[m8kingit]

Anybody ever heard of these people.
They make a cnc mill that sound really spectacular, but i thought i'd inquire about them here before i buy from them.

If you type in townlabs their web site will come up. Thesen machines sound like they have everything you'd want ba;; screws servos, built rigid(200lbs) Etc.
I'm just being skeptical, because they sound too good to be true. They calim they'll cut almost anything.

If anyone knows of these machines and can give me soem advice i'd appreciate it. My regular email address is [email protected]
Thanks
Mark

[fretsman]

Mark, not that I own one of these but I have heard nothing but "bad" things about these. You might want to do a search on these here at the "Zone" in the upper right hand corner of your screen. I'm sure this will help-

Dave

[m8kingit]

thanks Dave, this is what i was looking to hear either the bad or the good. That's why i came here!
mark

[mark c]

I've got an early version. It didn't have ballscrews and weighed only about 140 lbs.
It is a Seig Micromill (x1) with a (much) larger table and adapted to cnc. The servo system looks to be very well made, but was a little too weak or sensitive; it is designed to stop if an axis encounters resistance. Kinda like a stepper loosing steps. I ended up replacing it with a Hobby CNC stepper kit.
The new frame to mount the table was thinwall tubing, so I filled it with concrete to add more mass, also went with plastic nuts for the acme screws.
The spindle was limited to 2000 RPM, so I replaced the motor and made a belt drive, now I get 9000. I see he has a spindle capable of much higher RPM now.
So anyhow after making a short story long, I've put a lot of time and effort to get this machine to where I expected it, so I think your money would be better spent on something else. A Seig X3 converted by yourself probably wouldn't cost much more and it would be a much better machine

HTH
Mark

[Dragon5X5X5]

Hello All, Well I'm retired in the Hydro Mechanical Field, but a newbie to cnc as we usually sub out this type of work out.

Anyone can overdrive equipment and break it. Life is what you make of it, and how well you use it or abuse it.

So I have looked at others listed for some time but as many use Aluminum for many main parts in my mind I just cant see them being able to do well with Stainless or other stronger material. I was looking for one to use at home that would work for my hobbies needs like my Ultralights and Cars n things.
And I did look and see others that are not happy with theirs with backlash and other things in earlier listings, but not all is perfect no mater what in whatever field.

I have purchased one of the Townlabs TL512's earlier this year 08 just before they came out with the TL518.
So far I'm happy with it , although I do like the looks to upgrades made that became the 518, But I'm still happy with mine.
As I see it the upgrades should fit well to mine and maybe older versions, or the use my own designs of upgrades to improve equipment as needed but so far I have not needed it ....

Now this may be one sided as I do not have any others machine to test against it so ya gota take it for what it's worth.
I have not yet used it on stainless or other harder material like a stainless steam engine project in mind, but I'll tell ya I have shaterd a couple of 1/4" bits trying to learn to use this puppy and the return to 0 thing on just wood and plastic and not stop due to the design to stop if an axis encounters resistance and this dose work when it needs .
I think she is strong enough to whatever I'll need.....

[Lodger]

Can't say enough good things. My machine was turnkey, been working a few months now without a hitch. Check them out.
The buzzword is VALUE.