Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Monarch EE...... YIKES

Hi DK:
The machine I've committed to has had the bed reground, the slides
rescraped and everything else inspected.
It has the electric leadscrew reverse, a collet setup, 3 and 4 jaw chucks,
and 4 position toolpost.
The machine has also been repainted.
They wanted $13,900.00 CDN for it, but they were unable to unload it for
over a year.(no surprise on a 12 x 20 machine at that kind of price...most
companies up this way need capacity, not precision)
I offered 10K for it in September if they could get the spindle up to speed.
They accepted, and that's when the fun with the speed control began.
I have seen Monarch 10EE's for as low as 500 bucks and as high as 32,000
bucks fully rebuilt.
I figured that with bed regrinding prices at about 3 grand, and scraping at
100 bucks an hour, this 10 grand machine is pricey, but worth the effort to
finish it off.
If they're not blatantly lying to me about the extent and quality of the
rebuild, then I can justify the price.
I did find a nice one in Florida a couple of months back, but the freight to
Vancouver made up the difference in price and then some!!
I'm gratified to hear about the power of the machine and its ability to take
a decent cut.
I build molds for a living; the machine needs to be able to rough down a
mold core reasonably efficiently, but more important, it needs to be able to
finish turn hardened tool steel smoothly enough to minimise polishing.
Your comments are making me inclined to think that the Monarch is the best
choice: now should it be THIS Monarch?
I appreciate your input.
Cheers

Marcus

----- Original Message -----
From: <dkmachine@...>
To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2002 12:53 PM
Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Monarch EE...... YIKES


>
> WOW!
> 10 Grand???
>
> There were 2 at a local sale (upstate NY) bout 3 weeks ago.
> NICE shape, chucks, taper att, steady included.
> One went for $1250 & the other went for $1400 USD.
> Yes, I know, I was shocked.
> And like I said not junk, NICE shape.
>
> Glad I got mine for $300 several years ago.
> Sure, it needs paint & oil leaks fixed, but it's scary accurate &
> repeats like hell. A joy to run.
> It's a MG type, needs brushes.
> The 2 at the sale were MG type also.
> I've heard from several people that the DC motor in the EE
> is a specially wound motor.
> And that a VFD will NOT give same performance.
>
> I'd say the EE is a very rugged machine.
> I've taken .125 & .187 deep cuts with insert tooling and it just peels.
> I'd take a EE over a HLV Hardinge anyday, and I used to work for HB.
>
> dk