Vertical Mill - $300 Craigslist

I am not sure where it is, but it is a hell of a deal.

I bought a similar, but a little better built Bridgeport Interact for $500, in the same condition (nonrowking control).

Scrap value of this machine is more than 300. BL Duke scrap yard gives $285 per ton, paid by check.

If propertly parted out and scrapped, it can easily fetch a thousand.

If converted to EMC2, it would be a good workhorse, provided that it is not too worn.

i

Yes, it is probably less than scrap price. But they would have to pay someone to break it down, and then to load it and move it to the scrap dealer. I have scrapped out machines from my electronic assembly business, but I certainly could never pay an employee to do it.

After 33 years, sometimes you just get tired of the junk just taking up space.

Paul

I just bought three machines, parted two and scrapped them. After all payments, including paying the tow truck, I now have two valuable parts and one whole machine (16x54 Axelson lathe) that cost me nothing, in fact, I am already in the black.

Scrapping isn't such a nightmare as some people think. And I am just beginning to learn about it, I used to not be able to do it.

i

Also, this machine should be very easy to retrofit, with the cabinet to be used to host a computer. I would bet that cables are laid out very accessibly.

i

Hmm ... a nice machine -- certainly for that price.

The "Level 11 Programming Manual", in combination with the 1979 original purchase date suggests that it is run from a LSI-11 CPU. Not sure whether those are steppers or servos on it -- the images are not that good. :-)

If I had room, I would be very tempted.

Enjoy, DoN.

If it was closer, I'd take it, but I'm about 1000 miles away.. I have a stash of memeory borads, and possibly some other PDP-11 boards in storage.

If I bought it, I would junk the old control even if it was not yet broken.

First, electronics that is that old would not be reliable. Second, this is a very old and obsolete control, compared to the PC based controls (Mach3 and especially EMC2).

i

That is an early bandit controller.

If I recall correctly it was made by Summit at about that time and the line traded hands maybe several times then eventually went into the hands of Allen Bradley from which it eventually evolved into the T8xx series.

Yup. The controller needs to be scrapped, but the machine itself looks to be a pretty nice deal for the price.

Apparently, Ontelaunee Township is in Pennsylvania. That's not TOO far from Chicago. Dave

Looks like a good candidate for a retrofit / update project. I paid $500 for my Hurco (but I was told the electronics worked). I know the servos work, because I have tested them.

That is your choice, but you can't repair the electronics without step by step instructions. There are 80 year old pieces of electronics still in use, and a good tech can keep them working.

It may make sense for other types of devices, but old CNC controls, I think, are not worth the effort. I am beyond happy with my EMC2 setup.

i

Good for you, but not everyone gives up that easy. Some take pride in workmanship and their ability to do 'what can't be done'.

And I take pride in having built a well working CNC control.

i

Yet you can't repair it without buying modules from other people.

I do not smelt my own iron, either. Ultimately, you have to buy something.

What I can do now, and the old control could not, is

1) Watch youtube on the control, while milling. 2) I have rigid tapping and can tap holes accurately. 3) I have a big and well working 4th axis. 4) I have a servo controlled knee and now have a much bigger work envelope.

I can write programs in a great G code language with subroutines, closures etc.

i

It's not a function of "giving up", and it is indeed a function of knowing "what can be done". Old CNC controls were good in their day, but a modern PC based control is vastly better in performance and function.

Old controls had very limited memory that can't keep up with modern CAD generated G-code, had user interfaces that are atrocious by today's standards, and lack the modern featured for quick at-the-control programming of simple jobs. They also usually can't handle a 4th axis, rigid tapping, or many other features of modern PC based controls.

If the old iron is good, it deserves a new productive life with a better control.

Exactly. I can edit G code with XEmacs, priceless.

i

I don't edit much G-code, what comes out of my CAD/CAM is just fine generally. With a modern control it makes no practical difference if a feature is composed of a couple lines of G-code or 5,000 individual G-code lines of segments, it cuts the same and at the same speeds.