Was this a steal or a deal from hell ?

[vinito]

OK it's probably not anything a working shop would want to deal with, but this old Hurco just sold and I've been kinda wanting something like it... maybe.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...853421916&rd=1

I'm sure it's a project and there's a chance it didn't work at all, so I don't regret passing on it, but it was cheap and only about 300 miles away. If the motion control worked and I was willing to deal with 5 tons, it might have been a neat starter CNC mill to have in my little home shop. I'll probably have to think a while about how to deal with such a weighty machine in case another (maybe better?) machine deal comes up again. At the moment I can't quite wrap my head around posessing a five ton machine, and what a drag it would be if its best potential was a ship anchor.

Anybody have machinery horror stories to tell and warn the rest of us away from a machinery money pit?

[Elninio]

Its definitly worth getting (or was worth getting). Even if the tool changer didnt work, a 3 axis cnc mill is still good for 600$

[hoffman]

Could've been cool. I used to run a Hurco and it was really easy to program. It used some sort of conversational programming instead of G code. Could have been a maintenence nightmare unless you're an electric whiz. $600 would be a steal if it worked. Kinda weird the way the guy mentioned that it has glass scales.
Not as good as a Gorton...

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Hoffman in Warner Robins Ga

[DR]

Looks like a hole to pour money into. 1980 is awfully old in CNC terms. Does it even have a CRT, or is that a 3 line readout?

It could be retro-fitted, but a decent retro control is in the $10K+ price range. And for that kind of money you can get a relatively new, running machine in today's market.

[vinito]

That was my biggest concer DR. Like I need another project anyway. My guess is it would need a lot of fiddling at best. Looks like it was probably an early amber CRT screen (probably burned in pretty well).

I would guess that 1980 vintage probably didn't have any conversational programming yet, but G-code is plenty useful and pretty easy too. I've got more experience single-line programming that I ever thought I wanted, so I could have done that. MasterCAM can do the tricky stuff so I don't have to. I think some machines have glass scales for feedback so the control can check to see whether it's really where it's supposed to be. Nice if it works, one more nightmare if not.
I think the Gorton will do just fine.
Then again... I have a CNC measuring machine kind of like a CMM predecessor (It only weighs one ton). The optics don't work like they should, but everything else is in good shape. Maybe I'd be better off to cannabalize it and make a nice little CNC mill from the parts. I don't have much of a clue how to do it, but I guess that means I'd learn a lot along the way. I need a mentor... and more free time.

[JPR]

As already mentioned, I would worry that the cnc controls would need replacing. If you have considered a cnc conversion, this would get you part way there.
So I would say it was a deal as long as your willing to replace the controller if needed.

[This message has been edited by JPR (edited 11-22-2004).]

[uute]

vinito:

Keep thinking about it: Noticed the buyer has zero feedback, might contact seller to see if deal went through.

just an unsolicied idea
uute