[87kevin]

Hi guys,

Long time reader, first post. I've been searching for a low cost mill to start off with and I have an opportunity to buy an excello for dirt cheap. Dont know much about it, dont know much about metals mills period. I've been running giant industrial wood routers for ever.

I dont know the model # or any specs on this machine. Guy says it is just under 400rpms max for the spindle, 30"x,16y and 6z (+ the table height adjustment.) Fanuc 6 controller and 24 station cat40 tool changer. Mid 80's.

Does anyone know:

-max cutting speed/rapids?
-max spindle speed?
-can the bearings be upgraded so that I can change pulleys and get higher rpms?

This guy says the tool changer and the control are "clumsy" and while they work fine, they should be upgraded.. I run fanuc controls (18i) on my machines all day long, and while they are not user friendly, they are bulletproof. Any ideas why this control should be changed?

I've searched everyehere but info on these things is scarce. Any help would be appreciated!

BTW - my end plan is to mill wood, so I need all the spindle speed and travel speed I can get. I know it will be a slow go, but I dont mind tinkering to speed things up...

Thanks!

[Al_The_Man]

Fanuc 6 is an older controller, good in its day, probably has a DC spindle as well as the DC servo's, I take the 400rpm should be 4Krpm for the spindle?
It depends on how hard it has been ran, if the previous owner says it should be upgraded probably means it has been nickel and dime-ing him.
You can weaken the field slightly on the spindle to get more RPM at the cost of torque.
Al.

[87kevin]

Thanks for the reply.. Yes sorry - 4k for the spindle.

So does the older fanuc 6 work in pretty much the same way as the newer ones? Like can I change parameters easily? Accel/decel etc..? Run DNC jobs? Change soft overtravels?

Thanks

[Al_The_Man]

Yes there are user parameters you can change but it does not have the features of later systems, especially the versions you are used to, you may be out of luck with DNC and the memory is fairly limited.
Al.