Calgary is not that far from Bellingham, is it? I don't know about import tax or any of that but y0u mighnt not have to pay state tax if you have ID from Canada which is substantial: 8%. Also,there might be some mills that have the infinitely variable speed changers where you crank a lever.
Ah, well, that's an overnite job. I had 5 hours each way. But I can also stay in Tacoma, which I did, with relatives.
If you pick up the sale is deemed to have occurred at point of sale - - - - you're paying tax!
As you say! Your ML7 can be slideways ground s new for less than the cost of a Chinese lathe with the risks of a circuit board failure. Again, I have no doubt that a South Bend can be treated imilarly.
The electronics are part and parcel with the DC motor models (variable speed control or not). There are various advantages and disadvantages between the DC, and AC single and 3 phase motor set-ups with or without a variable frequency drive. Electronics are great, they are everywhere. Can they fail? Yes, but everything can fail. I think heat and over driving (which can be one in the same) are the biggest enemies of our smaller home/hobby type machines. I'd be more concerned with where you buy from. As you mentioned, vendors of the cheap(er) home/hobby type machines are limited here in Alberta. Make sure you can get after sale support, service and/or parts. For me, BusyBee customer service is a failure. I don't know if KMS is any better but there are a lot of dealers who sell the King brand. I hope that once I get past the initial issue with the machine itself that things will hum along for several years with no problems. Some have reported they are happy with the Craftex machines after using for a couple years or more and I hope to be one as well.
I totally agree with a loss of trust in reliability of electronic motor speed controls. I own HF 7x10 since 1999. I also own a Grizzly mini-mill. Both machines use electronic motor speed control. They fail if you overload them or stall simply by accidentally plunging your cutting tool too deep. You may get lucky and just blow the fuse, but if you blow the controller than you are looking at the very expensive replacement. I got sick and tired of it and I bought the only small lathe that doesn't use electronic motor control, Grizzly 9x20. Belts only! My mini-mill has a belt conversion, so I no longer worry about stalls.
I write the following hoping to help other new users with electronic DC motor speed control. When I bought my lathe and mill which are similar to the CX machines discussed here, the supplier was most insistent that when starting the machine the speed potentiometer (knob) should be turn all the way to the minimum setting. Then the machine is started and the speed increased to the setting desired. Likewise when stopping the machine, turn the speed to minimum and switch off. This was explained to avoid damage to the control board. I wonder if this might be an inrush current problem that could overload the Triacs and power diodes, thus releasing magic smoke.
good to know. Hope I can remember this if I ever buy an electronically controlled machine.
Hi Norman, I don't know a great deal about the Sieg lathes other than what gets discussed on the Model Engineer magazine's website in the UK. People seem very happy with them and also with what appears to be very good service from Arc Euro Trade. My own machines came from SPG Tools who were a regular Model Engineer site advertiser.
