Check out my first CNC mill

[strantor]

I've been lusting after a CNC mill (or any mill) for years. I've looked into all the options but most seemed too expensive. I really wanted the PM45M-CNC but the price put it just out of reach. For the longest time I was fixated on buying a manual mill and converting it. Just recently I switched gears and started looking for a used CNC mill with bad controls, with the intent of retrofitting it to a PC-based control. Not many of those CNC knee mills come up for sale around this area, and when they do, they're super expensive.

So a Fanuc RoboDrill came up on eBay and I went to take a look at it. It was way more machine than I could work with, but I spotted a bridgeport-sized CNC in the guy's shop and remarked "that's what I'm really looking for." He said he was getting ready to sell that machine as well, once the RoboDrill sold. I looked at it and fell in love. He had converted all the DC servos to Allen Bradley AC servos and drives, and it was actually all working. He turned it on and demonstrated helical interpolation, etc. We talked price and I was pleasantly surprised, he was only asking just over $3k. I'm not sure why so low but maybe I will find out later... haha

It's a Lagunmatic 110 with Dynapath Delta20 controls and all Allen Bradley servo/drive components.


Seller arranged transportation for me, with a wrecker that he is familiar with, and I think the wrecker did a decent job of not destroying my machine.

I wanted it dropped off into my workshop but the way to the shop is a dirt path and the ground was saturated. The wrecker would have sunk to axles if he tried to back up there.



So I had him set it in my garage. The spindle servo upgrade was a life saver. The original configuration was the typical AC induction motor on top of a belt change box on top of the mill head. The new configuration is a servo beside the mill head, which takes at least 2ft off the top. It just barely fits thru an 8' garage door without removing any parts.





I haven't powered it up yet at the house but I plan to get into it this weekend. Since there's no more 3ph induction motor on top, the whole thing runs on 240V single phase. I can power it up right where it sits, no problem.... except maybe the table won't have room to travel.

 

[FOMOGO]

Congrats on your mill acquisition. You sure can't argue with the price. Hope everything checks out A-OK for you. Cheers, Mike

 

[strantor]

You sure can't argue with the price. Hope everything checks out A-OK for you. Cheers, Mike

Thanks!
About the price, the guy told me (and I already knew before he said it) that the Allen Bradley servos and drives would sell for more than $3k if sold separately. I'm not a picker and wasn't looking for something to resell for a profit, but if the mill turns out to be worn beyond repair, there's always that. Or I could use the servos for that CNC plasma table I've been wanting to build.

 

[strantor]

I didn't mention, this mill came at great expense to my marriage, immediately. I haven't even wasted any evenings in the shop with it and already taking a toll. I disclosed early on what I was getting the wife for our anniversary, and then I bought this thing the day before the anniversary (today) and there wasn't any money left over to cover the anniversary gifts. I almost put the gifts on the credit card but the wife and I made an agreement not to use it except in an emergency and if I used it (even for her) is would breaking the agreement and releasing her from its bindings. So the IOUs will have to do for now.