New to this forum- Tree J320 restoration project

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fahrphrompuken
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 8:28 am
Location: S.W. Michigan

New to this forum- Tree J320 restoration project

Post by fahrphrompuken »

Hi - New to this forum.
I am just finishing up a year long project restoring a 1984 Tree Journeyman 320 CNC mill.
Picked it up at HGR Surplus for $800. Didn't know exactly what I was getting into, and if anything was even going to be salvageable.
Luckily it looked in worse condition than it really was. The Dynapath Delta 10 control was good, except I had to replace the CRT because the old one was horribly burned-in, and couldn't read some of the characters. Also had to replace most of the front panel pushbuttons.
I had replace a lot of small bearings, bore and sleeve some bearing pockets in the spindle drive and knee lift motor. Replaced the Y servo motor (bad tach. gen.). Ways and screws were amazingly in great condition. Will probably have to re-ball the Z leadscrew.
Everything was packed full of carbon, or graphite dust, it took about 3 gallons of mineral spirits, and a few dozen rolls of paper towel, to get it clean enough to prep for paint. Had to re-skimcoat with bondo in some areas that were chipped away.
I still have to get the spindle speed control working, and finish painting the doors to the electrical cabinets, and I just picked up a flood coolant system that I need to install, but that's about it.
Had to fork out $400 for the install, and CIM manuals from Dynapath, but it was worth every cent. It answered questions that would have taken me months to figure out otherwise.

Anyway, it's a real blast learning how to run this thing, and here are some pics and a youtube link of it running (2nd pass-no chips flying. The video is a couple months old, will post a new one in a week or two).


Thanks! Bill



More pics here: http://webpages.charter.net/wscovell/tree/
Attachments
Pic from the auction add
Pic from the auction add
First look in person-2
First look in person-2
Glad I brought my son along
Glad I brought my son along
First look in person-1
First look in person-1
More recent pic- almost done, sort of
More recent pic- almost done, sort of
Marty_Escarcega
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Posts: 1730
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2002 8:17 pm
Location: Mesa, AZ USA

Re: New to this forum- Tree J320 restoration project

Post by Marty_Escarcega »

Hey Bill,
Machine looks good. Nice work. More a labor of love isn't it?
Marty
"Jack of all Trades, Master of None"
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