Mill Retrofit ?? Do it or just buy a HAAS

[Dustin Janes]

Group:

I am considering the purchase of a Bridgeport CNC with an older control (
Boss 3-6) and getting one of the various retrofit kits. Any ideas, any
experience ? Or should I just get the home brain surgery kit.....


Do you have a rec on what machine to look for

Have you had good experiences with a specific retrofit kit

It would be nice to have an auto tool changer - anyone retro'ed a
Bridgeport with a tool changer ?


Too many questions
Thanks in advance

D

[Tony]

Dustin,

We retrofit 3 of our prototrak's, two with three axis one with 4 (added a
rotary). We got the retrofits from www.cncauto.com Love the control, but it
did take some learning to use all the added features.

We went with the snap-change tooling on all three of them. It's not
automatic, but 2 seconds with fixed tooling has been working out great.

HTH,

Tony

Post by Dustin Janes
I am considering the purchase of a Bridgeport CNC with an older control (
Boss 3-6) and getting one of the various retrofit kits. Any ideas, any
experience ? Or should I just get the home brain surgery kit.....
Do you have a rec on what machine to look for
Have you had good experiences with a specific retrofit kit
It would be nice to have an auto tool changer - anyone retro'ed a
Bridgeport with a tool changer ?
Too many questions
Thanks in advance
D

[john]

Post by Tony
Dustin,
We retrofit 3 of our prototrak's, two with three axis one with 4 (added a
rotary). We got the retrofits from www.cncauto.com Love the control, but it
did take some learning to use all the added features.
We went with the snap-change tooling on all three of them. It's not
automatic, but 2 seconds with fixed tooling has been working out great.
HTH,
Tony

Post by Dustin Janes
I am considering the purchase of a Bridgeport CNC with an older control (
Boss 3-6) and getting one of the various retrofit kits. Any ideas, any
experience ? Or should I just get the home brain surgery kit.....
Do you have a rec on what machine to look for
Have you had good experiences with a specific retrofit kit
It would be nice to have an auto tool changer - anyone retro'ed a
Bridgeport with a tool changer ?
Too many questions
Thanks in advance
D

one of the tricks when you don't have a tool changer is to circular
interpolate the larger drilled holes with a smaller end mill after
drilling them with a one sized drill. It saves a lot of tool changing

John

[Karl Townsend]

You're talking two TOTALLY different price ranges. Which do you want? Do you
want to spend the time getting your own control running?

There's only a few retrofit controls that handle tool changers. They are a
bit spendy and complicated to install. I have a camsoft retrofit control on
a machine I'm trying to get going right now. The software and hadware will
run you $8000 or so for this control. Also, take a look at Centroid controls
if you're going this route.

For a PC retrofit without tool changers, there are many inexpensive ways to
go. You should be able to buy a nice Bridgeport with a dead control for
$1000 more or less. Less than $2000 should get you all the pc equipment and
drives, etc. Its a bit a of a project to get it running. I spent a month
doing mine.

My control is Ahha. Nice control but obsolete - dos based and no longer
supported. Look at http://www.artofcnc.ca/ for the one I'd get now. Many
other possibilities. There's also a GREAT article running in HSM magazine on
how to retrofit a bridgy right now.

Karl

[john]

Post by Karl Townsend
You're talking two TOTALLY different price ranges. Which do you want? Do you
want to spend the time getting your own control running?
There's only a few retrofit controls that handle tool changers. They are a
bit spendy and complicated to install. I have a camsoft retrofit control on
a machine I'm trying to get going right now. The software and hadware will
run you $8000 or so for this control. Also, take a look at Centroid controls
if you're going this route.
For a PC retrofit without tool changers, there are many inexpensive ways to
go. You should be able to buy a nice Bridgeport with a dead control for
$1000 more or less. Less than $2000 should get you all the pc equipment and
drives, etc. Its a bit a of a project to get it running. I spent a month
doing mine.
My control is Ahha. Nice control but obsolete - dos based and no longer
supported. Look at http://www.artofcnc.ca/ for the one I'd get now. Many
other possibilities. There's also a GREAT article running in HSM magazine on
how to retrofit a bridgy right now.
Karl

you can get an separate plc to do the tool changing and other options.
and use a cheap pc control or you can write the logic in the pc and get
an in/out board to handle the connections.

john

[tracker]

I agree on the Centroid Control. They offer a nice powerful CNC Package and
are very reliable. Go to centroid direct or their economy division
www.ajaxcnc.com Good Luck

Post by Karl Townsend
You're talking two TOTALLY different price ranges. Which do you want? Do you
want to spend the time getting your own control running?
There's only a few retrofit controls that handle tool changers. They are a
bit spendy and complicated to install. I have a camsoft retrofit control on
a machine I'm trying to get going right now. The software and hadware will
run you $8000 or so for this control. Also, take a look at Centroid controls
if you're going this route.
For a PC retrofit without tool changers, there are many inexpensive ways to
go. You should be able to buy a nice Bridgeport with a dead control for
$1000 more or less. Less than $2000 should get you all the pc equipment and
drives, etc. Its a bit a of a project to get it running. I spent a month
doing mine.
My control is Ahha. Nice control but obsolete - dos based and no longer
supported. Look at http://www.artofcnc.ca/ for the one I'd get now. Many
other possibilities. There's also a GREAT article running in HSM magazine on
how to retrofit a bridgy right now.
Karl

[Steven Haerr - CNCTrader Corp]

Dustin;

For what it's worth, I have 3 Bport CNC knee mills in stock,
and two R2E3 straight cnc knee mills, and one BTC-1 with
a factory-made and OEM (24) pos tool changer. (BT30 I think.)

I have only put power to one of the R2E3's, and it seems to work
decent and sound good on the axis travels. All ways surfaces
look good also. It moves around fine, but I have no idea how to
make it really go...

In any case, I'm open to offers, as I really don't have the time
or inclination to go figure them out. I was going to get them
running good and eBay them, but then the busier I get, the
more I was thinking $6500 for all of them would be just as well.

Think of all the spare parts you'd have!!!
--
Steven Haerr
CNCTRADER CORPORATION
42179 Sarah Way
Temecula, CA 92590-3415
Ph [phone] Fx [phone]

***@CNCTrader.com
http://www.CNCTrader.com

=================================

Post by Dustin Janes
I am considering the purchase of a Bridgeport CNC with an older control (
Boss 3-6) and getting one of the various retrofit kits. Any ideas, any
experience ? Or should I just get the home brain surgery kit.....
Do you have a rec on what machine to look for
Have you had good experiences with a specific retrofit kit
It would be nice to have an auto tool changer - anyone retro'ed a
Bridgeport with a tool changer ?
Too many questions
Thanks in advance
D

[Chris]

--
Check out www.ajaxcnc.com i think that link is correct. It's an

offshoot of centroid which quoted me 15000 for a Shizouka retrofit.
Ajax starts at 2100 and goes up from toolchangers to probes. I said
that's 2000 more than i care to spend. So I'm going to try gecko's
with camtronics at under 1400 COMPLETE minus tool changer but big
fucking deal ya know. If you are running a knee mill and are to lazy
to change your own tools you need a kick in the ass!