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This is just a bit of spill-over from another forum that kinda went OT about painting tools and other things Ford Blue ;~)
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[Newbie] Thoughts On This Mill
- Thread starter 95ttoplt1
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UE= Universal Engineering series 200, 300, & 400 taper. It could have one these, probably 200 or 300.
Here some eBay listings
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINDEN-ADAP...258605?hash=item235dd77cad:g:sHcAAOSwnH1WWebR
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-E...378236?hash=item1c5da80afc:g:ou0AAOSw8-tWVfRK
Here's a Bridgeport spindle for comparison. Look at the nut, should look the same. If not, probably the Erickson as Jim mentioned.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-E...398975?hash=item5b1e2eab7f:g:9zUAAOSwSHZWezFg
Index did offer both spindle types as optional to the R-8 or NMTB No. 30.
Ken
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Here is the Erickson NMTB 30 Quick-Change on my glue press.....'er I mean mill
Building a fixture out of MDF
The spindle from the picture of the Wells-Index
A Universal Eng spindle from the link above
I would say the Wells-Index matches mine pretty close! Having said that, could it be a NMTB 40? Dunno
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Building a fixture out of MDFThe spindle from the picture of the Wells-Index
A Universal Eng spindle from the link above
I would say the Wells-Index matches mine pretty close! Having said that, could it be a NMTB 40? Dunno
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- Jun 15, 2013
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I think Wells is still in business, parts I think may still be available new. First order of business is tying up the missing power feed part, whether you buy a power feed to install or make some spacers or whatever else is needed. I agree on price, I lowballed on my mill and they bit, from a dealer no less. The tooling is spendy and rare, although I have heard that you can modify a standard 30 taper holder to work. You would have to have access to a surface grinder and build a fixture and know everything needed to do it right, not sure a novice need apply to that lol. It does have a big ol table and generous travels. Flakes are visible, nice, are the ways hardened? I was driven away from several bridgeport because my mentor b**ched at me for even considering a bridgeport without hard ways. I ended up with a clone, with your guessed it, hard ways lol. It becomes more important if you ever plan to cnc it, and who doesn't wish that. One major plus, it's big ol quality American cast iron, nothing compares.
Make sure the power feed actually works, goes down...
Also turn it on and let it run for 20 mins at least and feel if the quill and head surrounding gets warm or hot. Mine can run for hours and be warm. Do this test at 1000rpm for 15mins, then bump the speed up 1000rpm every 5mins until max speed. If the bearings are shot and it gets hot have fun with that, the teardown and the price of the bearings....
Make sure the power feed actually works, goes down...
Also turn it on and let it run for 20 mins at least and feel if the quill and head surrounding gets warm or hot. Mine can run for hours and be warm. Do this test at 1000rpm for 15mins, then bump the speed up 1000rpm every 5mins until max speed. If the bearings are shot and it gets hot have fun with that, the teardown and the price of the bearings....
Thanks very much for the reply. Is there a newbies guide to buying a used mill?
I've watched every video I can find on the index mills and have a decent idea what to look for. But a checklist would sure be nice, or what acceptable limits are for certain things.
Sorry for typos, I'm posting on my phone most of the time. I'm not as dumb as I type(I hope)
I've watched every video I can find on the index mills and have a decent idea what to look for. But a checklist would sure be nice, or what acceptable limits are for certain things.
Sorry for typos, I'm posting on my phone most of the time. I'm not as dumb as I type(I hope)
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With the knee ways as good as they look it's hard to come up with alot of things to check for in addition to what's been stated. You can't really move the table cause of the missing power feed to check for tight areas of travel. Do you have a test indicator and holder? I'd check for spindle runout in the taper. A few tenths is acceptable. I can chuck an end mill and record one tenth of run out about an inch from the collet. Check the condition of the taper itself, does it look bruised or beat up. A poor fitting tool holder can ruin a spindle taper. Bring a flash light so you can look in the hole
Well the dude is slower than the second coming of Christ in returning phone calls and his receptionist has such a thick accent you can't really understand her. He doesn't know much if anything about it, which doesn't inspire confidence when he says its in good shape.
He doesn't know what size taper is in it.
It does not come with a wrench for the collet
No down feed wheel(he didn't realize it was missing)
Brake lever is gone. He didn't realize it was missing was supposed to test brake and call back. I've called back twice, no info yet, he acts like its the first time we have spoke everytime.
Comes with no tooling or collets
And then he says it runs good, yet doesn't know $#!t about the machine.
If it was closer I'd go look, but its a 12 hr drive, which I don't mind, but certainly don't want a 24 round trip to look at a mill with a smoked bearing in the head.
Anyone live close to Tampa want to make a few bucks and go and look at it for me?
For everyone else following along, I'm looking for a Wells Index 860,845,847 in the Nashville area $2k ish
If you find one I'll send you a case of beer!
He doesn't know what size taper is in it.
It does not come with a wrench for the collet
No down feed wheel(he didn't realize it was missing)
Brake lever is gone. He didn't realize it was missing was supposed to test brake and call back. I've called back twice, no info yet, he acts like its the first time we have spoke everytime.
Comes with no tooling or collets
And then he says it runs good, yet doesn't know $#!t about the machine.
If it was closer I'd go look, but its a 12 hr drive, which I don't mind, but certainly don't want a 24 round trip to look at a mill with a smoked bearing in the head.
Anyone live close to Tampa want to make a few bucks and go and look at it for me?
For everyone else following along, I'm looking for a Wells Index 860,845,847 in the Nashville area $2k ish
If you find one I'll send you a case of beer!
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- Feb 8, 2014
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Given the communication issues, I think I would write this one off and keep looking. It's too far away for a casual personal inspection, and there are a lot of machines not too far north of you. If you are willing to look at something besides a Wells, then that opens the door to a lot of used iron.
I'm open to suggestions. I've looked though HGR's site. They certainly have a large inventory. But the fact that they know nothing about the machine, can't power it up and 500 miles from me doesn't help.
I want to eventually mount a kwik-way or similar type boring bar off the back. That is kind of steering me more toward a dovetail type slide for the head. I'm getting space limited in my shop, so I'm thinking a little more heavy duty of a machine will be able to fill more roles and defer my need for additional machines a while. I plan on using it for various tasks associated with Automotive engine work(minor surface milling, intake manifold work, trimming pistons, block clearance etc.) As such, I feel I might at times be pushing the limits of the machine, and like the fact that the 847 is heavier and bit more robust in construction than the BP's I've been looking at.
To be perfectly honest I don't know much about the BP's. I was told to get a J head, and as much tooling as I can. But then I read about guys getting rid of their BP's because they are flat worn out(non-hardened ways??).
I'm not anti BP, but it seems that there are better machines for the same money in my shopping so far. I like the fact that Wells Index is USA made, and still in business(not that BP parts are hard to come by).
I'm a total new guy though and open to all opinions and advice! I will be retired, rather unexpectedly, in the next 6 months(34 yrs old), and figured this would be a good hobby and maybe after I spend $10k, might make me 20 bucks on a weekend haha.
I want to eventually mount a kwik-way or similar type boring bar off the back. That is kind of steering me more toward a dovetail type slide for the head. I'm getting space limited in my shop, so I'm thinking a little more heavy duty of a machine will be able to fill more roles and defer my need for additional machines a while. I plan on using it for various tasks associated with Automotive engine work(minor surface milling, intake manifold work, trimming pistons, block clearance etc.) As such, I feel I might at times be pushing the limits of the machine, and like the fact that the 847 is heavier and bit more robust in construction than the BP's I've been looking at.
To be perfectly honest I don't know much about the BP's. I was told to get a J head, and as much tooling as I can. But then I read about guys getting rid of their BP's because they are flat worn out(non-hardened ways??).
I'm not anti BP, but it seems that there are better machines for the same money in my shopping so far. I like the fact that Wells Index is USA made, and still in business(not that BP parts are hard to come by).
I'm a total new guy though and open to all opinions and advice! I will be retired, rather unexpectedly, in the next 6 months(34 yrs old), and figured this would be a good hobby and maybe after I spend $10k, might make me 20 bucks on a weekend haha.