Re: Kearney and Trecker

Hi Jon,

Not sure I agree with all you've said. $30,000 might not handle the
retrofit if you go high end. I followed the partial retro of a K&T
once. They put the then current state of the art AB control on it.
As I recall, just for the operator panel they were over $4K (I did
some of the machining on the front panel). That was a few years
back, but $30K just scratched the surface of that retrofit.

Besides the control, you have all the issues involving the ways, ball
screws, spindle, etc. Then you have the old tool changers that
aren't ever able to do the 5 second chip to chip changes of the new
machines. Upgrading all of that means big, big bucks.

I have alot of respect for good old iron, but I have a feeling some
of the new crop of high horsepower, high speed, 20,000 rpm 50 taper
horizontals will eat these old ones for breakfast.

Doug

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., Jon Elson <jmelson@a...> wrote:
>
>
> Yup, that may be true. But, the same people who buy the old iron
for
> $25 pay $10000 to have it hauled to their facility, put a new $30000
> control and drives on it, and then sell it for $250,000 to $500,000!
> Because, there is just nothing made today that can handle the work
> envelope and material removal rate under a million Dollars.
>
> Jon