Tips For Owners Of Rong Fu Rf-20, Rf-25, Rf-30, Rf-31 Mill/drills

[gwelo1962]

Here is a picture. According to the manual I found it weighs about 780lbs. The column is 46" high and has 2hp 3ph motor. I am in the throes of making a decision. I am not sure what a reasonable price for the bare machine would be.

 

[mikey]

That is more the size of an RF-30/31. I would guess it should go for maybe $500 - 700 in the condition the pics show.

 

[gwelo1962]

Thanks

 

[mikey]

@gwelo1962, I had a better look at the pics and that thing has a power downfeed, which makes it a RF-31NSF. It is worth more than the ones without the power downfeed, although it is definitely an early version of the NSF. Should be a good mill providing everything else is in working order. It looks like its sitting in a machine shop. If so, it was probably used for repeated second operations work. Good luck with this.

 

[gwelo1962]

The alternative is this rather sad 1966 BP. It was in a maintenance shop and was given to the seller as payment for parts he made. The motor runs . Nothing is seized. There is play in the table. It has been stored under a lean-to shed. The milldrill has been in the workshop unused for about 6 years - also payment for parts made.
My head says buy the milldrill, my heart says get the BP.
On the other hand I could just walk away from both. I am waiting to hear on prices.

 

[mikes112]

Im buying a Rong Fu 30 on monday. Are the nuts and bolts that hold it together metric or english? What size is the bolts that hold the column to the base? An/ special tools that I need to bring to dissasemble it on monday?

 

[DavidR8]

Congrats on your new mill!

I just bought a 1980 RF clone.
It is completely metric.
I needed a set of metric hex wrenches, metric socket set and ratchet.
Be warned though, even when broken down into pieces, their weight is still substantial.

I’ll link to my thread.

Long Chang LC-30A mill resto

Long Chang LC-30A mill resto

Hey all, as many of you know, I week or so ago I bought a new-to-me Long Chang LC-30A mill drill. I bought it from the second owner who bought it from a local machine shop. The fellow I bought it from only used it as a drill press. It didn't come with any tooling unless the factory drawbar...

www.hobby-machinist.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hman]

mikes112 -
I have an old Grizzly G1007 (RF-30 clone). A 23mm socket fits on the bolts that hold the column to the base.

Some disassembly/moving suggestions (from when I've moved the mill myself a couple times) -

An engine hoist is absolutely essential. I've actually moved the entire mill this way. Lowered the head all the way down (wood between the head and the table) and used webbing straps to lift and load the mill into my pickumup.

If you want to remove the motor ... bring along a 4 foot length of 4x4 lumber, maybe with 10" square or round plywood plates screwed to the ends. Place it behind the mill, then lower the head until the motor rests on the post. Then when you unbolt the motor it will be supported.

And heed DavidR8's words. Even the subassemblies are heavy!

Best of luck! And enjoy your "new" mill.

 

[hman]

OK. Questions have been asked about how to lift the mill. In addition, there's the concern about transporting it, because it's so top heavy. Here'a a photo I took when I loaded the mill into a PODS in Oregon for my move to Arizona, and two more of the unloading. Note the straps used to lift it with an engine hoist, plus the fact that I'd lag bolted it to some lumber, to keep it from tipping. You don't need a large platform. A couple 3 or 4 foot 2x4s (going left-to-right) will do nicely. Note also that I'd removed the motor for the move.

The only difference between lifting into/out of a PODS vs a pickumup truck is the height. I've done both, and both are within the capability of an engine hoist. Pickup is actually easier, because you can roll the hoist legs under the tailgate.

Also note that I'd removed the tin belt box. Makes it easier to get the straps on. But you need to remove the spindle pulley to do that. Undo the big nut, then gently heat the pulley with a heat gun to thermally expand it enough to get it off the taper atop the spindle. IIRC, I'd left the tin on when I first brought the mil home. Do-able, but not as easy.

 

[DavidR8]

I wasn’t able to remove the pulley with heat but I think that was only because it had never been off.
Now that it’s been off using a puller and all cleaned up I could probably use heat to take it off.


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