New (to me) machine day... Wrustle style!

[aarongough]

If you buy new you have zero headache, faster, stronger and better and less money. Get the money flowing and then move on. Beyond Thunderdome....but who really runs Thunderdome....Master blaster runs Thunderdome thats who. Sorry just inspired

Yeah I hear you, for me though the thought of buying new is scary as it's a large financial commitment. Yeah I'll sink money into these machines but it will be bits and pieces and honestly I have a lot of fun working on them!

For me three spindles are better than one, even if the one is twice as good, as it will allow me to do prototyping work and so on in parallel!

 

[aarongough]

Did you check for rigid tapping?

Yeah, both machines are marked as VMC15RT and have the params set for rigid tapping, I didn't test a tapping cycle though so encoder could still be busted/missing. Can fix later if needed.

 

[aarongough]

One other thing I forgot to mention was both machines were '-5' controls with 422KB memory which is nice!

 

[EndlessWaltz]

In for the rebuild/refurbishment thread on at least one of them.(the other can make money first)

 

[Speedie]

Sounds like you got a good deal. Its like someone just handed you a bright future

 

[aarongough]

In for the rebuild/refurbishment thread on at least one of them.(the other can make money first)

Nice thing is I already have my VMC10 to pick up the slack will l while I work on the new machines, so they can both get done at the same time!

 

[Duc]

I believe you have a few people that would like to see your project get started. When does the machines arrive at your shop?

 

[aarongough]

It is likely to be a fair while before I'm able to start rebuilding the machines unfortunately. My current shop doesn't have space for them, and my general life situation right now means that moving to a new shop will have to wait at least a year until some broader decisions are made (like where I want to put my shop!)

The long term goal is to have at least 3 VMC15s, which will be making three different 'product lines', along with my VMC10 and a larger 4020 size mill for prototyping and making tooling. That dictates quite a jump in shop size, so I'm looking at moving outside the city.

Will be nice though to have the machines ready to start getting rebuilt as soon as I'm moved!

In the short term they will be going into secured storage after I prep them for sitting for a while.

Things are nearly ready on that front. Storage space is lined up, rigger getting organized tomorrow, then I will be flying down to prep the machines and move them to storage.

I did say this was going to be a 'wrustle style' thread didn't I!

 

[riabma77]

Aaron, congratulations with the new find.

I recently moved also to a new shop (in a different state!), and it was a long but excited process.

Cannot wait to see pictures of your new shop! I wish you the best!

PS: Did you ever consider a small HMC with 4th? It won't require so much floor space, but not sure if with the right fixtures will outperform 2-3 verticals.

 

[aarongough]

Aaron, congratulations with the new find.

I recently moved also to a new shop (in a different state!), and it was a long but excited process.

Cannot wait to see pictures of your new shop! I wish you the best!

PS: Did you ever consider a small HMC with 4th? It won't require so much floor space, but not sure if with the right fixtures will outperform 2-3 verticals.

Thanks very much mate!

I have definitely thought about a HMC, especially one with a pallet changer... However my run times are fairly long and in a lot of cases I'm taking light finishing cuts to get the finish I need, so I may not make full use of a HMC. My current machine now runs 100% unattended, and with improved fixturing that I'm slowly working on should be running ~16 hours per day. Eventual plan is to setup the new machines in a similar fashion.

I think a HMC with a pallet changer and a dense set of fixtures on a pair of tombstones would probably do pretty well, but not sure if it could match the 3 spindles, given all the finishing cuts I do... I bet a newish fast HMC could, but not sure about one I could afford. Overall I'm trying to stick to paying cash for things at the moment!

 

[wrustle]

Wait a minute Aaron,.........slow the hell down buddy..........

You started this on the 9th and now it's the 15th and all is told? Including pictures? With test results? In one week?



Amateurs I tell ya.........amateurs...............




Seriously though..............Best of luck with the new toys Aaron!!


Now, get back in here..........drop a tidbit, and disappear from the forum for a couple of weeks..................

 

[aarongough]

Wait a minute Aaron,.........slow the hell down buddy..........

You started this on the 9th and now it's the 15th and all is told? Including pictures? With test results? In one week?



Amateurs I tell ya.........amateurs...............




Seriously though..............Best of luck with the new toys Aaron!!


Now, get back in here..........drop a tidbit, and disappear from the forum for a couple of weeks..................

Haha, sorry bud! I'm not doing your legacy justice in here

I figure 'the Wrustleing' comes when I put them in storage and don't continue with the thread for a year lol

 

[aarongough]

One questions for the gang:

Given that the machines are going to be in storage with the rigger for a year or so, I was considering whether I should pull the drives/control boards and store them in my shop for safe keeping (after appropriate labeling of course). Not sure if that's a dumb idea or not?

 

[Ianagos]

One questions for the gang:

Given that the machines are going to be in storage with the rigger for a year or so, I was considering whether I should pull the drives/control boards and store them in my shop for safe keeping (after appropriate labeling of course). Not sure if that's a dumb idea or not?

I wouldn’t unless there is chance of theft. And if there is a chance of theft maybe store the machine somewhere else.

I would buy a can of lps3 and take the way covers off and spray the rail ends where the don’t get traveled on much (don’t already have way oil) and other surfaces like the table etc.

 

[DanielG]

Given that the machines are going to be in storage with the rigger for a year or so, I was considering whether I should pull the drives/control boards and store them in my shop for safe keeping (after appropriate labeling of course). Not sure if that's a dumb idea or not?

I don't know about pulling boards, but I would put dessicant in the cabinets.

 

[aarongough]

Thanks guys, I had forgotten the name of LPS3! I will pick up a can of that and a bunch of dessicant, both sound like good ideas!

 

[macds]

I bought a machine (cheap) from a rigging co up in barrie area. It was in their facility about a year. Rats had gotten into it, and chewed some wires\made shitty nests, etc.
Took a long time to clean up that carnage.
Maybe add some mothballs as well to deter the little buggers

 

[aarongough]

Spent a couple of hours yesterday prepping the machines for transport/storage. Pinned the counterweights with some heavy 1" square tube, strapped the heads down onto the tables. Fully sealed up the electrical cabinets: removed the fans and grilles and used some aluminum plates duct-taped into place from the inside to block off the holes so no rodents can get in there. Put large dessicant packs in the cabinets and then padlocked them all shut.

I also blocked off the drain holes inside the enclosure with aluminum plates so hopefully nothing can crawl up from under. Sprayed any exposed metal with Boeshield (couldn't get any LPS3 locally). Finally tarped over the spindle motors of both machines so no warehouse drips end up there, and to keep away the worst of any storage durst. Hopefully they will emerge from their long sleep in a year or so with minimal issues!

I got to wear a lovely paper suit to avoid the worst of the graphite, unfortunately I bought it a size too small which meant instant hilarity ensued:



The heads were strapped down over wooden block, using t-nuts and hoist rings on the table. Not ideal, but better than nothing for transport. I wish people kept the shipping brackets with these machines!



Both machines tarped up and ready for the riggers next week:



There is a loooot of graphite all over both these machines. However they otherwise look like they've been well cared for and seem mechanically in good shape. I think they're going to run for a long time after a *really* good clean. Seeing all that graphite in there makes me want to get the pressure washer I wish that was an option!

 

[Ianagos]

Spent a couple of hours yesterday prepping the machines for transport/storage. Pinned the counterweights with some heavy 1" square tube, strapped the heads down onto the tables. Fully sealed up the electrical cabinets: removed the fans and grilles and used some aluminum plates duct-taped into place from the inside to block off the holes so no rodents can get in there. Put large dessicant packs in the cabinets and then padlocked them all shut.

I also blocked off the drain holes inside the enclosure with aluminum plates so hopefully nothing can crawl up from under. Sprayed any exposed metal with Boeshield (couldn't get any LPS3 locally). Finally tarped over the spindle motors of both machines so no warehouse drips end up there, and to keep away the worst of any storage durst. Hopefully they will emerge from their long sleep in a year or so with minimal issues!

I got to wear a lovely paper suit to avoid the worst of the graphite, unfortunately I bought it a size too small which meant instant hilarity ensued:



The heads were strapped down over wooden block, using t-nuts and hoist rings on the table. Not ideal, but better than nothing for transport. I wish people kept the shipping brackets with these machines!



Both machines tarped up and ready for the riggers next week:



There is a loooot of graphite all over both these machines. However they otherwise look like they've been well cared for and seem mechanically in good shape. I think they're going to run for a long time after a *really* good clean. Seeing all that graphite in there makes me want to get the pressure washer I wish that was an option!

Pressure washer is how I cleaned several of my way covers and coolant tank.

Also I suggest you put a trash bag over the monitors as well.

 

[aarongough]

Pressure washer is how I cleaned several of my way covers and coolant tank.

Also I suggest you put a trash bag over the monitors as well.

Will do!

I just wish I could just pull the covers off and pressure wash the whole thing lol