Home › Inspection
Pre-purchase inspection · Remote or in person
Don’t Buy a Used CNC Machine Blind
A machinist checks it before you pay: live video from anywhere, or in person around Taunton, MA.
Book a remote inspection Book in person
Who it’s for
- Shops and garage machinists buying a used VMC or CNC lathe from a dealer, auction, or private seller
- Buyers who are far from the machine and can’t take a day off to drive there
- Anyone who wants a second opinion before wiring money for a machine they’ve only seen in photos
Who’s doing the inspecting
I’m Tim Sproul, a CNC machinist, programmer, and setup machinist who buys and sells used tooling at usedcnctools.com. I’ve run, set up, and fixed these machines on the shop floor, so I know what a tired spindle sounds like and where sellers hide problems.
What’s checked
- Machine ID check: serial plate, year, control, and power-on / cutting / spindle hours, compared to the listing
- Spindle: warm-up, runs at several speeds, noise and heat, runout with an indicator (if the seller allows), tool clamp and drawbar
- Axes: full-travel jog, backlash check with an indicator, way lube, ballscrew and servo noise
- Control: alarm history, options list, parameter backup, battery
- Tool changer: every pocket or turret station cycled
- Coolant, lube, hydraulics, air, electrical cabinet, leveling, and a test cut when the seller can run one
- Full checklist: download the printable checklist (PDF)
Remote video: I send the seller a short prep list (machine warmed up, a camera person, an indicator ready, cabinet key). Then I direct the camera live while the seller’s operator runs the tests.
What you get
A photo/video report with a clear verdict: BUY, NEGOTIATE (with a target price), or WALK. It lists the problems I found and rough repair-cost ranges, and you get it within 24 hours of the inspection.
Pricing
- Up to 90 minutes plus a written report
- Live video from anywhere the machine is
- Southeastern MA and RI, up to 3 hours on site plus a report
- Plus mileage
There is no checkout on this site. Booking opens the contact form with the service filled in. Send the make, model, serial number (if known), machine location, listing link, and the seller’s contact. I’ll confirm the price and a time with you and the seller.
Prefer to check it yourself?
The Buyer’s Inspection Kit is a DIY alternative: a printable field guide and scorecard ($29 PDF, or $49 with the XLSX workbook). It is not a substitute for a booked inspection.
Scope & Limitations
This service is a visual and functional check of what can be seen and tested on the day of the inspection. It is not calibration.
- Tools used for these checks are shop gages. They are not lab-calibrated, not NIST-traceable, and not calibrated by an accredited lab.
- This is not an ISO/IEC 17025 or accredited calibration, not a certified appraisal or valuation for lending, insurance, or tax, and not a guarantee of condition or value.
- It is not a warranty or a promise of how the machine will run or hold size later. Some problems only show up with teardown, special test gear, or over time.
- It is not a substitute for OEM service manuals, a licensed electrician, a rigger, or the buyer’s own due diligence. Ballbar, laser, or other specialty instruments are used only if the seller or a third party provides them; those results are not promised by default.
- Tim Sproul / UsedCNCTools.com is not a party to any sale. Your purchase decision and final sign-off stay yours.
- Liability, if any, is limited to the fee paid for the inspection.