mahoites unite

Ok, so what does the letter at the end of the machine # designate? Such as MH600E,MH800P,or MH500C etc.

Maho Manifesto below
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* W= Workshop (one offs) variety of sub models (W1, W2, W3, W4) and controls (132, 232,432) offered in the W series. Offered only in the 500 size far as I know.

* C= Comprehensive (job shops and small to medium batch manufacturing)

* S= Super performance (med to high production)

* E= Same as W4 but without handwheels and only came with 432 control ! Offered in more sizes than the W machines..400, 600, 800 and 1000. Tool changer an option, which it wasn't on any W machine. Dunno what "E" stood for exactly, but I hope it wasn't "economy" !

* E2= E but with infinitely variable AC spindle drive instead of gearbox, plus AC servos. Only availabe in 500, 600 and 800 size. I don't think the 500 and 600 existed in same time frame however....I think they dropped the 600e2 about 1989.

* P= Similar to W1 but before W1 existed. Usually with point to point control.

* M= Manual. From mid 1980's forward, only available in 400 and 500 size.

Note the designations sort of changed their meaning over the years, since a 1988 E machine with 4th axis table is really more "comprehensive" than a 1984 C machine. But then a 1988 C machine was typically way more "comprehensive" than a a 1988 E machine.

Bottom line is the C machines are the most confusing and year dependant of the letter designations, since a 1983 Maho 800C is a whole different animal from a 1991 800C Maho, for example.

And to futher confuse matters, by 1990 or so, all the CNC Mahos had AC drives, such that a 1990 W machine was just as capable as a 1988 E2 machine in that regard. So they dropped the "2" designation.

Also I wonder if the letters actually relate to German words and the Maho USA "suits" simply figured out ways to make them seem to relate to appropriate English words ??

(FWIW, I've heard from Maho techs to stay away from the P machines as they are a nightmare of problems usually. I'd still like to have one though just to see what they are like )

I have had a 500P once and played a bit with it
It can be used as a perfect manual machine with hydraulic clamping of the axes not in use
Electric/hydraulic speedchanging Hydraulic toolclamping and also programmable and accutate enough for some co-drilling if you want
But don`t buy it if you plan on having a CNC machine

* W= Workshop (one offs) variety of sub models (W1, W2, W3, W4) and controls (132, 232,432) offered in the W series. Offered only in the 500 size far as I know.

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I was offered a MH600W YOM 1996 Heidenhain 425
So not only MH500W but at least also Deckel Maho H600W

Peter from Holland

peterve said:

But don`t buy it if you plan on having a CNC machine

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Considering none of the P machines are (conventional) CNC that would be good. I don't remember the specific problems sited with the P machines but I remember saying the same thing to the techs...why not just use it manual only ? But they were still pretty down on it. I just figured it was like the 1981 Deckel FP3A machines, which were basically manual machines with some limited NC point to point ability. But the downside being if anything ever went wrong with the control the whole ballgame was over...nothing worked, even in manual modes.

Having handles was the main reason I bought the 600P from the shop before it sold. Having a universal style machine with 3 axis power feeds, 3 axis digital readout, 40 taper tooling, removable horizontal table, horizontal and vertical capibilities beat my 2j Bridgeport hands down. I guess to justify the 600C that I just bought, would be it should be a good parts donor if I ever need parts for the 600P, except for the missing handles.
David from jax