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Bridgeport Alberta pricing?

PeterT said:
Nobody ever talks about this TMX 6", currently 562 CDN. My experience with the brand name (Bison essentially) has always been very high quality.
https://www.kbctools.com/itemdetail/3-220-0068
KBC always has some kind of 10-15% discount promo usually once every month or so, so another ~70 off that.
The problem with vises is if you guess wrong, its an 80 pound return trip home. Worth the gamble if inside Canada, not so much fun international.
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Problem is that TMX / Bison recently moved production from Poland to Taiwan. They claim that the quality is the same. Not sure what stock is for 562 CAD - made in Poland or made in Taiwan.

This is probably why the price is so attractive.

Not sure about the claim of quality.
 
PeterT said:
I was just using round numbers for overall mill package discussion. But my guesstimate 575 CDN (for Taiwan Align FOB Calgary) less my guesstimate ~30% less for Chinese equivalent = 402$ CDN. Not much different than your ~$400 apples to apples. For sure everyone should check around, prices vary over time, often by the same distributors.

Reading some posts ~5 years ago, lots of guys were having issues with Chinese powerfeeds, mainly electronics. The electrical savvy guys showed where they cut corners on components. Then they couldn't find Lucky Lucy's Purses & Mill Accessories Ebay storefront for warranty or parts. (That was a joke). But like many things, they have generally improved over time...although you never really know whats inside unless that's your forte. I had an Ebay Chinese PF on my RF-45, worked fine for the several years I had it, no issues.
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Align and ALSGS use same parts - you can interchange. They even use same control board.

If you want to go cheap Chinese there was a thread on here (this website) about sub $200 CAD power feeds on eBay. I would not be surprised if a lot of corners were cut on such cheap power feeds. Certainly most of us, including me, would pay more for Taiwan, but not 50% more - at least not me - when both power feeds are more or less the same.

Not sure if anyone got the sub $200 power feed and tested it out.
 
Tom Kitta said:
Problem is that TMX / Bison recently moved production from Poland to Taiwan.
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Hadn't heard that, good to know, All product lines or just some? I know the chuck I got was made in Poland date stamped ~ a year ago. Not that I really care either way as long as the quality is decent. Bison prices getting crazy out of control.
 
I just heard about vises production that was moved. Not sure about other items. Move was recent - like a year or two ago. Not sure whatever it is only some models or all vises.
 
I'm cautiously optimistic about the move to Taiwan... My Taiwanese Kurt 688 clone is superb. Now they could cheap out by moving, but I hope it is as good as mine.
 
I've seen them in shops. They seem to stand up to normal machine shop wear. Didn't hear the fateful words "them there are lemons" so they must be at least okay.
 
If it's an Excello XLO machine it is Canadian made and a very good machine. They were manufactured in Ontario up to 1985. After that there were XLO mills that were made in Taiwan that are generic Bridgeport clones. The Excello mills were alot beefier than the B-port clones and nice examples are hard to find. A friend of mine had an Excello and it has a cool feature. The ram is machined flat on both ends so 2 heads can be mounted.

http://www.lathes.co.uk/excello/
 
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Thx it was a Excello, but about a hour after I posted the question ... it sold. I’m too old and slow I guess. But I’m more informed for the next one! Thx guys


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So let me ask ya this... which is a better buy?
A XLO or Bridgeport in good shape or a new Precision Matthews knee mill?
Granted that xlo was $3500 vs a PM I’d guess would be $5-$7000

I like the size of the PM being a little smaller than the BP


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