# Tormach PCNC 1100 Used Price & Common Problems | CNC Ledger

> Tormach PCNC 1100: used $7,000 to $12,000. Documented problems: spindle will not turn and Z-axis stepper driver. OEM part prices and what to inspect before you buy.

**Verdict:** inspect

Used Tormach PCNC 1100: $7,000–$12,000 observed used across 7 listings. The documented cost risk to price in: Z-axis stepper driver, Spindle bearings. Buy only after inspection.

**Observed used price:** $7,000–$12,000

**Documented failure risks:**
- Z-axis stepper driver: A Z-axis driver on a long-serving PCNC 1100 failed, causing the DRO to display axis movement while the spindle head stayed physically stationary; the driver had run for over a decade before failing.
- Power drawbar / spindle gripper: The BT30 power drawbar gripper can stick and fail to release the tool from the spindle even with adequate air pressure; owners fixed it with a pressure increase and gripper cleaning/lube, or by re-tightening a loose drawbar screw.
- Spindle bearings: Insufficient workholding let an endmill shift a part during a cut, and the spindle sounded noisy afterward, prompting a full bearing rebuild the owner believed had never been done on that machine before.
- Spindle will not turn: Tormach's own knowledge base lists the failure modes when a PCNC 1100 spindle will not turn: "The spindle start signal from the control board isn't working." / "The VFD is defective." / "The motor has an internal short and is malfunctioning."

## Sources
- [forums.tormach.com (failure evidence)](https://forums.tormach.com/t/pcnc-1100-series-3-problem-with-z-axis-not-moving/2674) (accessed 2026-09-05)
- [forums.tormach.com (failure evidence)](https://forums.tormach.com/t/1100-not-releasing-tool-from-spindle/173) (accessed 2026-09-05)
- [forums.tormach.com (failure evidence)](https://forums.tormach.com/t/pcnc1100-spindle-rebuild/1886) (accessed 2026-09-05)
- [eBay live listings (market price observation, 7 matching whole-unit listings)](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Tormach%20PCNC%201100) (accessed 2026-09-05)
- [PCNC 1100 Spindle Will Not Turn: OEM knowledge base](https://knowledgebase.tormach.com/pcnc-1100/pcnc-1100-spindle-will-not-turn) — "The spindle start signal from the control board isn't working. / The VFD is defective. / The motor has an internal short and is malfunctioning." (accessed 2026-09-11)
- [High Speed Spindle Kit for Tormach 1100 (OEM, #35178, Series 2/3): $2,005](https://tormach.com/high-speed-spindle-kit-pcnc1100-35178.html) — "High Speed Spindle Kit for Tormach 1100 — Part Number 35178 — $2,005.00. Compatibility: Series 2 and Series 3 PCNC 1100 mills and 1100M mills (not compatible with Series 1 or MX mills)." (accessed 2026-09-11)

_Last verified 2026-09-11. Source: CNC Ledger — https://cncledger.com/machines/tormach-pcnc-1100/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._