[jlhersh]

Hi,

Reading a lot of the posts concerning the Tormach Mill (considering purchasing) and it would appear that they have quite a few electronics / system board failures - is this heat related or the result of debri or coolant getting into these areas?

If it is the result of heat has anyone tried installing cooling fans to extend the life of the electronics?

Thanks,

- Jon

[ErnieD]

Jon,

My Tormach came equipped with a cooling fan in the electrical cabinet. I have not had any problems with my machine but by the same token I do not use it heavily or everyday. Tormach are quick to resolve problems.

ErnieD

[300sniper]

Jon,

My Tormach came equipped with a cooling fan in the electrical cabinet. I have not had any problems with my machine but by the same token I do not use it heavily or everyday. Tormach are quick to resolve problems.

ErnieD

how long ago did you get yours? i just got mine a few weeks back and it does not have a fan. i ended up with a 3 digit serial number and i think the 4 digit has the fan. i am kind of bummed out about that because i know it is going to be well over 100 degrees in my shop in the summer. i guess i wish i got the latest model available but i wasn't so lucky.

[MichaelHenry]

Mine doesn't have the fan and I've had a main control board failure. There is virtually no coolant in my cabinet, despite sometimes extensive splashing on the door, so I suspect either luck of the draw or a heat related failure, especially since I tend to leave the mill powered up for days at a time.

It's not that hard to add a fan to the cabinet - Terry Mayhugh has posted pictures of his fan addition on the Yahoo Tormach group.

Mike

[zephyr9900]

I have also added a 120mm fan to my electronics cabinet (serial 128). And I discovered a really cool trick.

Not having a 4+ inch hole saw, I resorted to the kludge tactic of drilling a series of smaller holes near the perimeter of the desired large one. I laid out 1/2" holes so that they were overlapping, and drilled every other one (black holes in the picture below.) I then went back to drill the rest (red holes in the picture,) and that's when I made the discovery.

I was using a Unibit (stepped straight-flute sheet metal drill bit) and it turns out that it is self-guiding--since each step is straight, the 3/4 of the body that is not ground away for the flute stays in register with its own hole when the bit breaks into the adjacent holes. It was really fast and smooth to nibble out the outline, which I cleaned up some with a file.

You all probably know the trick, but it was a pleasant revelation for me, after years of hacking large holes with conventional drill bits.

Best regards,

Randy

[MichaelHenry]

Randy,

That was a new tip for me, so thanks for posting it.

Mike

[madaouk]

any one made a sophisticated design with tormach?