Inside fadal plant

[Mebfab]

Home movie inside fadal, 1989


Fadal Machines Made in USA 1989 Production Assembly Line - YouTube

 

[Antarctica]

Cool vid!! Everyone seems so engaged, like they're all on a mission... know what they're doing.

 

[SteveEx30]

That was cool!
Thanks for sharing

 

[Fadriver]

they lack vision became greedy and hass ate their lunch
by the way a own 3 fadals

 

[Bobw]

they lack vision became greedy and hass ate their lunch
by the way a own 3 fadals

They were bought by MAG, and absolutely every thing that MAG touched went to
shit..

What year did G&L buy them?

The one thing that Fadal did right, I think, they kept it simple. We make VMC's.. period.
We don't need no lathes, we don't need no stinkin' Horizontals.. We make one flavor of
VMC.. Period.

MAG tried to expand it to lathes and different machines.. The "New" Fadal is trying to
do the same.

 

[Milland]

MAG tried to expand it to lathes and different machines.. The "New" Fadal is trying to do the same.

I guess this is what the "new" Fadal is: New Fadal Prices | New Fadal CNC For Sale at Worldwide Machine Tool

I can't remember reading a post here about someone buying a new one, I hope if it happens they'll make a thread on it.

 

[2outof3]

I guess this is what the "new" Fadal is: New Fadal Prices | New Fadal CNC For Sale at Worldwide Machine Tool

I can't remember reading a post here about someone buying a new one, I hope if it happens they'll make a thread on it.

We have had a few threads about the "NEW FADAL" that has nothing to do with FADAL, except a purchased name.

 

[Milland]

Hence "new" in quotes. Taiwanese iron?

 

[Houndogforever]

I will say, looking around that shop, it looks about what my shop would look like if I produced VMC's. It just looks like a machine shop.
Now go take a walk around Haas facility and it looks like a machine tool mfg.

Sad they went away, but when they didn't want to keep running the company, then they made the best choice selling out. Then Mag ruined it.

 

[Larry Dickman]

I will say, looking around that shop, it looks about what my shop would look like if I produced VMC's. It just looks like a machine shop.
Now go take a walk around Haas facility and it looks like a machine tool mfg.

Sad they went away, but when they didn't want to keep running the company, then they made the best choice selling out. Then Mag ruined it.

This was in North Hollywood where they started. I believe they were in 11 buildings before they moved to Chatsworth, which would have been pretty soon after this was filmed.

 

[triumph406]

I will say, looking around that shop, it looks about what my shop would look like if I produced VMC's. It just looks like a machine shop.
Now go take a walk around Haas facility and it looks like a machine tool mfg.

Sad they went away, but when they didn't want to keep running the company, then they made the best choice selling out. Then Mag ruined it.

The DeCaussian family (Fadal owners) have said selling FADAL at the time was the best business decision they ever made.

 

[Vancbiker]

Too bad it didn’t show the sketchy shit like shimming the bed to column fit or the spindle cartridge to head fit. Or even better, gluing sandpaper to the ways then sliding the saddle or table back and forth to flatten out the turcite. Total hack machine tool construction.

 

[in2glamisgirl]

The DeCaussian family (Fadal owners) have said selling FADAL at the time was the best business decision they ever made.

Selling the company was not an easy decision, originally the brothers had planned on passing it down to the next generation of de Caussins, but there were some problems. Fadal's cash was tied up in property, equipment, inventory, and accounts receivable, and the company was going to have to dip into profits to pay the 55% gift tax. That was an issue because profits were also being taxed 50%. Financial advisors told the brothers that $1 earned was going to be about $.25 cents in pocket once the transfer was complete. So, fearing the company's demise in a forced "fire sale" if the succession was unsuccessful, Larry and Dave decided it was best to sell the business outright. Fadal sold to G&L in April of 1995.

The death tax has contributed to the demise of the family owned business in the U.S. It will be interesting to see how Gene Hass makes his exit.

 

[triumph406]

Selling the company was not an easy decision, originally the brothers had planned on passing it down to the next generation of de Caussins, but there were some problems. Fadal's cash was tied up in property, equipment, inventory, and accounts receivable, and the company was going to have to dip into profits to pay the 55% gift tax. That was an issue because profits were also being taxed 50%. Financial advisors told the brothers that $1 earned was going to be about $.25 cents in pocket once the transfer was complete. So, fearing the company's demise in a forced "fire sale" if the succession was unsuccessful, Larry and Dave decided it was best to sell the business outright. Fadal sold to G&L in April of 1995.

The death tax has contributed to the demise of the family owned business in the U.S. It will be interesting to see how Gene Hass makes his exit.

Probably in a coffin shaped like an F1 car

 

[triumph406]

Too bad it didn’t show the sketchy shit like shimming the bed to column fit or the spindle cartridge to head fit. Or even better, gluing sandpaper to the ways then sliding the saddle or table back and forth to flatten out the turcite. Total hack machine tool construction.

That sure explains why Fadal are still sort after. You also very rarely see them parted out because they couldn't be fixed.

I'm still amazed that I'm still able to make very good accurate parts on a 1991 4020. And make decent $'s at the same time. UNFKNBLVBL

 

[Vancbiker]

That sure explains why Fadal are still sort after. You also very rarely see them parted out because they couldn't be fixed.

I'm still amazed that I'm still able to make very good accurate parts on a 1991 4020. And make decent $'s at the same time. UNFKNBLVBL

I made some very good accurate parts today using my band saw and mig welder.......

 

[EmanuelGoldstein]

Video made me seasick ... and I think Johnstone Strait is fun.

 

[Omega]

Fadal...I was told it stands for Frank, Adrian, Dave and Larry, I did the tour way back when, It seemed to me they were craftsmen, building the best machine they could with what they had. My 1996 4020 still had the original spindle in it, I bought it new and it made 100"s of thousand of parts, The spindle drive finally gave out and the old girl is now retired.

 

[Vancbiker]

I emailed the vid to a friend earlier who then reminisced

Then there was the Westec debut of the 6030 that went full punch press mode in Z. Bouncing up and down as fast as it could run. Limit to limit… over and over.
Fun times!
I was working the booth at the time. Dave Sr cut the knife switch.

Was just getting started doing customer training on a newly installed 4020. Began to demonstrate the CS procedure. Started to handwheel the Y to align the marks and the MF'er took off in the positive direction. Snapped the silly little stop rod and finally came to a stop with the table and ruined way covers pushing the doors and sheetmetal out about 4 inches. Somewhat shaken, I told the customer that class was over for the day.

Crappy resolver. 1960s servo control technology still being used in the late 80s. New motor, thrust bearings, ballscrew and coupler, Y way covers, Y stop rod and springs, doors, and front shitmetal panels. But yeah, the parts were cheap.

 

[Mebfab]

I wish some material (photos, films of some of the other builders was extant. Would love to have seen the inside of K+T or P&W