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

[hman]

I wrote an article, published in Home Shop Machinist Nov/Dec 2017 that explains how I got the pulley off the first time, then goes on to show how to add jacking screw holes to make removal easier in the future. Here's one of the photos I took of the process (slightly different than the one used in the article).

 

[mikes112]

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.
Is the nut reversed threaded? I dont have any access to a lift of any kind.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[epanzella]

Below is my solution to the head indexing issue. I posted this before when I first built the table. It stays indexed to about .001 and I use it like it was a dovetail mill. I used a piece of ground drillrod and a pillow block for my track. It's far away from the column so it's very accurate. A made a bushing that's a tight fit for a piece of 7/8" drillrod. I stick the drillrod in a collet and put that bushing in the vice. I can run the head all the way up and when it comes back down it'll go right back in that hole!

 

[mickri]

If I have to move the head on my mill/drill I set up a DI on a magnetic base. Zero the DI. Move the head to change tooling. Then bring the head back to where the DI reads zero.



Here is a video that explains how it is done.

 

[Kam Fong]

dpb, Holding the spindle on my RF-31 is simple with the use of a purpose built spanner. I used a 5/16 end mill to fit the splines after first boring the center.

 

[epanzella]

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.

View attachment 317684

View attachment 317685

View attachment 317686

I have the Harbor Freight 33686 which seems to be identical to Rong Fu 30. I was trying to figure out how to hoist this machine and I thought that there's no way the factory would move this thing around with a strap. There HAD to be an easy way of picking this thing up. I knocked off the plastic cap on top of the column and BINGO, two threaded holes right on top. I bolted on a piece of angle iron and hooked on my shop crane. Up she went!

 

[DavidR8]

I have the Harbor Freight 33686 which seems to be identical to Rong Fu 30. When I was trying to figure out how to hoist this machine and I thought that there's no way the factory would move this thing around with a strap. There HAD to be an easy way of picking this thing up. I knocked off the plastic cap on top of the column and BINGO, two threaded holes right on top. I bolted on a piece of angle iron and hooked on my shop crane. Up she went!

I’m going to check mine as I will be moving it in the near future to a new spot in the shop.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hman]

Unfortunately, my Grizzly doesn't have such a feature. Durn!

 

[jwmay]

The previous owner of my grizzly round column mill built a shackle that attaches through a hole in the column cap. It's worked great as a lifting point on my machine.

 

[mickri]

How about a picture of the holes and shackle. Mine does not have this and I would like to add it.