Boxford 160 TCL Mach3 – Good starter machine?

[Jay DParticipant @jayd42369]

Good day all,

Relatively new to the world of CNC and wondered whether people have had any good or bad experiences with the Boxford 160 with auto tool changer and converted to Mach3

Looking at buying one to machine some bushings and custom pins, but I’m not sure if it’s overkill or a good entry level machine or maybe look at the Boxford 240 TCL?

All view welcomes

[Jay DParticipant @jayd42369]

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Hi James

I personally don't have experience with the Boxford range but am informed they are good strong lathes and hold tight tolerances on parts, if the 160 will cater for your needs then it should be a good start in cnc lathes, especially if it has been converted with good quality steppers, drivers, power supplies and breakout board and is an ex school machine that hasn't been thrashed to near death in a small works environment.

Emgee

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

Mach3 is getting long in the tooth and is no longer supported, however it works on any Windows computer as long as you have an external motion controller. The original Mach3 used the parallel port that is now effectively obsolete so the options for Mach3 are keep using Windows XP on older computers with a parallel port or use a more modern PC with a USB or ethernet network cable fed motion controller. Products like the Warp 9 Smooth Stepper replicate the parallel port so it is an easy swap from an old computer to a new one if you need to do it. Mach3 Turn has a number of useful wizards for conversational programming so you do not need to learn gcode to do a lot of common operations. A useful option is to get a mini wireless keyboard to act as a remote pendant, they are a cheap alternative to the expensive options with manual pulse generators as they have two sets of cursor controls and one can be set to jog the axes in steps or continuously (Ctrl+J swaps between the two).

Martin C

[ManofkentParticipant @manofkent]

I have the Boxford ACL which I think was the toolroom equivalent of the TCL.

I have converted it to Mach3.

It is a good, strong and accurate lathe, and mach3 is easy to use (machturn is the specific one for lathes).

There were no real issues with the conversion, just make sure you can override the position sensors when they are active otherwise you cant get the saddle/crosslide back into programmable positions!

John

[Jay DParticipant @jayd42369]

Thank you all for your comments and views so far!!

I’m going to see one in action in the next day or so, could be an expensive mistake if I get it wrong!

As the machine has been refurbished, I shouldn’t have any reliability issues?!

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

I have the Boxford ACL which I think was the toolroom equivalent of the TCL.

Rather different animals – the ACL was CNC modified version of the geared head "industrial" lathe where the TCL160 is a small bench top educational machine ?

As the machine has been refurbished, I shouldn’t have any reliability issues?!

Define "refurbished" ! " "Refurbished" to some traders is removal of visible rust and a badly applied coat of paint.

You would need to ask / see what has been done and how well. Same goes for the Mach 3 conversion – quality componets used and installed to the same standard as the Boxford original equipment, or cheapest no-name stuff off Ebay lashed up with bell wire. Both may "work" when demonstrated !

Nigel B.

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