian

[WGoyer]

Brian,

The American Way machines were manufactured in Grants Pass, Oregon and were designed by a brilliant machinist named Kenny Peck. He had a job shop in the San Fernando Valley and struck it rich by selling his job shop to GE Carboloy back in the 1980's. As far as I know, Kenny is dead and the company long gone.

After looking at the pics, I think I'd be tempted to look for a Hardinge to retrofit. They can be had for next to nothing and might have a better resale. Also, they've spent their lives in cutting oil and usually show NO wear after 20 years.

Warren

[bseibenick]

Thanks. To me the biggest unknown is knowing how big of an object I could chuck up in the lathe. From the way the dealer sounded they just wanted to get rid of it. We looked at a couple other cnc lathes between $2000 and $4000 and when I told him I would like to be under $1000 delivered to my house he showed me this one.