Question
Is it worth the risk to buy a late model used CNC router? Do you get the same level of support from the manufacturer? I've bought used equipment in the past and have had problems. I would like to hear from those who bought used.
Forum Responses
(CNC Forum)
What you need is a good support group to help you find and purchase a machine. It is hard to go after a machine cold turkey, and hope you get the correct one. The support team should be able to help you find the machine, install, software, and train on the machine. The biggest problem is depending on what machine you get, you will have to deal with the dealer, and if they do not sell the machine, they might not get to it as soon as you would like, because they are busy with new machines. Check out The Service Group - they are an independent company that can install, train and deal with many different brands of CNC.
The Fanuc controls on Heian and Shoda machines (and many others) are well supported all the way back to the early 1980s. These controls are the most numerous and well supported in the world, with excellent manufacturer support as well as a huge third party support infrastructure.
Yes, there are sometimes performance issues. The older machines are not usually as fast, and complex 3D machining can be a problem. For most customers, this is very nearly meaningless. There are also turkeys out there: bad designs that tend to have chronic problems. After a few years in the field, everyone in the industry knows about them and why they should be avoided.
I have installed new equipment and used equipment. I cannot really say that there is any difference in the success rate. If you do your homework, you will probably come out okay. Whether buying new or used, find a pro that you can trust to guide you through.
Was it worth it? I saved a pile of dough and got a great machine, it was late model and had a 2003 controller upgrade, so it performs wonderfully. Fagor has been next to no help - Ray has been indispensable. You need to find a person who can walk you through the issues with knowledge. Staring at that new giant heap of metal deposited in your shop can give you a funny feeling deep in the pit of your stomach. And I had CNC experience and am fine with writing code and light troubleshooting. If you have no CNC experience, be prepared - you need a third party to help and teach or else go new. Count on 3-6 months to become productive on an old machine. I have had to re-write all of my files because of changes of the placement and orientation. But I do feel it was worth it.
Editor's Note: RT Machinery (website) sells a wide variety of new and used machinery, with ever changing inventory.