Questions about a Sharp Mill

[7milesup]

I have a PM833T but I am seriously considering selling it and replacing it with a PM935, which seems to be a popular go-to for the hobby crowd. Just last night a Sharp vertical mill popped up for sale a couple of hours away from me. I do not know anything about them, so any insight would be great. They are asking $6500 but claim to be negotiable.

From their ad:
"For sale Sharp mill that is fitted with a Trak A.G.E 2 two axis control. This machine is in very nice condition and is set up with ball screws. The pendant control was replace by Stone Machinery about 6 years ago and the machine has had very little use since then.The monitor is crystal clear with no fading. You can program conversationally at the control or load files via floppy disk. The machine is very tight and reliable and I am the 2nd owner. It has chrome ways which are in very nice almost new condition. A power drawbar makes loading and unloading tools a snap. I bought a Trak bed mill and that is the reason that I am selling this one. I am asking $6,500 but would be open to an offer. It takes R8 collets just like a Bridgeport mill. The vise and drill chucks do not go with it but the collets do. I am the 2nd owner."

Space is a little bit of concern for me, but probably could make it work. Is that black box on the backside of the mill part of the mill or is it just something piled there?

 

[mmcmdl]

If I needed it , I would be on it . Sharp makes a great mill and it looks like it is similar to a Prototrac controller . Simple to program . Very useful mill ! Get on the horse and haul it home ! It can be used manually also if needed .

 

[rabler]

Don't know anything specifically about it specifically, but I'd certainly check it out I was in the market. Power drawbar and CNC/manual in a recognized name mill.

 

[JimDawson]

Sharp machine are top quality.

 

[matthewsx]

Looks like a hobby type environment so may not have much wear either....

 

[JRaut]

I’ve never used a Sharp before.

But I’ve heard it said that genuine Bridgeports are just cheap knockoffs of the far superior Sharp.

 

[FOMOGO]

Sharp has a very good rep. I would be on it if close to me. Offer 5k and see if he bites, but even at asking price it's not a bad deal, if as described. Mike

 

[Aukai]

Don't walk RUN, check it out well, it won't last long.

 

[JRaut]

One other comment.

I’ve got 2-axis CNC capabilities on my Bridgeport and find them quite indispensable.

Where (with a fully manual machine) you might have to break out a rotary table and indicate several things in to mill a simple rounded corner in a part, quickly entering the correct radius in the control spits out the result in a tiny fraction of the time.

It’s just awesome, and doesn’t feel quite so much as cheating as a full CNC rig might.

 

[davidpbest]

Get the Sharp. Run. Run fast.