Originally Posted by
metalmayhem
the additional set up fees are a pita I can agree , 10k seems a bit steep for a few hours work . In regard to the spindle crash , thats the cost of a bad crash unfortunately . I'd be concerned with how much it would cost to replace the grizzly spindle , time involved in getting the new one and if it'll fit properly into place . 10yrs from now the likelyhood of getting a replacement would be slim to none . The last company I worked at had a spindle seize up on a mini , cost of parts and labor was around $3500 , not bad considering it was at least 10 yrs old and has run a lot of parts .
I've worked on most big brand machines in numerous shops over the years so I have a lot of experience with the variety . I myself have Chinese mills 3 tormachs , novakon and 1/2 dozen retrofit benchtops , simply for dollar value . They get the job done and when the time comes I will have no problem loading them into into a scrap bin , and replace them with others . In what I said previously , I'm not looking to give the impression that I am not familiar with Chinese machines or that I am against them .
If you look at alibaba you'll see similar machines with ct40 spindles and better specs than the grizzly . It would mean having to broker in the machine but after tariff etc you'd probably match their price with a beefier machine with similar controls .
Personally in that price range I'd rather buy a couple or a few more tormachs , or even a used super mini . The likelihood of buying a used mill with all the extra options is pretty high , and they are reliable machines