- Joined
- Dec 20, 2012
- Messages
- 9,422
UPDATE:
I talked to the seller. He's a gunsmith and machinist selling it for a friend who wanted to get into machining. This friend never used it. He bought it from some guy (was in the Navy) who bought it new (in 1994, I think), used it a few times, then died of old age.
He told me it's "like new". I told him that the price was on the high side and said I'd offer around $1,000 based on seeing ones that are not as nice sell for less than that. He told me it has "nice" vises. I didn't ask what brand. He reiterated that it's just like the $4,000 one, but he couldn't tell me which Rong Fu it was similar to. Seems like he should know that if he's as experienced as he says. He has people coming tomorrow to look at it. I told him if they don't buy it to call me. I also told him to pass on my offer to his friend. He says he will, but he's not sure his friend is going to go for it. He says the first person to give him a wad of cash gets it. Sounds like all the usual script that people say! Ha!
Are you referring to the mill in post #15? If so, that is an RF-31/31 with what looks like an import vise. The additional two vises he is referring to are also not worth much - one small one in the main vise and one drill press vise. The tooling looks like some import R8 collets, some dowel plug cutters, assorted woodworking stuff and some end mills of unknown quality. All told, it might be worth $100 - 150 or so, to me at least.
The RF-31 sold for about $1800 back when they bought it new and he is asking for more than that, just because it has some tooling of dubious/unknown quality. This "gunsmith and machinist" is dreaming and is waiting for some shmuck with too much money and without the HM forum behind him to come along and swallow his rhetoric.
I would price this mill at $850 + 150 for the tooling and anything else that goes with it, so maybe $1000 - 1100 all in. For that, you get an 800# mill capable of doing some good work. If he balks, walk on. If he counters, your call but I would not pay more than $1200 for a 20 year old RF-31, even if it is in near new condition. Because one of these mill/drills is "like new" does not mean it is going to run as well as it can. The stock bearings are cheap and rarely maintained and most owners rarely grease and adjust them the way they need to be. You still need to tear it down, clean it up, fix whatever needs fixing and maybe replace the bearings. Then you'll have a mill. Fortunately, a Taiwanese RF-31 is simple to work on and is built to a much better standard than the Chinese equivalent.
One final thing. The spindle in these machines is still available but costs about $145.00 so look up inside the taper to be sure it isn't beat up and check the concentricity of the machine if you can.