[m_caces]

Hi:

I'm building towards having a small shop for machining and metal working. Currently I have a Tormach mill and I'm searching for a CNC Lathe but limited by a small footprint in my shop (13 x 13 feet aprox). I would like to buy a TL1 but it's imposible to fit it in the shop (also a 4600lb machine is way heavier than what my shop is built for).
My first option would be a Slant Pro but for the price I could buy a better used machine. I'm aiming for the 15-20k range and actually found some good machines in this range but they are really big and impossible to fit in the shop.

Currently I only have 220V 1Ph but there is always the option to buy a converter to get 380V 3Ph.

The aim is to run a small quantity runs focused into the prototype and small quantity end products. The business aims for developing projects for the robotics and automation field and I would be only designing and building products for specific applications.

I've been using 3rd party shops(running manual Lathes) for my projects but after a lot of disapointing results I think i could do better.

[m_caces]

After some reading over the internet I'm between two options. The TL1 (despite all the stated in the first post) and the Omniturn GT75 , both of them used.
I think I can reacomodate some things in the shop and have enough space to work.

[arie kabaalstra]

I first Googled Omniturn GT75.. before i was going to say "EMCOturn 120" because that machine is way smaller.. I have one though, and i really like it..but it only has a 20 mm Main spindle bore.
I also once came across a HAAS toolroom lathe, which has the tools fitted on the slide in a rack.. could also be nice, but you cannot run your work between centers..

[m_caces]

Thanks!.
I've been reading information about EMCO, they seem to be really reliable machines. I found some offers regarding de EMCO turn 120 and EMCO turn 155.
How is your machine running?. How easy was to get them running parts?. Are you using any CAM software or programming the parts bare hands ? Did you retrofit something or are you running it as it came out of factory ?

For what I found, the machines comes with the Fanuc 21T controller , do you have any advice against the controller?

[arie kabaalstra]

The EMCOturn 120 Standard comes with either an EMCOtronic t1, or an EMCOtronic TM02 Control.

I am used to far more modern controls, like Heidenhain and Fagor, but!.. the TM02 is quite easy to program, i've grown fond of it.
I do however have plans of converting the machine to EdingCNC control, but, since one is basically able to write his own programming language with that.. i'm going to borrow a LOT of things from the EMCO TM02 control.

Getting the machine to run parts, well.. since my machine had been sittin' idle for a number of years, not being plugged in, all the System parameters were gone.. so i had to re-enter those manually..that took me about half a day, entering the defaults and then setting some to my preferencers, and also setting the Coordinate system in the right spot..

But.. after that was done, i hopped on my bike to get some cooling emulsion (i am Dutch after all ), put it in the machine, and basically started running parts rightaway.

I do have to mention that i'm used to program at the machine, or at the pc, just keying in standard code, can't help it.. professionally, i used CAM only 2 times, over an 8 year period, but that was because is was milling with a machine with a Heidenhain Control.

I also have an EMCO Compact 5 at my shop, but i converted that machine almost rightaway, since the original steppermotors lacked "Oomph", it is now running EdingCNC as well.

For your shop, i think the EMCOturn 155 is a better option, it is a tad bit bigger than the 120, which, in the netherlands is sometimes referred to as a CNC Pencil Sharpener :cheers: does that make the Compact 5 CNC a Needle sharpener?..

The "Concept models" from EMCO have a "Special"Control.. , these mimick a number of industrial CNC Controls, you just need the matching keyboard (Which EMCO also Supplies of course)

Like i mentioned earlier, i do run the EMCOturn 120 with the standard TM02 Control, but i have written my own Code Editor.. i'm a bit of a nerd i guess.. making my own software...

[m_caces]

Hi

I've been searching over the internet for some machines. For the moment the 155 goes well beyond my intended budget but I would love to have it running in my shop. I'm searching now for the 120 PC but it also came to my searches the EMCO concept 60. It seems like a nice looking overbench machine and would fit our needs for a CNC Lathe for the moment.
Have you heard about it ?. I think it would be called a needle sharpener too.
It seems it also has the capability to emulate the FANUC G21T language.
I'm really tempted to go with the concept 60 model in order to start doing some projects where a lathe is needed but the idea of saving a little more to get a well built CNC lathe is what my spine tell me to do.

[arie kabaalstra]

The Concept 60 is a nice and small machine.. i would like to have one too..
But.. the Concept 60 is intended with educational purposes in mind.

Basically it is a Modernised EMCO Compact 5 CNC, before the Concept 60, there was a PCturn 55 model, which was basically a slant bed version of the Compact 5 CNC but still with the tools in front of the Centerline.

I can "perform miracles" on my EMCO Compact 5 CNC, but that is also thanks to the fact that i have converted it to EdingCNC Control, since the original EMCO Control was not really a good control.. it was very, very basic..
After the conversion, and general maintenance, i'm now able to reach tolerances of 0.01mm with ease, also in Titanium.
But when i told the EMCO importer about this.. he shouted out in fear:"Titanium?... but, but.. that machine was only ever designed to machine non Ferrous metals!" , i then told him.. "As far as i know, Titanium is also Non-Ferrous", after which he replied. "that's true, but that was NOT what we meant"

Being honest , i only use 0.1 mm depth of cut when machining Titanium, where in Steel i go to 0.25 mm, and in plastics up to 1 mm.. easy does it with those Small EMCO's.. i don't know yet how a Concept 60 would handle that, but i'm curious about it

Beauty part is.. these "Desktop Lathes" can be run from a standard 230 V or 110 V (US) wall socket..


this is also what i make on the EMCO Compact 5CNC, these are hubs for watchhands.. measuring ø1.1 mm, lenght 1 mm, and a 0.25 mm through hole.

When choosing a machine.. do take the EMCOturn 120 in consideration as well.. as the machine is quite small.. measuring only 1035 mm (just over 3 feet.. 3'4" ish) but with a 2.2 Kw Main spindle motor, it packs quite a punch compared to the 300 Watt motor of the Compact 5

[m_caces]

Hello !

Thank you for all the feedback. After a lot of thinking I will go with a EMCO Turn 120 (No P was found ).
What are the key factors I should check in order to buy one ?.
I found a seller and in the control field it says the following : " Heidenhain - Fanuc - Emco manuf. " .
Do you have any idea what could it mean ?

I really excited about the Lathe and seems like a cool adquisition to our shop.