📚 Educational buyer's guide — what to know before buying a used Tormach. No pricing; value any machine with the free tool.
Tormach is catalogued in The Machine Blue Book with 8 models. The Machine Blue Book catalogues 8 Tormach models across machining centers (3), turning centers & lathes (2), grinding (1), fabrication — cutting (1), other machines (1).
Control generation. The control is one of the biggest value and usability factors. A current, still-supported control widens the buyer pool and keeps the machine programmable; an obsolete/orphaned control drags value and limits support.
Spindle condition & hours. Ask for spindle hours and any rebuild history. The spindle is core to a machine's health — a worn or recently rebuilt spindle materially changes value.
Way / axis wear & accuracy. Check for backlash, way wear, and a recent ballbar or laser calibration if available. Precision classes (grinders, boring) live or die on this.
Tooling & options included. Toolholders, chucks, probing, 4th axis, bar feeder, and rotary tooling that convey with the machine add real money — confirm exactly what's included.
Power & footprint. Confirm voltage/phase, amperage, and that the footprint and weight fit your shop and rigging plan.
Documentation & provenance. Manuals, maintenance records, and a legible serial/data plate support both value and a clean title transfer.
Inspect (or have it inspected). Power it up under load if you can, or use a qualified inspector. Buy on an inspection window, not a photo.
Compare Tormach models & know the number
Line two machines up side by side on the comparison tool — travels, spindle, table, and more, normalized so you can actually compare across brands. When you've found the one, get a free value on it below.
