Machinists! Need input on Accurite MillPWR

[smokeywolf]

Going to look at a $30,000 Bridgeport with Accurite MillPWR 3 axis NC retrofit. Anyone with experience with the MillPWR control? Need opinions on MillPWR vs. Centroid or EZ TRAK.

smokeywolf

[Lights]

Ez Track is no longer being made and support is almost non existent. I know nothing about Millpower. Prototrak controls are pretty much everywhere around here. For $30,000 it better be a brand new machine. I can get a new Prototrak for around $25,000 here in MN.

[theperfessor]

You can get a Haas TM1 for 30K, 36K gets the same machine w/a 10 tool changer and a higher RPM spindle. I know, that's what I'm planning to get in the first quarter of 2015. And they will work on 240V single phase. Sorry, not trying to be at all critical of anyone else's choices, and there is a certain familiarity and handiness in a CNC retrofit of a knee mill. But I've used manual and retrofit knee mills as well as true designed-from-the-ground-up CNC mills and there is no comparison in my mind.

But if I saw a good CNC knee mill at a bargain price I'd have to consider it.

[smokeywolf]

Reason I'm opting for a knee mill with NC retrofit is, I'm putting together a small "manual" prototype shop for the company I'm working for. I've worked on an EZ TRAK before and am aware of the benefits of being able to program in radii and hole patterns and such. Because this is a "manual" toolroom/prototype shop and right outside the door is the NC dept. which has 1 to 2 million dollars worth of brand new HMCs and VMCs, not to mention water jetter and a large 3D printer, the manual advantages of this machine are the primary focus with the NC capabilities being just icing on the cake.

Machine looks nearly new to me... http://www.sterlingmachinery.com/9963/Bridgeport+Series+1/

smokeywolf

[PatMarlin]

Find it interesting with all the numerous detailed pics they don't show the most important part and that's the way wear and the scraping of the ways. Everything thing I ever looked at from Sterling was way over priced. Something's fishy about that unit. For that much money I would do as ther perfesser mentioned and look at industry standard machines, not polished up retrofits.

Just my 2 cts. Good luck... :drinks:

[smokeywolf]

I'll probably drive to El Monte next week and inspect it.

smokeywolf

[JSnover]

I like it. I don't think id spend that much if it was going into my garage. But if the company is paying for it and it suits their needs it's at least worth looking at.

[PatMarlin]

Awesome smokey.

When you get one you can do stuff like this. It's a new jig plate for my SHELFDocks. Been way overdo but got it done yesterday.



http://www.patmarlins.com/1docks.jpg


http://www.patmarlins.com/2docks.jpg


http://www.patmarlins.com/3docks.jpg


http://www.patmarlins.com/4docks.jpg


http://www.patmarlins.com/5docks.jpg

[smokeywolf]

Went and looked at that mill yesterday. Looks good, lifted the way covers and the ways look real good, strong cross-hatching still there. Runs quiet, comes with about $2,000+ in tooling. Although I'd rather have a QC-30 spindle with a powered drawbar, the quick switch R8 works well and comes with a 3D edge finder for the Acu-Rite MILLPWR NC unit. Servo brand drive on the knee and digital readout of knee movement on the MILLPWR unit. Good spray mister too. Would rather have a Centroid or at least a G2 MILLPWR unit but, the mill has obviously seen no heavy use.

Looks like until I can round up the Hardinge HLV-H-EM or Monarch 10EE lathe for the company's prototype shop, I'll be doing the lathe work in my home machine shop.

smokeywolf

[PatMarlin]

Maybe they'll let it go for $20k. Wonder how long it's been on the market? I've got no idea what the demand for machines like that is currently. Got real spoiled with the power draw bar on my mill and the cat 40 tool holders. They hit dead zero every time, so I don't have to touch off Z any more. Can't wait until I can do something cool with the CNC mill like make a side scope mount.