Well it seems I have come across another machine!

The problem with the machine is it has a Dynapath control on it.
Should I run away from this machine or is it suitable for a CNC retrofit provided the iron is good?
Also will any of the accessories work with my FP4M?

Thanks again everyone, Kevin.

Impossible to answer without knowing the price and what accessories you mean.

Re retrofit, forget that fantasy... figure on using it as is or don't buy it.

Which Dynapath control? I had a FP2NC with a Dynapath Delta 20- for the way I work it was a great control. Drip fed without a problem.

Hello Kevin,

There were 3 different Dynapath controls available on Deckels.

Dynapath system 10 was the earliest and that one may be hard to get parts for.


Dynapath system 20 was the next gereration, then Dynapath Delta 20 was the last one.

Dynapath is part Of Hurco family, some times Dynapath was a seperate stand alone company, and sometimes it was brought back directly as part of Hurco Depending on how well it was doing to make Hurco's bottom line look better.
Now it is currently part of Hurco directly.

I know the person who originally wrote the PLC code and completed the original retrofit of the Dynapath control onto the Deckel back in the late 70's early 80's it was well done and it had no problems and is pretty much a bullet proof control.

Before I was going to be a Heidenhain Retrofitter I looked hard about being a dynapath retrofitter but since I was once part of Hurco/Deckel and knew how they operated I chose not to become Dynapath retrofitter.

As sneebot said it can DNC for long programs.

With some massaging of the PLC from the 20 series that PLC can be upwardly compaitible with Dynapath's current series of controls that are PC base.

Kevin some of the accessories are compatible between the 2 machines.

Kevin if you send me a PM with the serial number I may be able to give you some history about that machine.

I promise you that I would not go after the machine my self and take it away from you.

Most of the Deckels that come up for sale are or have been my customers and usually they are offered to me first by my customers.

There are and were several companies in your area that had Deckels and some of them had Dynapaths on them.

There are 3 places total that I know of for Dynapath support my self being one of them, Some boards may not be available as new but they are availible as reconditioned or yours be repaired if ever needed

If I can be of help please contact me.

Regards
DD

The Dynapath 20 is shown as an option in the US catalogue that shows the flip head machines (first time available during the second generation Dialog 3 controls). Contrary to German practice, Deckel US did not put publication dates on their literature.

Your FP4M accessories can be used but not your tooling.
FP4M = S20 x 2; FP_NC before 1990 DIN 2080.

Yep....the FP4MK is the only manual Deckel with hydraulic drawbar. Then again, if it was a "K" he wouldn't own it in the first place as I would have bought it

It wouldn't have a Dynapath CNC !

Neither would the FP4M, which is what I was making the comparison to. My point was that the FP4MK is the only fully manual Deckel that can use the same tooling as the CNC Deckels. What is your point ?

The point is that Kevin was asking about the tooling of his own FP4M.

Ok...so you never go off on "educational tangents" that don't specifically relate to the OP's concerns ?

Thanks everyone for the replies.

The machine has the Delta 20 Control.
From the pictures it looks like it has the flip head.

I have not looked at the machine in person yet just going by the pic's.

Could this machine possibly have the 6300 RPM spindle and if so how can I tell the difference?

As far as the tooling I will have to cross that bridge later, if I get this machine it means all three of my machines use different tooling!

I will post pictures later and more info when I get it.
Thanks again, Kevin.

Sounds like a winner deal for you if the machine is in acceptable condition, especially considering you can get support for the control from DD. I don't have any experience with that particular control (Dialog on my machine), but I can tell you the performance of a well maintained FP4NC is superb- very powerfull, very rigid and extremely accurate.

To the best of my knowledge all the flip head machines have the high speed 6300 spindle.

A few identifying points:
1- Look on the operators side of the machine, there is a round knob, approx 60mm in diameter, with a 1 and 2 marked on it, located above the horizontal quill lock.
2- The high speed head does not have the black "tram stop" pins featured on the 3150 head or Y ram.
3- On the side of the head "away from the operator" the standard head has a large male dovetail for mounting a horizontal arbor support with the head rotated. The high speed head does not have that feature.
4- The vertical quill wheel on the high speed head is much larger in diameter (approximately 100mm)than that of the standard head (perhaps 50mm).

Mr. Milacron,

Please step off your FP4MK soap box before you hurt your self! LOL

Yes the FP4MK was a nice machine.

As far As I know you owned one for a while,never used it to make anything, and if it is/was as great a machine as you preach about why did you ever sell it other than the obvious your a machine dealer?

Mr. Milacron once again you jump to conclusions that you know nothing about as far as controls and them being usable or serviceable or even up gradable ! Please read my post above I cover theses areas of concern.

Now that I think about it there are more like 6 knowledgeable people that can and do support Dynapath products other than Dynapath.


D T have a happy day.

Regards
DD

I did use it, but as with many machines I own, it was worth more money than I could justify to keep for my limited useage at that time. But what it gawd's name does that have to do with praising a machine anyway ? I might talk about how nice a 2009 Porsche 911 is too, but I sure as heck can't justfy owning one right now.

For that matter, how many parts are you making on Deckel mills ?

That statement has been baffled. Please point out where in this thread I am jumping to conclusions. If anything I was defending the notion of staying with the Dynapath rather than attempting a retrofit, so all I can figure is you need glasses or weren't sober when you read this thread. But I'm willing to listen if you have further explainations.

Mr. Milacron,

My post toward you was meant only as banter note the similes every where.

Every chance you can can it seems you interject something about a FP4MK.

My sign off meant the same way in fun note the smilies.

If I am guilty of drinking while posting, I guess I posted in fun to you before you had your morning prosaic eh.

Mean while back to the subject.

Milacron
DD

DD
I make mounting plates for my Heidenhain controls to mount to in the electrical cabinets and the aluminum bases that secure my new controls to the old mounting arms. Also about 20 other items.

I am currently using a FP3NC with Heidenhain 410 control with universal table to proto type some new products I hope to develope so sorry ( I will not post any pics) of my new proto types.

I am also using 2 FP3NC with 3M control for some parts and as a test platform.

D T have an even keel day!

Regards
DD

Hey Kevin,

Just a follow up, did you buy the machine with Delta 20?

Pics please?

Regards
DD

Hello DD,
No I did not get the machine.
I don't know if that is a good thing or not as it looks like it would be a project.
The machine was actually a FP42NC and sold for around $2000.
I didn't have any time to inspect it and there was no way of putting power to it.
It did not have the flip head as I had thought originally and no tooling or accessories.

It's probably a good thing I didn't get this one, I lost a storage building I was using and am now scrambling to get everything moved out!

Any way back to moving machines and trying to figure out where I'm going to put all this crap!

Thanks again everyone for your help.
Kevin.

P.S. Anyone know where I can get a parts manual for my FP4M and arbor supports?

FP42NC potential to be more valuable than an FP4NC i think...Larger work envelope and almost no limit on the weight you can put on the table. More rare than the FP4NC. Accessory tables, i think, are harder to come by = $$$.

Reputation for problems with the geometry if the machine was used any amount...Lots of heavy moving elements on each axis that can cause higher wear than its FP4NC brother.
Stephan has several i believe and both are in need of work on the slides and screws....
Believe Martin has looked at a few that were also not so nice on ways/slides.

But i guess if you need the travels and the capacity to run heavy parts, then it could be the answer.

Cheers Ross