Had to choose between a used Doosan and a new Haas for my first real shop machine

I got a small shop space last year in a industrial park near Tacoma and needed my first real CNC mill. I had about $18,000 to spend and had to pick between a 2012 Doosan DNM 500 with 10,000 hours or a new Haas Mini Mill. The Haas was shiny and had warranty, but the Doosan was heavier built and had a bigger table. I went with the Doosan because a buddy who ran one in a production shop told me they just run forever if you keep the way covers clean. Six months in, I have had to replace a couple of limit switches and the coolant pump died last month. But the machine holds tolerance like a rock and I am already taking on bigger parts than a Mini Mill could handle. Has anyone else had to make this kind of used versus new decision and regretted it later?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_adam18d ago

Ever check what a replacement spindle costs for that Doosan versus a whole new Mini Mill? Because that's usually where the math gets ugly on older heavy machines. Just curious if you set aside any cash for that or if you're just gambling on it going another 10,000 hours.

jessica_ross3818d ago

Wait, are you saying those spindles are known to fail around 10k hours or is that just a general "old machine" calculation you're making?

gavinlopez17d ago

Yeah, the spindle question is real. I made it a point to set aside $3,000 right after buying the Doosan just for that exact failure. You can pick up a rebuilt spindle for these things for around $4,500 if you hunt around, and I can swap it myself on a weekend with a hoist. Compared to a new Mini Mill, that's still a better deal in my book because the rest of the iron on this machine will outlast three of those little Haases. Plus I keep an ear on the spindle bearings with a mechanic's stethoscope once a month to catch any rumble early. Have you ever had to do a spindle swap yourself?