Quality "Commodity" Lathes

[Micmac1]

We are in market for a new lathe, (replacing out 2019 Haas ST20)...Next machine requirements are.....not a haas, 10-12" chuck and 32"+ Z with a tailstock. Fanuc control, Y or C would be nice but not required. Type of work is Hi-Mix Low Volume Work, Steel, SS, Inco, Bronze, & Cast Iron. We currently have 2 Haas Machines, A SMEC Lathe (2017) which we have been very pleased with and just installed a Yama Seiki BM-1500II mill which has also been stellar for the few months weve had it. Tols we hold are generial +-/.0005, anything tighter we usually grind anyway. Brands we would consider... Yama-Seiki , SMEC, SMART?, Doosan....is there anyone else else we should look at? anyone with good/bad experiences (recently) alot of threads similar to this but they are older and things change.

 

[wmpy]

I've been pleasantly surprised by my Johnford 15" chuck, live tool lathe. Otherwise, if I were in your shoes, I'd look at Hwacheon, Hyundai-Wia, and Taiwan Takisawa in addition to the ones you already mentioned.

 

[lastrada]

I've got a Doosan Lynx 2100L that been on the floor for about 5 years now, no issues with it, it's been a great lathe. With your length requirements it looks like you would have to step up to a Puma if you went with a Doosan, I've heard good things about the Puma series. Any reason you're not looking at Okuma also?

 

[Kingbob]

mazak fanboy here, look at a quick turn 350 or a more commodity level ez machine

 

[Micmac1]

I've got a Doosan Lynx 2100L that been on the floor for about 5 years now, no issues with it, it's been a great lathe. With your length requirements it looks like you would have to step up to a Puma if you went with a Doosan, I've heard good things about the Puma series. Any reason you're not looking at Okuma also?

We used to have daewoo lathes here lynx LB's and they lasted about 20 years before replacment with 8 hours a day use. What killed them was the wiring to the encoders/servos etc (bsiacally every wire that moved) started to break and after multiple soldering an spices etc they just had to go. we had some replacements but many were obsolete and custom wires were just to pricey. They were solid. We are considering going back to doosan

 

[Micmac1]

mazak fanboy here, look at a quick turn 350 or a more commodity level ez machine

Not alot of mazaks around here that i know of. I know there is a local office but id have to look at support.

 

[Mr. Atoz]

For your low volume, high mix line up, Mazatrol is unbeatable when it comes to programming relatively simple parts with live tooling/c axis needs.They continue to support even their older machines. They will beat the crap out of a Haas any day.

 

[Garwood]

W

We used to have daewoo lathes here lynx LB's and they lasted about 20 years before replacment with 8 hours a day use. What killed them was the wiring to the encoders/servos etc (bsiacally every wire that moved) started to break and after multiple soldering an spices etc they just had to go. we had some replacements but many were obsolete and custom wires were just to pricey. They were solid. We are considering going back to doosan

There are very few wires that move on a CNC lathe. Basically just the X axis servo, encoder and home/limit switch wires. I have a 25 year old Puma. When I bought it, I thought it had glitchy wiring problems, but it didn't. It was a problem with a daughter board on the 16T mainboard making it look like a wiring problem. Not uncommon with 16/18/21 non-i series controls I am told.

Deawoo/Doosan/SN Solutions makes good machines. There are probably cheaper machines though.

 

[DouglasJRizzo]

A DN Puma 2600Y would serve well.
Box ways. Fanuc CNC. Nice, heavy castings.