Re: What is the weak link in machine precision?

No worries, you are not bursting my bubble. I was looking at buying
an import because they are 'new' and I did not want to spend money
buying an worn machine and have to spend time and cash to fix it.
Are the imports not built well? Are they exact copies of the
Bridgeport? Enco and Grizzly, for example, do they wear out quickly,
require maintanence? Has anyone noted problems with them? How do I
know a used Bridgeport is in good condition? What are the parts of
the machine do you recommend that I worry about when asking the
overall condition?

I am wanting a machine that is square, true, does not require repair
(or extremely minimal), and I can 'quickly' convert to a CNC machine.

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

Tom.


--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "metlmunchr"
<metlmunchr@y...> wrote:

> I don't want to bust your bubble, but buying a $4000 copy of a
> $12000 Bridgeport doesn't necessarily mean you'll have the
> perfection you might expect in a new machine. If you've got $4K to
> spend, there are plenty of good Series I Bridgeports around for

that

> type of money. Bridgeports are known for being built square and
> true, but the same can't be assumed for all the copies. Some are,
> and some aren't, but if you get one that isn't, then there's no
> fixing it short of spending an amount equal to the purchase price

in

> having it reworked. A friend of mine recently purchased a new 16
> inch swing Asian engine lathe for a shaft job that recurrs but isnt
> enough work to justify purchasing a CNC lathe to handle it. After

a

> week of trying to make decent parts, he returned the lathe to the
> seller. I sold him a 1945 model 18x54 Monarch I'd purchased from a
> railroad maintenance shop a few years back, and he's made
> consistently good parts with it from the first try. I was happy
> because I didn't need the lathe any more, and he was happy because
> he got a lathe for $3K that will do what the $9K import wouldn't do.
>
> Cliff
>
> --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "zipdrive2k"
> <zipdrive2k@y...> wrote:
> > Jon,
> >
> > I think I will be purchasing a new machine. Can't see any reason
> to
> > purchase a worn machine for a grand and fix any broken parts when
> a
> > new knee mill can be had for 4k and no problems. If I do have
> error
> > in the z-axis, how can that be taken out?
> >
> > Any recommendations of machines that are better than others?
> >
> > Thanks.