To Allan and others.
Shizuoka is re-badged in the UK as Matchmaker.
This was a 1988 model with Posidata 2800 and a tape drive.- and 800 in/oz steppers. plus 40 Cat tool holders 5 hp motor
I paid 600 UKP and shipped to NZ in a container along with a nice unmarked but older Adcock and Shipley Horizontal mill (Manual) some wire wheels a Jag. diff and a 20 inch rotary table.
This was 4500NZ but got it all here undamaged.
The Ahha conversion allows a PC to run the system -still using the original power supply , and the UK agents Eagland Machine tools.supplied the cards , software , and wiring information to convert it.
On line help was available from John Stevenson who had a similar conversion in UK and digital pictures went back and forth.
I have little electronic knowledge but do/did all my own electrical wiring andrepairs to keep a farm cow shed,pumps,chillers , and machine shop running. I use all three phase motors, and have a good stable supply to the dairy shed/workshop.
After a frustrating run with Bob cad and its non-existant back up . I now use Dolphin for the cam and G-code generation usually from Generic cad 6 dxf files.(Dos based.)
Dolphin allows viewing the simulated tool /cutter path. and so far no errors or ruined work due to its faults. I leave the machine running and have a coffee- Can't do that with Bob cad.
The total costing has been about 15,000 NZ. - Purchase, pick up UK containering and Shipping Fees (no customs!) Hardware /software.
I run with Pentium 100. Bare bones - no widows CD or usb, and draw and code on separate computer, save to a new floppy disc then to mill.
It is used to make ? money and I charge $66 per hour and try to be fair with costs. The replacement value would be close to $80G I suppose, - and there is the experiance gained over the five years of operating. It also has a 24 position tool changer ( not wired in yet) as it only takes 20 seconds to replace tools and I tend to machine mostly with carbide tools of 25mm or 40 mm . plus centre drill for marking positions.
This is larger than a Bridgeport and a Bed Mill- also more rigid than a turret machine.Weighs two ton. It is accuracy rather than a speed requirement and the 4 x old motorbike connecting rods that I'm making at the moment from 4340 steel are within a thou in any direction.
I have pictures of most of the machining and parts made , and am setting up a video camera to record the machining so that others may understand how it all works- There seems to be a lack of this visual information available. to any one starting out - especially in Invercargill where there is only two machines.
While in UK in 1964 I lived across the Street from the mentioned Mick Jagger and his boys. We used to trek down to the Bedford CA van/pie cart equiv,at the end of the street for breakfast.- Always stood 'up wind' though.
Just off to IRD to put in my pension application
Neil Robertson
"Lathes-Mills & Cnc."
Invercargill NZ.
Happy to answer questions - neilrob@woosh.co.nz-
027 3200 903 (just corrected)