If you have some kind of mounting plate would 2 dowel pins to rest part against (similar to V-block contact) then machine 180 degrees or more, unclamp and rotate ,etc work for you? It may pay to make a fast and dirty fixture for this. Mounted plate with a rotating plate on top (dowel holes in center for location) then 4 dowels that would allow biggest part to nest while being clamped and if diameters vary, shim between part and 4 o.d. location dowels. You will have to move clamps...

quote: Everything is foreign language because they are foreign machines (I'm guessing italin) Just learned Italin is one of 4 official languages spoken in Switzerland ...

quote: Everything is foreign language because they are foreign machines (I'm guessing italin my charmilles sinker was made in Switzerland, but some have been made in England, france and Taiwan. I was told CNC wires are made in Switzerland.

Mike, I sent you an e-mail.

quote: http://www.biditup.com/ Mark, this will take you to auctioneers page also. Its Precision Automated products (or similar name)in Littleton, Colorado...was wrong about mazaks, they have a bunch of Makinos, Mori-sekis, matsuras...serious $$$$$$$$$money in that place. Auction is on the 20th. PDF file to download at right side. Mark, do you know these folks??

Think I saw some nice Mazaks up for auction soon in Denver Colorado and some mori-sekis also with pallets etc.. Machinetools.com and click on auctions..its a bankruptcy and building is full of good stuff.

Thanks Phil, looks like you can work over 12 hrs. a day its just double time.

Phil, are there limits on working?

quote: Basically if OH&S allowed more then 12 hours a day, we would be working it.... :S Randy, can you explain that? Does Canada have limits on working like Europe?

It also helps if there is someone in the building that can answer a simple question...instead of rumaging around for one hour by yourself...what I went through by myself as I added a computer, then a conversational VMC , then a conversational CNC Lathe, THEN Mastercam...wow. My hands had never touched a computer until mid 90's..

quote: Inspect to reject That's what they call it One of the best prototype machinists I ever worked with, spent a couple of years as an inspector and he said he Loved it!, cause he "enjoyed bustin peoples balls"

quote: My point is that accuracy of a CMM is assumed to be better than it actually is and that very few people will doubt the results and double check themselves by using another method such as a surface plate. I fight that all the time, people rejecting gages for 10-50 millionths and they used an electronic inspection device and its only rated to .00015 inches. They don't even take a second look before kicking it back.

Also on cheaper machines its not the scales that are incapable, but rather something about getting the "most bang for the buck" when they buy Drives and the boards that control them and the 200K machines may not suffer this same problem. I have gone round and round with manufactures on this and in the end they say "no, scales on a low cost VMC will not replace a jig-borer when that accuracy is needed". Something about drift. This was 5 years ago and maybe things have changed. Nothing like asking for what the say it will hold, in writing, to eliminate the BS.

I have been told the advantage is it controls thermal expansion but does NOT NOT help on jig-boring capabilities on low cost CNC machines like putting a readout on a Bridgeport with worn leadscrews. The disadvantages can be added cost and contamination. If they tell you it will help on Jig-boring capability, ask them "how much" and tell them you will need it "in writing" what they will guarentee on true position hole boring.

A friend that owns a shop was told by a new buyer that if he did not buy a 40K CMM they could no longer do business with them (after 20 year relationship) and my friend kept putting them off on CMM and eventually there was a "buyer change" and next buyer could not care less if he had a CMM. I build gages for a measurement company and they said people are almost more concerned about "how" are you going to check these parts, than how are you going to make them anymore. So your QC department is an issue and I do believe in adding some eye candy from auctions, even if it does not work...

quote: Surelink - I looked at your website. Does PCS carry retainer sets? Our molds have NO ejector system - mainly 2 plate molds. Are you making rubber molds?

quote: Anyone here know anything about the used CMM market? I talked to another small shop owner a few years back that spent 50K on a new starrett and I asked him why he did not buy a used one (zillions of them around)and he said they have old software that no-one knows how to use, etc. I still have not bought one as gage shop I worked at bought one years ago and never used it. I am curious as to what others say about this also.

If I understand your question correctly, On mold bases you indicate in the longest side, then tram the block central as Moldmakers work of the side of the mold to bring in the shut-offs and mismatch.(if cavity pocket is out of true position, they will make adjustments)...I use to build dies and they "tram in" a guide pin as outer edge is flame-cut and when I started in a mold shop I did the same thing and was quickly corrected by other Moldmakers as they want you measureing your pocket location as you go to make sure it is in correct spot from outside as a little care doing the base right, can save more time in the end with less adjustments. I may not have understood your question. On some molds I think the guide pin method would also work just fine in my opinion.

You might try extremes of speeds and feeds to see if that helps and then take steps to improve from what you learn.. i.e really really slow RPM, does that help? On my machines, slowing RPM and increasing feeds helps on chatter, also any cutter design that reduces cutting pressure helps. Sometimes brushing on cutting oil, instead of coolant can help.

I have seen out of state want ads in Dayton paper. Ohio has lost 235,000 manufacturing jobs in the last few years, so there must be some enginneers looking for work. Shops are fairly busy. There are some "big" shops back here and Chicago might be another area to look.

quote: any, but I get the question ALL THE TIME "Where can I get an used one of these???". I was referring to if another big downturn comes like after 9/11, where there are lots of forclosure types of auctions. I noticed that people buying more expensive machines and owed money did not make it around here, but the shops that bought cheaper machines managed to survive. Shops around here that are really expanding are doing military work and what will happen if military budgets get cut by next Prez.? I do understand that bigger expensive machines have higher charge out rates, but also if they are slow it can kill ya.

There is another line of thought on 1 expensive machine Vs. 3 cheaper VMCs and that is; if the economy tightens and you are having trouble you might be able to drop "1" cheap machine and keep goin. That big expensive machine will sell cheap and you will be out of business. I watched this in the last great downturn..the Haas- Milltronics-Hurcos types sold at a decent price as guys startin out are buying them at auction, But the 300K machines that should have brought 100K at auction went as low as 25K....people don't know what to do with them or are scared of big repair bills as parts $$ are way higher.

Everyone should look at a spindle torque table on the model they are looking at, could be a real eye opener, especially the higher RPM models, (if they are not a geared head). I often wonder if they can even drill a hole, but then, they may not want to.

leehound may still have that machine, as I watched several machines that did not sell at great prices, people must be gettin cautious with their $$$ (don't think it sold on e-bay)

Leehound on this forum just had a milltronics machining center without the toolchanger and enclosure for sale for around 7k , I think...may have been about a month ago on off -topic side and think I saw it on e-bay...very good deal, great shape to look at it...made in the USA and supported by factory. I thought about buyin it but bought a Moore G-18 jig-grinder and a Charmilles sinker EDM at out of state auctions, hope they arrive this week, pretty spooky sending people money you have never met.