Is a Craftex 601 worth to upgrade?

[Overkill19]

So I have a King PDM30 it’s fine for what it’s intended for, but I’ve always been on the hunt for a bigger machine.

There’s a 601 on Kijiji and it got me thinking.
Is the 601 worth the $2000 -$2500 upgrade over the PDM?


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[Dabbler]

Youtuber Blondihacks uses one, and does great work with it. I owned a B048, the predecessor to the CX603 mill and it is a very capable mill. Much of the same feel of a Bridgeport type, but smaller shop footprint.

In Calgary you just missed a sweet Bridgeport 8X32 which takes up the same space, with all the advantages.

 

[Tom O]

Their not a bad machine as long as you don’t take heavy cuts I’ve had one for about 10 years and blew through 1 control board because the torrid I think that’s what it’s called got hot enough to melt the solder and fall onto the below wires I also replaced 2 motors due to the rear brush getting too hot, hot enough to fuse the brush screw to the brush making it impossible to remove because of the tang. On its defence though my son was giving it a good crank being use to bigger machines lol. To cope with the brush issue I 3D printed a plate with lips to set on top that now runs a cooling fan that seems to have helped no problem yet, I also cut some brass discs out of brass to go between the brush tang end and the screw in cap so they won’t fuse again. The card they sent was different and I haven’t got the tachometer figured out mind you I’m not a electric person and never looked that much at it I was more of a ear person lol, I replaced the fuse holder once when it went dead so keep that in mind they probal changed that by now possibly even the motor. One project I keep meaning to do is my son is a strapping lad and has no problem stripping bolts, well the one to rotate the head stripped so I have a bigger spacer underneath to use it where the threads are good I want a wider pad as well as fitting the total engagement of the thread. I also have spare brushes just in case.
Most people are happy with them they can certainly do the job maybe mine was a leamon or it was us it’s just a warning not to push it.

 

[Tom O]

I should say that when the torrid melted my son was cranking hard but I didn’t say anything he actually pulled the endmill out 3/8 of a inch in 1” aluminum while making a plate to hold the gears on the lathe the cast one broke. So don’t let my rant discourage you but there is some decent advice in there.
where are you located?

 

[SomeGuy]

Just went and found that listing...$3750 is steep. I paid $3000 for mine a couple weeks ago with stand and even that felt a little pricey.

 

[Overkill19]

I know it’s no deal for sure. I’m assuming it’s a Covid sale see what I can get thing. At that price I’d just buy new. It just got me wound wrong if it was worth the money Ivey what I got?
I want a pm-935tv but that’s a ways down the road. Was curious if this would make a go between machine.

 

[Overkill19]

Their not a bad machine as long as you don’t take heavy cuts I’ve had one for about 10 years and blew through 1 control board because the torrid I think that’s what it’s called got hot enough to melt the solder and fall onto the below wires I also replaced 2 motors due to the rear brush getting too hot, hot enough to fuse the brush screw to the brush making it impossible to remove because of the tang. On its defence though my son was giving it a good crank being use to bigger machines lol. To cope with the brush issue I 3D printed a plate with lips to set on top that now runs a cooling fan that seems to have helped no problem yet, I also cut some brass discs out of brass to go between the brush tang end and the screw in cap so they won’t fuse again. The card they sent was different and I haven’t got the tachometer figured out mind you I’m not a electric person and never looked that much at it I was more of a ear person lol, I replaced the fuse holder once when it went dead so keep that in mind they probal changed that by now possibly even the motor. One project I keep meaning to do is my son is a strapping lad and has no problem stripping bolts, well the one to rotate the head stripped so I have a bigger spacer underneath to use it where the threads are good I want a wider pad as well as fitting the total engagement of the thread. I also have spare brushes just in case.
Most people are happy with them they can certainly do the job maybe mine was a leamon or it was us it’s just a warning not to push it.

I’m in Red Deer. Thx

 

[SomeGuy]

I know it’s no deal for sure. I’m assuming it’s a Covid sale see what I can get thing. At that price I’d just buy new. It just got me wound wrong if it was worth the money Ivey what I got?
I want a pm-935tv but that’s a ways down the road. Was curious if this would make a go between machine.

That's also a $10k mill by the time you get it here.

I would take a CX-601 over a PDM-30 given the choice between the two, it would probably be a slight upgrade going from one to the other...but ask yourself what your machine can't do that you want to do, that a CX-601 could do instead. I suspect there isn't much other than reducing setup/change time?

 

[Overkill19]

That's also a $10k mill by the time you get it here.

I would take a CX-601 over a PDM-30 given the choice between the two, it would probably be a slight upgrade going from one to the other...but ask yourself what your machine can't do that you want to do, that a CX-601 could do instead. I suspect there isn't much other than reducing setup/change time?

ya I’ve priced it out! I’m sure the 601 is a great machine but I’m thinking it’s not $2500 better!
If I could sell my PDM for $1500 and buy the 601 for $3000 that might be worth it but at $3700 it’s not in my wheel house

 

[CWret]

FYI: This week i looked at a 601 (near Owen Sound, Ontario listed on Marketplace). His firm price was $3200 (it included a bit of tooling) - it had some battle scars on the table (nothing too serious) and a low range noise when at low speed (likely needing plastic gears changed or maybe worse?). Not the excellent condition he had indicated. He reduced price to $3000 when i pointed out these issues. I left it there.
Point being: as SomeGuy said - I think $3700 is too much for the used machine you are considering.