I don't own Fadals because they are the latest greatest bestest and fastest..
I own them because they are cheap, and I can get parts and support from quite
the number of different sources..
To me, the greatest concern with older machines is PARTS!!! and SUPPORT!!!!
I don't know what to tell you on the Okuma.
Fadal.. They made a TON of them, and they were basically the same machine from the
late 80's up into the mid 2000's. There are 4 or 5 companies that support them and
sell parts and offer FREE!!! tech support... I doubt there is a single part or electrical
component or board that I can't have in my hands by tomorrow morning... And the price is
going to be almost free compared to almost any other machine tool out there...
If I break down at 2am on a Sunday, I can come here, get some advise and be up and running
by 3am.. If I need parts, I can order them Monday morning, and have them Tuesday morning..
I don't need to search the globe for the one guy that isn't dead yet that knows something
about the machine...
And you can upgrade them, there are I believe 3 different companies that are making completely
compatible plug and play upgraded faster controls.. You can still send your Fadal out and have
it rebuilt.....
Parts and Support is the main reason I would go for the Fadal...
And the control.. Its AWESOME.. SOOOO simple... Menu driven, you tell it what you want to
do and it literally baby steps you through it.. Parameters are 3 short pages WRITTEN IN ENGLISH!!!!
"Rigid Tapping 1)yes 2)no" <---- its really that simple... No binary or hexidecimals, just plain
old english... No software options, its all there.. Macros, ton of offsets, some fantastic utilites..
You want to add a 4th axis. Buy the HARDWARE, install it and then go into the parameters and simply turn
it on... "Axis 1)X,Y,Z 2)X,Y,Z,A 3)X,Y,Z,A,B"
I also like that M7 and M8 are literally standard 120 volt plugs on the back of the machine. $30 and
you have yourself an air blast.. Hook a light or a rock tumbler up to it if you want.
Just my 2 cents.