[LX Kid]

Well now I've fallen in and hope that I'll be able to swim. Came across a very good deal, "I hope," on an Shoptask 1720 XM TC with CNC. Came with hoards of tooling, two tool posts, face plate, two drill chucks, 3-jaw and 4 jaw chucks, computer power, large power supply and gobs of other stuff that I haven't even been able to recognize. I know nothing about CNC'ing and guess there is going to be a long hard learning curve for me. The machine was mfg in 1993 and is a heavy sucker! Brought all the loose equipment home tonight and will pick up the 3-way machine, stands, carts and computer in the next day or two. Gonna have to find some healthy bodies to give me a hand in moving it. Will post some pics when I get it home sometime this week. I got it from someone that is moving up North and just can't take it with him. Got it for a very fair price of $700 and hope that I got a good deal. Now my dilemma! I have a Grizzly G0619 (SX3) on order and will be here in mid February. Should I cancel the Grizz or go ahead and get it and sell the Shoptask CNC? The Shoptask is in good working order and I already have a Craftsman 618 lathe. Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

File Photo

[smallblock]

Well it sounds like you got a super deal no matter which way you go, especially if it was local and you didn't have to pay any freight. I would get all the stuff together as quickly as possible to find out what all you have. Check with Shoptask about what tools it should have, before the guy packs up and heads north. A lot of the extra tooling might be usable on the Grizzly as well. Your picture looks like it was taken off the Shoptask website. If your machine is still in its stock form, it will make a nice lathe- either manual or CNC. Milling will be more of a challenge without the quadra lift option. If you are interested in CNC work, you might be better off to cancel the Grizzly and sell the old Craftsman and concentrate on the Shoptask. They were all setup for CNC from the factory. Check with Shoptask to see if the CNC stuff was factory or a home brew. Right now it sounds like you have a potential CNC lathe and mill for 700.00- you could put your Grizzly money and whatever you get for the Craftsman back in your pocket at least until you learn a bit more about machining. If the Shoptask is up to the tasks, then you are money ahead- if not, you could probably sell it for a tidy profit and combine all three funds in a search for a new machine.

[LX Kid]

Hello Smallblock. You are correct about it being a Shoptask download picture. After reviewing the materials, books CD I don't know if there is a registered "unlocked" Mach 3 program with it. The computer and Shoptask machine is still over at his friends house,who is selling it for him, and I suspect I may have to spend another $300 for the licenses with all the companion programs. It is a home brew machine. I'm already thinking that "I bit off more than I wanted to chew!" I know nothing about CAD/CAM or CNC machines in general. I'm already thinking I should sell it and stick with a manual machine like the Grizzly SX3 I've ordered until I get a whole lot more experience with this new hobby. Here are a few pics of accessories that came with it.

[patchwork]

i believe you dont have to use the cnc feature if you dont want too,since it has the gears it can be used like any other lathe or mill until you become familiar with it.

[LX Kid]

It has Gecko G320 stepping servos installed and I don't know how much it would cost to put everythig back to manual operation. Can't find an illustrated parts breakdown on line to see what it would take. I do know that if I keep the Atlas lathe, Grizzly SX3 and the Shoptask my little 10'x15' shop is going to get very crowed very soon! It comes with two roll-a-round carts. One for the Shoptask and one for the desktop computer and Camtronics power supply.

[LX Kid]

i believe you don't have to use the cnc feature if you don't want too,since it has the gears it can be used like any other lathe or mill until you become familiar with it.

I think your correct! Yesterday when I was looking at it to purchase, I did notice that the feeds worked when the power was off to the servos. "Good point!" Thanks for that bit of information. I could take the little Atlas lathe, which is on a roll-a-round cart, and stick it over in my U-Haul storage room until I decide what I want to do. I still have about 40 days or so to tinker around with it before I would have to cancel the Grizzly mill/drill machine.

[Mueller]

It has Gecko G320 stepping servos installed and I don't know how much it would cost to put everythig back to manual operation. Can't find an illustrated parts breakdown on line to see what it would take. I do know that if I keep the Atlas lathe, Grizzly SX3 and the Shoptask my little 10'x15' shop is going to get very crowed very soon! It comes with two roll-a-round carts. One for the Shoptask and one for the desktop computer and Camtronics power supply.

if it looks like the picture, just don't plug it in , it already has the hand wheels and will spin just fine, once you do get to learn the CAD/CAM stuff, you can play with it on your own terms

[LX Kid]

The Shoptask "came out of the blue" with a phone call that asked if I would be interested in a 3-In-One machine and I couldn't resist at least going and looking at it because it was local private seller. There are not a lot of machines for sale in the local area and everything seems to be online and hundreds of miles away. I'm pretty sure I have bought this Shoptask at the right price to where I wouldn't get hurt if I sold it and so I bought it. Below are some pics I took today.

[jdclark]

The Shoptask "came out of the blue" with a phone call that asked if I would be interested in a 3-In-One machine and I couldn't resist at least going and looking at it because it was local private seller. There are not a lot of machines for sale in the local area and everything seems to be online and hundreds of miles away. I'm pretty sure I have bought this Shoptask at the right price to where I wouldn't get hurt if I sold it and so I bought it. Below are some pics I took today.

Looks like you hit the jackpot! That is an early model Shoptask- probably around '93-'95- the machine alone is worth at least what you paid. The CNC system is a Camtronics brand servo system- with the Mach III software, its worth about 3 times what you paid. It is powerful enough to run a Bridgeport size machine.:cheers:

[LX Kid]

Went back over today and started taking it apart for transporting it home. Came with and 360* cross-slide tool post but didn't originally come with the Shoptask. If I'm to use it I'll have to get a riser to boost it up about 1.5" so it will be on center line with the lathe chuck. The original tool post is very basic with no cross-slide and you would have to use the table to make turn cuts. Pretty sure one of the lathe Timken bearings is starting to go bad. Has a noticeable tick when in operation. Pulley side Timken 32007X bearing, $35, is probably the one starting to go. All five belts are going to have to be replaced.

[fastlanecafe]

Went back over today and started taking it apart for transporting it home. Came with and 360* cross-slide tool post but didn't originally come with the Shoptask. If I'm to use it I'll have to get a riser to boost it up about 1.5" so it will be on center line with the lathe chuck. The original tool post is very basic with no cross-slide and you would have to use the table to make turn cuts. Pretty sure one of the lathe Timken bearings is starting to go bad. Has a noticeable tick when in operation. Pulley side Timken 32007X bearing, $35, is probably the one starting to go. All five belts are going to have to be replaced.

I agree with Smallblock on this one. You've got yourself a nice beginning package there for a cheap price. With a little maintainance it will be a good starter machine. I bought a used quadra lift unit a few years back before moving up to the tri-power machine. The quadra lift function really makes these machines into a good mill. Here is an address for a guy who was offering plans to build your own. [email protected] Also on the shoptask website there is a box marked " common parts "- there you can find all the part numbers for various belts and bearings.

[LX Kid]

I agree with Smallblock on this one. You've got yourself a nice beginning package there for a cheap price. With a little maintainance it will be a good starter machine. I bought a used quadra lift unit a few years back before moving up to the tri-power machine. The quadra lift function really makes these machines into a good mill. Here is an address for a guy who was offering plans to build your own. [email protected] Also on the shoptask website there is a box marked " common parts "- there you can find all the part numbers for various belts and bearings.

Thanks FastLaneCafe. I found that web site for common parts yesterday and book marked it.

[LX Kid]

About the only way I'll be able to use this machine, at my early machining efforts, would be to convert it back to manual operation. I received an owners manual and am finding out that there are just "too" many missing parts to return it to manual configuration. Guess I'll either have to use it the way it is, manual, or learn CAD and CNC software procedures. Only thing I "can't" do right now is screw cutting because it is CNC controlled. The lead screw shifter assembly is long gone and it has no counter on the saddle. Stand alone lathe and mill/drill machines are probably the best way for me to go right now. Another option might be to see if their is anyone in my local area that I could get to tutor me in the basics of CNC machining.

[instructor37]

About the only way I'll be able to use this machine, at my early machining efforts, would be to convert it back to manual operation. I received an owners manual and am finding out that there are just "too" many missing parts to return it to manual configuration. Guess I'll either have to use it the way it is, manual, or learn CAD and CNC software procedures. Only thing I "can't" do right now is screw cutting because it is CNC controlled. The lead screw shifter assembly is long gone and it has no counter on the saddle. Stand alone lathe and mill/drill machines are probably the best way for me to go right now. Another option might be to see if their is anyone in my local area that I could get to tutor me in the basics of CNC machining.

Even if your threading gears are missing, you can still run the machine manually to learn the basics of machining. If you tried to jump into single point threading at your level, you would probably be in trouble no matter what machine you have. Remember, Mach III has a threading capability under CNC if that is really an important function.

[LX Kid]

Even if your threading gears are missing, you can still run the machine manually to learn the basics of machining. If you tried to jump into single point threading at your level, you would probably be in trouble no matter what machine you have. Remember, Mach III has a threading capability under CNC if that is really an important function.

As a beginner I guess I find the whole CNC a bit overwhelming!

[LX Kid]

Got most of the machine home, except for the lathe and bed, and have been cleaning, painting and adjusting. Using white epoxy paint. Going to bring the last part home tomorrow. Guess I'll be doing the milling head assembly tomorrow also. Here's a couple of pics of parts I've already painted.

[LX Kid]

Finally got everything home and into the shop! Heck it only took a week! LoL Now starts the cleaning, painting, lubeing and adjusting. (My back and shoulder's are KILLING me!

[LX Kid]

"Busy night!" Got about 2/3 of it painted last night. Checked it this morning and is sill tacky. Been little humid last night. Probably take all day to cure. Still have to paint the lead screw cover, milling head, cross-table slide mount and change gear door. Wonder if all the various info stickers are available from ShopTask? Guess I'll give a call but I'm betting they don't.

[smallblock]

"Busy night!" Got about 2/3 of it painted last night. Checked it this morning and is sill tacky. Been little humid last night. Probably take all day to cure. Still have to paint the lead screw cover, milling head, cross-table slide mount and change gear door. Wonder if all the various info stickers are available from ShopTask? Guess I'll give a call but I'm betting they don't.

You are going about things in the right way. It's a lot easier to do all the cleaning and painting now, than having to take it all apart later. The later models had aluminum rivet-on decals- you might be surprised at what Shoptask keeps in stock for these old machines.
A couple of tips-
1. The rotary style switches are no longer manufactured- if one fails, you will need to upgrade to the push button style. Double check the studs that hold the switch " sandwich " together- they can work loose and once they get loose enough the internals of the switch can short out.
2. Use a honing stone or some fine sandpaper on all the ways now and then clean them thoroughly- watch for any signs of high spots.
3. Check the gib strips for flatness- make sure they are straight and flat before putting them back in.
4. Check with Shoptask about upgrading to the double lead screw nuts before re-assembling- these can reduce backlash a lot.
5. Also check with them about the torrington bearing upgrade for the Y axis bracket- also a good way to reduce lash.

[LX Kid]

Thanks SmallBlock for the tips. Already did the gibs and will do the ways. What are the double lead screw nuts and the torrington bearing upgrade your referring to? Thanks