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Van Norman School.....
- Thread starter Tamper84
- Start date
Ok since I am filling my shop up, a van Norman is on my list. (Hopefully lol). So lets say you have a hole to bore in a part. How deep could you go with a bore? Either in horizontal or vertical mode? So in essence what is the table travel?
thanks,
Chris
thanks,
Chris
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2012
- Messages
- 20
I have a VN 12 but I have yet to use it. I think it is around 12 inches total which would include all tooling and fixtures. This little fact is really the biggest draw back in my mind. Once you mount a rotary table and place an end-mill you don't have much room to work in. I was even thinking of ways to modify the ram or chop the knee to increase the room.
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2011
- Messages
- 55
They did make Van Normans with quill feed. It was an option with a #16, and standard on a 1RQ-22. It's a real nice feature with a #30 taper and power feed. I use a 1RQ 22 myself and am quite happy with it.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 478
The No. 16 was a redesign of the No. 12 and was not available with quill feed. The next round of redesigns produced the 16M, 16L and 16S. The 16M is essentially a redesign of the No. 16 and the direct descendant of the No. 12. The 16S had a different ram and a quill with power feed. The 16L used the same ram as the 16L but had the same cutter-head as the 16M.
There was an odd little machine called the 1-V that was essentially a No. 12 with a vertical head. I know of 3 in Europe but none have turned up in the US.
Cal
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In addition to the 1RQ and the #16 with the quill option, there was also the 2RQ and the monstrous 3RQ. I have a 2RQ and it tips the scales at around 4,100#. The 3RQ is somewhere north of 6,000#. These machines are capable of generating several pounds of chips per minute. My 2RQ only has 5hp on the main spindle, but with 50 taper tooling, I've used a 6" diameter multi-carbide insert face mill to hog 1/4" off the thickness of a 6" wide piece of 1018 at 2-3" per second. Virtually no chatter.
If you ever have the chance to see one, the 5R (a non-quill machine) is probably the largest production mill that was ever produced. 20hp spindle with either 50 or 60 taper tooling (yes, there is such a thing as 60 taper - drawbar is either 1-1/8 or 1-1/4" diameter vs. the 1" of the 50) with up to a 96" table and topping out well over 20,000#. There were probably fewer than fifty of these beasts made. I had a chance to buy one with two pallet loads of tooling five years ago for $2k. Been kicking myself ever since.
If you ever have the chance to see one, the 5R (a non-quill machine) is probably the largest production mill that was ever produced. 20hp spindle with either 50 or 60 taper tooling (yes, there is such a thing as 60 taper - drawbar is either 1-1/8 or 1-1/4" diameter vs. the 1" of the 50) with up to a 96" table and topping out well over 20,000#. There were probably fewer than fifty of these beasts made. I had a chance to buy one with two pallet loads of tooling five years ago for $2k. Been kicking myself ever since.
http://brodieauctions.com/index.php/auction-schedule/details/7-thiry-machine-company-inc
5r at that auction. as well as a 24 ge shaper... if only I had a pole barn with a slab
5r at that auction. as well as a 24 ge shaper... if only I had a pole barn with a slab
I'm a new member looking through some older threads. I have a VN 22L and can't say enough good things about it. 3hp spindle motor with a NMTB 50 taper, separate 1-1/2 hp motor driving power feed on all three axes with controls on the front and left side of the mill. I've chickened out on the big cuts long before reaching what the mill can do. These mill are compact and easily fit into a garage with plenty of head room. If you're in the market for a mill and come across one be sure to give it a look.
Mike
Mike