Hello all!
First and foremost, the TLDR version:
1. Is there any drawback on using an oversized Swiss machine for tiny parts
2. Where are some good place to look for used Swiss lathes, any year/model I should avoid, etc.
3. Differences between Citizen A32/L32/M32
Secondly some background if you are interested: I have zero experience in Swiss machines, but had cut my teeth on vertical CNC mills and have been mostly a self-taught type of guy. (It's kind'a strange, I have an business/accounting/economic degree, worked accounting for a few years, then I went to IT... and taught myself software development and database architecturing. Now I am programming CNC mills in my own buisness. lol) FYI, we bought our first CNC mill to build prototypes, and some products ended up selling so we are now using them to make small runs. The loan on our mill is closed to paid for, and I am toying with the idea of buying a Swiss machine next.
I already have some parts I plan to develop / cut using the new machine, and are all over the place... from tiny "wedges" that are almost impossible to hold in vertical mills, to something akin to profiling a 20" gun barrel (it's not actually for a gun). There might also be some 3D contoured parts that we currently cannot cut in our 3-axis mill, which I think a Swiss can do some of these better than even a 5-axis VMC.
From my research, I will need a 32mm-class machine (e.g. Citizen A/M/L32) to cut the biggest parts I intended, but what I do not know is, is there any drawback from running small parts in a oversized machine? If I need to run 1/4" bar stock on a 32-class machine, is it just as simple as changing out the guide bushing etc.?
Also, what are some good places to shop for used machine - I doubt we can afford a new one, especially not when it will most likely sit idle for more than half the time. We would turn on the machines when we get an order, make chips, turn the mill off, assemble the products, ship, and wait for the next order. Yes we could've find a job shop but sometimes we run as little as 5 parts at a time (nobody will take that job) and the sales guy will want it done yesterday (no shops I talked to doesn't have a 3-week scheduling time). Which is why we ended up making them in-house most of the time.
Lastly, from what I've read (here and elsewhere) Citizen and Stars both make good machines? I've found many used Citizen 32mm machines available, I have a general idea what the differences are but if the experts can chime in about the major differences between A32 vs L32 vs M32 (or comparable Star machines) that would be much appreciated.
Oh and if anyone here by chance is selling one... let me know. :-p
Thanks in advance!
Wallace