I finally got a chance to check out a pullmax P6 for sale. I have only researched these machines since a friend of mine told me about it two days ago. The machine looks like it has been left outside for a while. It looks like it has been around the block. One bad thing is the p6 is in storage wedged between an old iron worker and a lathe. There is no power where the machine is. All of the tooling is in a metal tool box under the pullmax. There is no way to get to the tooling unless there is a major moving operation. He want 2k for the p6. There is a cutting die in the machine. He says there are two louver dies in the box and a backstop. He is not sure what other dies are in the box. I am told the motor has a bearing out. He has the bearings, He just hasn't installed them. Is this worth pursuing??
"left outside for a while" and "been around the block" = someone else thought it was probably not worth repairing. What is rusty / bent / galled / broken that you can't see? Maybe you will get lucky but it sounds like a pig in a poke to me.
The owner of the machine seems like a pretty strait shooter. He owns a company that has a in house machine shop. I don't think he cares if he sells the machine or not. I just heard from a friend that he had a pullmax sitting around. So I asked him about it. Defiantly not a used car salesman. t
My perspective on this...if he pulled it out of his shop due to it burning up a motor bearing. 1. Doesnt respect his tools, there for doesnt maintain his tools 2. If maintained improperly, what else is wrong with it. 3. How long was it left to the elements. 4. Is the repair cost of it worth the investment.
Sounds like a pretty good price to me. I just put a new motor and a Variable Frequency Drive on the P-3 that I have. It cost around $400.00. As long as the there is nothing screwed up in the head of the machine it shouldn't cost you much more than that to get it running, that's worse case senario. If you wind up getting it I'm interested in any extra tooling that you might want to sell.
I think its a decent deal if you are going to use it , but not much extra profit if you were planning on reselling it, the $2000 BIN one on Ebaty is still there,,,,, if its been stored dry , and still spins you can make it work, motors can be changed out, bearings can be changed as long as they did not run it so long that it damaged the casting where the bearing sits, Beaulieu
Correct me if I am wrong but the tooling he mentioned ain't covering a lot of stuff that he needs if he is going to use that machine to do car stuff. The fence will be handy but those louver dies pretty much suck the big one compared to what is being made aftermarket these days. The original pullmax louver they made looks more like what is on the backside of your old ladies washer or dryer. I don't think that type looks too good on the top of a hot rod hood. I know a guy who bought a P6 that had a circle cutter, a fence or two, and some nibbling tools and he gave about what this guy is wanting for his but my friend said by the time he had to get the motor changed to a single phaze plus buying all of the sheetmetal stuff like tool holders, shrinking dies, stepping dies and doming dies, he says he has more than 4000 dollars in his. He tells everyone he hasn't used it enough to get his 4000 worth out of it and it is taking up more room in his shop than he wants. I think he liked owning it for the status symbol but it doesn't really earn it's keep. I hope if you do decide to get it that it works out for you. Sounds like allot of work and money by the time you get it home, fixed, and buy some tools that you can actually use. Maybe that is why this one is just sitting there not being fixed. Just my thoughts. Would he sell you the iron worker for the same money.
It sounds like a machine that can be used for a lot of different things. Just don't want to buy a lemon.
Sounds like a great deal. The louver dies are spendy if you went to buy new. The p-6 is a nice size machine too. You get into a p-9 and you need so serious equipment to move it around and get it home. Sounds like a decent guy. Ask him if he will come down, and if he dosn't see if he will stand behind it if it's a total peice of crap.... Jeff
Would a phase 3 converter be better than changing out the motor? Can anyone tell me more about variable frequency drive?
The variable frequency drive will allow you to run the 3 phase motor and allow you control the speed.
It's a good deal if you have a use for it. Some of the key pieces would be a back fence, offset lower and center lower tool holders. Most of the factory tooling you probably won't use very much. The tooling that you'll use the most would be tooling you make. If you are looking for shrinking dies, Loren Richards makes a good set and they are fairly priced; they have been copied and sold by others. There was another thread discussing a Pullmax P3, which had some good information regarding VFD's. With a VFD, you can also hook up a foot pedal to control it. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=248204&highlight=pullmax
We're using a PULLMAX as a work bench. It belonged to the old frame guy that used to own the shop, but it makes one hell of a welding bench. I don't know the price on the thing, nor could care. We also have a bunch of PowerPar crap sitting around. If I did frames, I might care, but it was just an obstical that we used to the best of our ability. What ever happened to frame pots anyway?
I started that other thread looking for advice when I bought mine. fordcragar posted these links in the thread. Thought I would add them to this one. I gotta brag on this place. I bought a VFD from them. The book that came with it didn't have a diagram to wire it the way I wanted. I called, they emailed additional diagram and helped me thru the wiring. I was really please with the customer service that they provided. If you decide to buy one, I would have to reccomend them. http://www.factorymation.com Foot Control http://www.ssccontrols.com/homepage-...ercontrols.htm A big thanks again to fordcragar for posting these links and answering some of my questions. It wasn't all that difficult to get it wired up and working and I had never fooled with one before. If I can figure it out anybody can.
I've bought several VFD's (Factorymation) and a foot control (SSC Controls) from these guys as well, worked great. I wired my foot control into a plug, so it could be unpluged and then I could plug in a regular potentiometer; if I wanted to control it that way.
I have a fully tooled almost new 75 ton Trumpf. Cost me $1300 even has an air table and DRO. Every one buys Pullmax look for a Trumpf and save a bunch-0-$$$$ Also has a copy attachment As to louvers....... yes they are dumb looking unless you make your own tools. AN listen you shouldn't own any of these unless you can at least design the tools to go in em.
I think that Pullmax has almost become a generic name for nibbler. One of my nibblers is a Nibbler Senior, which is similar in size to the Pullmax P7 or P8. Anyway there have been a lot of different brand name nibblers built over the years. Most of the tooling you'll need, you could buy or make anyway, so getting a bunch of factory tooling might not be the most used pieces. Fay Butler has a good book on tooling: Universal Sheet Metal Machine Handbook.
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