Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Anyone want to pick up a Project DENFORD cnc lathe in Michigan

Just a quick note to say these machines are very well made. With the
addition of some Gecko drives and software of your choice (mach/turbocnc
etc) this could be a really good machine. It is of no interest to me
because I am in the UK but if you are looking for a small CNC lathe and
can collect, this one would be well worth considering.

Les

Craig wrote:

> I have been selling off a number of things that belonged to my Dad.
> The CNC mills and the small CNC lathe are all gone- but I have one
> piece left.
>
> IS ANYONE LOOKING FOR A CNC PROJECT (LATHE)?
>
> My Dad made small things for our paintball gun store. He always
> wanted small capability mills and lathe- but hated that most were
> very lightly build. He used to kid me with " the lesser skilled one
> is, the heavier the machines have to be to produce good work. ….
> …. At My skill level I need some 10 ton machines"
>
> After being very disappointed with a couple of lathes and mills that
> ended up being nothing more then Sherline conversions, he bought a
> Denford. This lathe was perfect for what he was doing-and he made a
> lot of very useful parts for our PB guns. As I understand it, the
> advanges of this lathe were that it was heavy (abt 350lbs I believe)
> it had ball screws, and it had quick-change tooling.
>
> It did have some disadvanges. It did not use normal "G" code, It
> could only accept small programs, and while it had an on board tape
> storage, it is impossible to get tapes to fit it.
>
> HE worked around this. The unit has a RS232 connection, which he
> plugged it, his laptop. He got some public domain terminal program
> (that would pass control charters) and could store his programs on
> the computer (and load them from the computer).
>
> He was also talking with someone that made a controller card. As I
> understand it, the controller card would by pass the Denford
> controller, and hook directly into the motors. Once installed the
> lathe would be 100% controlled by the computer (much like his other
> lathe and mills) This would allow him to draw the part in BobCad,
> have that program create the code (G code) and run any size program
> he wanted. The only problem was it was like a $1500 card.
>
> This lathe was running on a regular basis – and producing product we
> could sell in the store- until late last summer. Since then it has
> just been sitting. I have sold the other stuff (mills and lathes)
> because I could ship those. I was looking for someone to pick the
> Denford up. Thought I had everything handled- until I tried to fire
> the lathe up. I wiped down the bed (covered in that spray on white
> grease). Then used the "manual to move the tool holder toward the
> end of the bed. I noticed the screen had not come on yet. At that
> point I thought it best to turn it off, and check inside the front
> panel to see if there was anything "easy" (like a loose wire etc.).
> Can you say "bad news"? The control panel was PACKED with insulation
> and Dog Food. Seems a mouse family had called it home over the
> winter. I found at least 3 ribbon cables that are chewed on, and
> frankly the whole thing has to be dissembled and cleaned up.
>
> This would be a perfect time to get that after market controller
> board and upgrade. If the lathe were selling for $2000, it would not
> be worth messing with it. But when you could pick it up for a tenth
> of that- it might make a great "project" In fact, I'll bet you could
> sell the tooling it comes with off and make the lathe free.
>
> So this is a very long way of saying, if anyone is interested in
> picking this up in mid Michigan, please e-mail me at
> FOM@...
>