Hello everyone,

I’m a cnc machinist, programming/ operating a ProtoTrak 1630 lathe. I love the controls and ease of programming on this machine.

However, I am now looking to expand my own shop and buy a cnc lathe of my own. I am limited in what I can buy given that I am working in a basement of an apartment building. Bringing any piece of machinery is difficult at best, and I can’t even think about bringing a ProtoTrak or anything like that.

So I am very intrigued by the Turnado. It’s definitely the size and work envelope I’m looking for. My priority would be to make 1.5”-2.5” dia X 4”-10” long brass and aluminum decorative objects. My tolerance is within .005” (although .001” is nice).

My concerns about the machine:

Made in China with a 3 year warranty. It seems like 3 years is a long time for a company to suspect there might be issues with their product. Especially considering the amount of time it might take for parts to come from China to the USA.

Mach3. I bought a 1400$ cnc “kit” and had to (try) to configure mach3 myself and was never successful. I would be so annoyed if this machine is not “plug and play.”



I really would like something I can depend on, but I am limited by what I can bring into my shop. This machine SEEMS like it would be the right application for me, but I am hesitant to believe that it will be something I can depend on for daily use.

Please let me know what you all think.

Thanks