Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] South Bend

You have made my point exactly! If someone came up with the $2M (which is
cheap, just for the brand name alone!), I wouldn't just call everyone back
and resume business as usual. I'd:

1. Keep the 10" lathe in production, don't cut the quality, and set the price
at a level that ensures a small profit. It's the trademark product and
critical to maintaing the brand mystique. You could cut back to just the
toolroom version and narrow down the choice of motors with no harm done.

2.
a. Keep the roll grinder custimers happy by filling their orders, and
providing service & parts.
b. Cut production costs, if possible, and improve the roll grinder's
software. I've worked on a few of these machines and the ones I've seen were
very primitive as far as the user interface goes. Roll grinding is a service
business and they'll always be a need for the machines (and rebuilds, and
retrofits...) Turn SBL's roll grinder division into RollGrinders-R-Us if the
market is there.

3. Be nice to the hobby shop guys who call :). Many of them work in
industry... Investigate the possibility of getting a few of the old timers
(even the retirees) to work a few hours a week at sorting out spare parts
requests. Get the spare parts out at a small profit, don't gouge! Webify the
documentation, including _How to Run a Lathe_ and make it available for free
download. Why upset your customers by charging them $25 for a parts list so
they can find out what to order!!! In short, discover real customer service.
Use Sherline as your model...

4. Unless there is a huge financial reason, sell off all product lines except
lathes (and roll grinders). Who buys a Bridgeport lathe for crying out
loud!!! The same could be said of Southbend mills... While we're at it, stop
reselling import machines. We'll probably have to use some import parts, but
at least don't be blatant about it!

5. Buy the d#%& building (with the money from #4 above), don't rent! Get
South Bend to forgive the taxes in exchange for keeping the jobs and
community image (they'll do it, I'd bet on it). Negotiate with BankOne to
restructure the debt (Hint - They'll lose big if the company folds. Nothing
is as worthless as a bunch of old parts in a warehouse).

6. After all this house cleaning, it's time to fix the core business (I know
some of you can see this coming...). Open source the CNC lathe software &
hardware. Send out complete schematics, theory of operation, controller
source code, etc. Explain to your new customers how much money they'll save
becase the machine will be maintainable indefinitely. Give out free software
upgrades. If necessary, get someone like Eric Raymand to help write up
materials that communicate these benefits clearly, contrasting them with the
status quo. Most customers will still buy factory parts and service! But,
they'll buy the machine in the first place because of the warm comfortable
feeling of security they'll have from knowing they won't be held hostage
later over spare parts...

7. I'm just dying to try this out. I'd hoped it would be with Bridgeport, but
that's not going to happen. Wells-Index would be another good candidate,
maybe even Hardinge.

Shutting Up Now,
Matt

On Sunday 02 June 2002 10:07 pm, you wrote:
> I agree that it is sad, but my recent experiences(2nd quarter of last
> year) say it was time.
>
> I had purchased a magnaturn 612 CNC lathe on the after market and was
> trying to get parts for it and manuals etc.
>
> Call after call unanswered, un-returned and only a frustrating voice
> mail system. WEB...E-mail ....you have to be kidding. this company was
> still in the 1940's I think.
>
> The software that ran this lathe was ca '84 or so. Clunky. you couldnt
> run the lathe from the keyboard...you had to initiate the command at the
> keyboard then punch start key on machine.....jogging was loads of fun as
> you can guess.
>
> proprietary program storage system designed to use 2 disk
> drives.....poor error messages, etc.
>
>
> After long talks with the factory....came out that the source to the
> software had been lost when they moved....Had been offering to help them
> make it more useable...in return for discounts, trade out on parts or
> whatever....
>
> later heard they were in negotiations with a CAD/CAM software company to
> re do it
>
> The machine itself(this version(5 phase stepper), not the other
> hydraulic version) was very nice hardware and the perfect size for a
> home shop...too bad all is now lost.