I am looking in to getting one, just want to be aware of any "gotcha's" that might be out there, and learn from other users' experiences.
I am looking in to getting one, just want to be aware of any "gotcha's" that might be out there, and learn from other users' experiences.
Mcphill,
It wont jump rope or chew bubble gum very well.
JoeyB
And you thought it would prior to purchase? I think you had some high expectations!Quote:
Originally Posted by joeybagadonuts
mcphill, my "gotcha's" have all been fit-and-finish. Slipping Z-axis stepper motor coupling, AC wiring fast-ons in the control cabiniet that were "fast-offs" (and which I replaced), a sneeze-welded door hinge on the Deluxe Base that broke off (and I'm not using that door any more--I can't weld), and my Deluxe Base still leaks from an unknown location and drips on the floor. There were a couple of software glitches, which John P. quickly fixed, when the machine software was updated from Mach2 to Mach3.
Functionally, the only real problem was the Z-axis slipping. Once fixed, the machine has been totally reliable. I would not hesitate buying it again.
EDIT: It is very accurate and "tight". In the Distance Rings thread you can see some machining I've done with down to .009" endmills with the Proxxon high-speed spindle. That is something even beyond what I was expecting to be able to do when I bought the Tormach.
Randy
Thanks for the comments, and the links, zephyr9900 - Very Informative! Glad you got your z-axis issues sorted, I am sure you were getting pretty frustrated along the way ; )
Wish it had a bigger table. That is about my only real wish.
my tormach has done everything i expected it to do. i do wish i had about 6 more inches of x travel and table width but i knew what i was getting when i bought it. it has proven to be a great machine for me to learn cnc on.
Mcphill -
Table size has to be my only surprise as well. The work cube is roughly 18" X 9" X 18" or so, and that *sounds* plenty big until you have a 20" long or 10" wide part you want to mill. I suspect that no mill is really big enough. They might exist, but I've never seen one.
I actually saw mine jump rope once, and I thought I heard it chewing gum while I wasn't looking, but what it won't do is know that it's about to break an endmill and stop itself.
Regards,
- Just Gary
The table is very soft, if you bump it with anything like a hold down clamp
or a wrench it will have a ding in it.
I have a Enco 9x49 vertical mill and the table is VERY hard and smooth as glass.
I can wipe it down with a paper towel and WD40 and it has a shine and no where
can I find a mark of any kind where work was held.
It will do what you tell it to do.
It doesn't do a very good job at brewing beer :cheers:, and when you pull out a picture of it at the night club it doesn't impress the girls a whole lot. Other than that the only thing I wish it had was only about .0005" better accuracy on the Z axis. The rest of it is spot on for it's price point and you can't beat the customer service Tormach has to offer.
i dropped an 8" diameter, 1" thick piece of steel while removing it from the 4th axis and got a nice ding in my table. it was frustrating but my fault. i was kind of surprised that it dinged the table though.Quote:
Originally Posted by TT350
My Tormach does everything I hoped, and the more I use it the more I like it.
If it isn't dinged it isn't getting used. When I went through my machinist apprenticeship I was told there only only two kinds of machinists those who have milled the vise or table and those who will. I see photos of home shops that look like it's in the kitchen, probably not much work going on there.Quote:
Originally Posted by 300sniper
Wishin' for more travels. It's inevitable: no matter what machine you may have, you'll find a job that's too big for it!Quote:
Originally Posted by 300sniper
I've got the IH mill, and immediately found a project that exceeded its travels. Must be some kind of Murphy's law for machinists.
Cheers,
BW
Aside from some minor fit and finish issues, the main problem I've had is leaking coolant from the chip tray into the PC compartment. Maybe an ounce an hour at most but it's a little annoying. A layer of sealant fixed most of it but there's still a periodic drip to deal with.
The high speed spindle also works better than expected for me.
I've had only a few mechanical problems and those were all resolved satisfactorily by Tormach.
Mike
The design intent and all specifications (expectations) for the Tormach are posted on the Tormach web site. These were written by Greg Jackson and show in detail everything that one should expect for the Tormach. My Tormach has done everything that was expected. There have been no surprises.
Thanks for all the feedback. Some people have some pretty odd expectations :)
That said, I have not heard any comments that the machine's capabilities are being "oversold" by Tormach, which is great (and unfortunately uncommon these days). Now I just need to start scrimping the pennies and Benjamin's together so I can put in an order for one of these puppies!
i don't think you will hear anyone say they feel tormach oversells their capabilities. like mentioned above, they have a very good and accurate overview of the machine on tormach's site. the machine is exactly as it is advertised.