[mattskii89]

So i'm new to the world of multicams and routing in general. Me and some buddies have started a new small business making fabricated marine jet components( https://photos.app.goo.gl/gbedA2xvfB3hjZBn8 ) and have been paying a 3rd party to rout out components for us. It's increasingly hard to get things done in a timely fashion and at a reasonable price with the corno virus around where I live(Seattle) and want to bring this production capacity in house. We're still in the first year of business and don't have a huge amount of workflow and don't feel like buying a new CNC multicam makes sense at this time.
anyway i've seen quite a few multicam 3000's going for around 30-40 thousand that are from the mid 2000's up to 2010. I've found one kind of interesting deal though. its an 2003 MG 305, 16hp spindle, 8 piece autotool with an 8hp vac. They want 10 grand for it. its from a closed shop and its all crated up in a Wearhouse and I'm curious how bad the problems with this thing could be. It doesn't sound like I'll be able to test it out before buying it. it looks like reasonable well maintained in the photos and its one of the ex employs helping the owner selling it and he swears it works excellently right before they crated it up. If I go buy it and do a visual inspection, what should I be looking for? Does this sound like a good deal, it seems like a way beefer unit then some of these multicam 3000's I was looking at for almost 3 times the price.

[mattskii89]

its a 395*

[MCPservice]

So let me give you the #1 rule

If it’s not under power and you can not actually run this machine. Do not under any circumstances buy any machine, unless there is a warranty or guarantee that is going to run.

With that said a MG is at best 17 years old, with a M24 K520 control if you are lucky.

This control board is not supported, nor repairable.

Keypad which if you are lucky it’s a hand held unit and not the mounted pedestal unit, if it’s the pedestal unit it’s not supported or repairable.

Spindle may not be operation or able to change a tool if the machine has a tool changer. Depending on the type of spindle a repair cost could be 2500 or more just for a basic repair.

My suggestion move your date range up to say 08 or newer as the control boards are the M2521 and the newer control boards are direct replacements, be ready to spend 30-40k

And pay someone to do a inspection for you, that will be able to operate, check it mechanically/electrically and give you report on the findings.

You are going to pay more, but more for a operational machine that you will be able to drop in your shop, get installed, trained and start your production ASAP


Or

A cheap machine that has a lot of Easter eggs for you, Easter was Apr 12th and those eggs sitting outside in a sun most be pretty ripe by now.

[mattskii89]

Cool, I will take your advice! that's exactly what I needed to hear.

[Jim Dawson]

As far as buying a used machine that you can't see operate, it's a crapshoot. Buy it cheap, scrap price, and be prepared to upgrade the controls, motors and other mechanical if needed. On the other hand, the Multicam machines are pretty well built so at least have good bones.

Looking at your parts, those look like a perfect job for a laser or waterjet. A router would not be my first choice.

[Jim Dawson]

I should add that a CNC plasma would work well also.

[mattskii89]

So i can see where the owners of the machine put it up on exfactory.
https://www.exfactory.com/Detail.asp...ICAM_MG-SERIES
if I got this at 10 grand would it be worth upgrading everything? Do I have to use multicam parts or would I want to go with a different company?

I feel like for using heat to cut we'll need to set up an argon tent or blast it with some inert gas. My buddies who own the shop we're currently contracting mot fo our labor out to who would be operating initially also aid they have a plasma cnc and have never really liked the parts they get out of it. we need to weld everything together after we cut it so aluminum oxide is the enemy.

and water jet's I've heard are very expensive, and also a total mess. we're still a new company. i bet we'll cut up 3 to 4 4x8 half-inch sheets a week. I feel like that's too much for our needs right now? that number will increase over time, but for the next 12 months we expect to be in that range.

[Jim Dawson]

The Multicam machines that I have been involved with were very easy to upgrade, everything was just a bolt in. From what I have seen, Multicam uses pretty much off-the-shelf parts. But I have never seen a MG, so don't know the details. You should be able do do a full upgrade with new servos and new controls for <$5000 range, this would give you a commercial quality system. You have to decide if it's worth it. I personally don't like the operator interface of the Multicam controls, but they work fine and are pretty robust.

Agreed, waterjets are a mess, and high maintenance. Plasma cutting with argon might work for you, but I don't have any experience with that. What little aluminum cutting I have done with a plasma came out nice, almost like a machined cut, but I don't know what it did to the surface because I was not welding the pieces.

[MCPservice]

Matt what is the thickness and series Aluminum

Because you can cut Aluminum 5000,6000 and 7000 with a router the issue will be you will need to mist (Lubricate)the part and tool while it is cutting, and your cut speed can be quite fast with the right tool. But you will have the added processes of cleaning the parts of the misting fluid.