What would this Tree cnc be worth?

[markba633csi]

Just saw this on CL. Needs all new electronics, apparently
No documentation mentioned so I assume there isn't any
Looks like a fun project but not for that price
-Mark

Tree Journeyman 210 Mill Vertical Milling Machine 44” table Axis AS...

Up for sale we have a Tree Journeyman 210 Mill Vertical Milling Machine being sold AS IS for parts or repair. Many of the electrical wiring has been disconnected and the CNC part of it is missing...

sfbay.craigslist.org

 

[Flyinfool]

With all the work it needs i would say that price is a bit steep.

 

[C-Bag]

Just saw this on CL. Needs all new electronics, apparently
No documentation mentioned so I assume there isn't any
Looks like a fun project but not for that price
-Mark

Tree Journeyman 210 Mill Vertical Milling Machine 44” table Axis AS...

Up for sale we have a Tree Journeyman 210 Mill Vertical Milling Machine being sold AS IS for parts or repair. Many of the electrical wiring has been disconnected and the CNC part of it is missing...

sfbay.craigslist.org

Your idea of fun is way different than mine. That’s an over priced black box boat anchor to a Luddite like me.

 

[sdelivery]

Over all the basic machine looks in pretty good condition and For anyone considering a CNC bridgeport this is not a bad deal.
Seems like most of what you need is there. Many of the " simple " CNC's used stepper motors.
Considering this is in California the price is not crazy.

 

[sdelivery]

What is a manual Bridgeport or clone bringing in your area?
How about one that looks unmolested ?
1500-2500?
There are differences in a CNC, usually starting with ball screws vs acme screws....which usually have better support bearings.....

 

[Karl_T]

My son has a similar tree mill - dead control - $2000. But in Twin Cities, MN.

 

[ArmyDoc]

If the machine is solid, this could be the basis great CNC project - much better than buying a PM 940 and converting it. But Machmotion controlls aren't cheap. I would call Machmotion and / or Centroid and ask them for a quote on upgrading this machine. Then you know what it will cost to convert it. Use that as your bargaining chip. Go to the owner and inspect, then tell them what it's going to cost to get it running. If its < 50% of the cost of a new CNC machine of similar capability (which it likely is) you've done well.

If it were near me, is as advertised (a tight machine only needing electronics replaced) I would offer them $2500, and be happy to buy it at $3000. $3500 if it really is in good shape is not totally unreasonable. But then, this is just the kind of thing I've been looking for, and my goal is to keep it under $12k.

As another datapoint, if it helps, MachMotion offered to sell me a similar machine (but much heavier - a Journeyman 425 Tree Mill) that they had done the conversion on for $15.5k. So If you can get this for $2500, spend $7500-8500 on the electronics, you could have an industrial quality 3 axis CNC mill with manual capablility for $10-11k.

 

[ArmyDoc]

My son has a similar tree mill - dead control - $2000. But in Twin Cities, MN.

Why is everything I'd be interested in 2000+ miles away? Not that my shop is finished yet... but still.

 

[projectnut]

I would be very wary of this machine. It's being sold by a dealer, not the original owner. It's currently listed on eBay with an asking price of $4995.00. Just the fact that it's being sold "As is for parts or repair" tells me there may be far more serious problems the current owner is either unaware of of not disclosing.

Tree Journeyman 210 Mill Vertical Milling Machine 44” table Axis AS IS | eBay

It is also missing the shaft that turns the collet spindle and the hand lever that moves the table from side to side is broken. The main motor and the up/down travel motor both work on 230V, 3 phase.

www.ebay.com

Given the description it's almost certain the current owner bought it as a parts machine from some shop. Keep in mind these machines haven't been produced for nearly 40 years and replacement boards and parts are expensive and not readily available. The original company is long out of business. The 210 model is on the lower end of the CNC models offered by Tree at the time, and were not nearly as popular as the 325 models.. As such replacement parts are few and far between.

To me the machine would be worth scrap price less the cost of transporting it to the salvage yard. It weighs about 3100 lbs. At $160.00 a ton the value would be less than $250.00. Just an FYI, scrap metal dealers in our area aren't accepting anything but "prepared" lots over 5 tons. By prepared they mean all different metals separated into specific categories and in sizes specified by the foundries they have contracts with. In our area most dealers want pieces no larger than 2 cubic feet and less than 200 lbs. per piece.

In the past month I've visited a couple used machine dealers. Their inventories of broken and worn out machines is increasing. At the current prices it's not worth disassembling or crushing machinery to deliver it to the scrap yards.

 

[sdelivery]

Currently scrap metal price is the highest it has been in months.
ALL machinery dealers and shops selling used machines state "As Is ,Where Is"
Or for parts because of people that want to fight about what they bought after the fact.
This avoids the " but you said", explore and do YOUR due diligence.
Many of the used electronics are available and there are some little known of electronics repair shops that can and will fix most anything.
I have seen more CNC machines scrapped over a loss of parameters and software than any other reason.