It would be me...sort of - BM-1400.
Yep, rusty Z ways found upon installation...go back a while and you can read the details...here the Reader's Digest version. Methods Machine service tech installing the machine brings it up, pow-wow the next morning with the Methods guys, they assure me all will be fine, Methods and Toyoda step up and and send in another machine. A few days in swap out, reload programs, set vises and toys and off we go. First Class guys - both parties.
How's it working...well, really good. Unfortunately for you, we don't do a ton of tough milling, but what it has done is pretty darn good. Toughest cut so far has been a 4" 90 degree Sandvik face mill, 2.50" radial, 0.250" axial cut @ 50"/min in 75ksi steel...purrs right along at about 85% spindle load. It has no problem breaking 1/2" carbide end mills either...no bangs or clanks, just a little "click", and the cut gets real quiet.
Not the fastest thing out there by any means, but it will fill the huge chip pan area with big, heavy steel chips in a hurry...the chip container they give you is a joke, you can fill it in about 15 minutes if your getting busy, but they did supply one - have your scrap guy bring you 4'x6' totes.
One bad thing about them is the literature...not real sure what all is included in the purchase. You will really need to work over your dealer to understand what you are getting. Don't get me wrong, it's really the opposite of what I'm sounding like, there are a lot of options that are included, but not really mentioned or may be stated as options, but come on the machine as a "standard". Methods did this on the tool changers...all of the BM1400's & BM1600's were ordered with 40 tool changers. When I compared machines, by the time you option up everything equal, the prices are really close between the builders (with exception of the likes of Mori, Makino, Okuma, Matsuura, etc).
VMCMan-Scott - correct me if I'm wrong, as I may have misunderstood.
Here's the best part, as this had to be coming to a head when our machine was in the middle of it all from a timing issue (maybe I am part of the change???). My Methods sales guy stops by yesterday...I said I noticed the Toy VMCs look different on their web site, well, apparently Toyoda wanted more control out of the Awea plant they had contracted to build them. Awea says no, they part ways, Toyoda goes down the road a few miles, buys into another MTB, and doesn't miss a beat...same Toyoda spindle, same castings, same designs, interchangable parts, etc. Delivery might be out just a bit though on new machines. I believe the largest machine is now the FV1565 with 1500mm X travel. I would question a few of the specs...Z travel and spindle nose to table, max tool length, optional tool changers (40 tool not available
?), Cat 40 in the big machines ...quite a few differences, but then again, it is written in Jinglish. I think they also lost the linear way machines, the AF series I believe.
SteveinAZ