Re: Tormach, Smooth Steppers and Mach 3
When I bought my machine, I looked into buying a separate computer and loading the Mach Operating System myself, but the price was within about $50.00 of the price of the control computer from Tormach.
I have been running Mach for a little over 3 years now, and I have had absolutely no problems with it.
I came out of a machine shop environment where I ran machines that had Fanuc, Yasnac, Mazatrol (Mazak) FADAL, Haas, Centurion, and some other controls I can remember, but so far, this Mach control will do anything those controls would do.
I think the problems you read about are caused by people who buy the system and "think" they know a way to make it better, or they don't like the way it does something and they "think" the know a way to make it better. Come on guys, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
The only limiting factors I have found with my Tormach/Mach set up is my imagination and horsepower. I can do anything on my Tormach that you can do on all those other machines, it's just going to take a little longer.
You can buy GOOD PARTS or you can buy CHEAP PARTS, but you can't buy GOOD CHEAP PARTS.