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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Tormach Personal CNC Mill > What can your Tormach NOT do that you thought it would before purchase?
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    2143

    What can your Tormach NOT do that you thought it would before purchase?

    I am looking in to getting one, just want to be aware of any "gotcha's" that might be out there, and learn from other users' experiences.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    467
    Mcphill,

    It wont jump rope or chew bubble gum very well.

    JoeyB
    A doughnut a day keeps the doctor away.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    2143
    Quote Originally Posted by joeybagadonuts View Post
    Mcphill,

    It wont jump rope or chew bubble gum very well.

    JoeyB
    And you thought it would prior to purchase? I think you had some high expectations!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    1072
    mcphill, my "gotcha's" have all been fit-and-finish. Slipping Z-axis stepper motor coupling, AC wiring fast-ons in the control cabiniet that were "fast-offs" (and which I replaced), a sneeze-welded door hinge on the Deluxe Base that broke off (and I'm not using that door any more--I can't weld), and my Deluxe Base still leaks from an unknown location and drips on the floor. There were a couple of software glitches, which John P. quickly fixed, when the machine software was updated from Mach2 to Mach3.

    Functionally, the only real problem was the Z-axis slipping. Once fixed, the machine has been totally reliable. I would not hesitate buying it again.

    EDIT: It is very accurate and "tight". In the Distance Rings thread you can see some machining I've done with down to .009" endmills with the Proxxon high-speed spindle. That is something even beyond what I was expecting to be able to do when I bought the Tormach.

    Randy

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    2143
    Thanks for the comments, and the links, zephyr9900 - Very Informative! Glad you got your z-axis issues sorted, I am sure you were getting pretty frustrated along the way ; )

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    156
    Wish it had a bigger table. That is about my only real wish.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    438
    my tormach has done everything i expected it to do. i do wish i had about 6 more inches of x travel and table width but i knew what i was getting when i bought it. it has proven to be a great machine for me to learn cnc on.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    309
    Mcphill -

    Table size has to be my only surprise as well. The work cube is roughly 18" X 9" X 18" or so, and that *sounds* plenty big until you have a 20" long or 10" wide part you want to mill. I suspect that no mill is really big enough. They might exist, but I've never seen one.

    I actually saw mine jump rope once, and I thought I heard it chewing gum while I wasn't looking, but what it won't do is know that it's about to break an endmill and stop itself.

    Regards,

    - Just Gary

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    163
    The table is very soft, if you bump it with anything like a hold down clamp
    or a wrench it will have a ding in it.

    I have a Enco 9x49 vertical mill and the table is VERY hard and smooth as glass.

    I can wipe it down with a paper towel and WD40 and it has a shine and no where
    can I find a mark of any kind where work was held.

    It will do what you tell it to do.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    251
    It doesn't do a very good job at brewing beer :cheers:, and when you pull out a picture of it at the night club it doesn't impress the girls a whole lot. Other than that the only thing I wish it had was only about .0005" better accuracy on the Z axis. The rest of it is spot on for it's price point and you can't beat the customer service Tormach has to offer.
    BlueFin CNC LLC
    Southern Oregon

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    438
    Quote Originally Posted by TT350 View Post
    The table is very soft, if you bump it with anything like a hold down clamp
    or a wrench it will have a ding in it.
    i dropped an 8" diameter, 1" thick piece of steel while removing it from the 4th axis and got a nice ding in my table. it was frustrating but my fault. i was kind of surprised that it dinged the table though.

  12. #12

    Tormach

    My Tormach does everything I hoped, and the more I use it the more I like it.



    Quote Originally Posted by 300sniper View Post
    i dropped an 8" diameter, 1" thick piece of steel while removing it from the 4th axis and got a nice ding in my table. it was frustrating but my fault. i was kind of surprised that it dinged the table though.
    If it isn't dinged it isn't getting used. When I went through my machinist apprenticeship I was told there only only two kinds of machinists those who have milled the vise or table and those who will. I see photos of home shops that look like it's in the kitchen, probably not much work going on there.
    RAD. Yes those are my initials. Idea, design, build, use. It never ends.
    PCNC1100 Series II, w/S3 upgrade, PDB, ATC & 4th's, PCNC1100 Series II, 4th

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    2502
    Quote Originally Posted by 300sniper View Post
    my tormach has done everything i expected it to do. i do wish i had about 6 more inches of x travel and table width but i knew what i was getting when i bought it. it has proven to be a great machine for me to learn cnc on.
    Wishin' for more travels. It's inevitable: no matter what machine you may have, you'll find a job that's too big for it!

    I've got the IH mill, and immediately found a project that exceeded its travels. Must be some kind of Murphy's law for machinists.

    Cheers,

    BW

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    3063
    Aside from some minor fit and finish issues, the main problem I've had is leaking coolant from the chip tray into the PC compartment. Maybe an ounce an hour at most but it's a little annoying. A layer of sealant fixed most of it but there's still a periodic drip to deal with.

    The high speed spindle also works better than expected for me.

    I've had only a few mechanical problems and those were all resolved satisfactorily by Tormach.

    Mike

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1332
    The design intent and all specifications (expectations) for the Tormach are posted on the Tormach web site. These were written by Greg Jackson and show in detail everything that one should expect for the Tormach. My Tormach has done everything that was expected. There have been no surprises.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    2143
    Thanks for all the feedback. Some people have some pretty odd expectations

    That said, I have not heard any comments that the machine's capabilities are being "oversold" by Tormach, which is great (and unfortunately uncommon these days). Now I just need to start scrimping the pennies and Benjamin's together so I can put in an order for one of these puppies!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    438
    i don't think you will hear anyone say they feel tormach oversells their capabilities. like mentioned above, they have a very good and accurate overview of the machine on tormach's site. the machine is exactly as it is advertised.

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