# Cleaning up an old milling machine



## ML_Woy

This weekend I took delivery of my first milling machine. Rather old and dirty, not is to bad of shape, paint worn off and a few broken parts like all old equipment. Now comes the task of cleaning it up, checking it out and figuring out how to make the missing parts. This forum  has posted many beautiful pictures of past restorations of some pretty dilapidated equipment in the past which has been brought back to better than show room condition. My goal with this machine is to get it functioning and maybe a new coat of paint so it looks respectable. But before paint can be applied it must be cleaned,  I do not plan on completely disassembling the machine because of the shear size of its bulk and weight. I do want to clean all movable surfaces of old grease and grime, check all oil passages for clogs, change all of the fluids, get it wired and then check it for its' accuracy before entering into any serious dis-assembly if necessary.

My question is "What is the best way to clean the machine?". I thought of using the power washer while I have the machine outside to remove old grease and oil and any loose paint. Then a good friend reminded me of "Rust" and how polished machine surfaces will rust when water is applied especially in areas where it is difficult to dry. So before proceeding on that tact I thought a post here would be to my benefit. I probably should mention that the machine now is free of rust, it has been inside and kind of taken care of and has not been abused. Next , how to polish and clean the bright surfaces and the calibrated dials. Years of exposure to way oil have dulled all of the dials to the point they are almost unreadable. The table has some signs of mill ends strikes and a few small indentations where drill bits have touched down, and a few nicks from things being dropped but not to bad. What is the best way to clean this table up?

Any advice from you who have been down this road before with an old Bridgeport or clone is greatly appreciated.


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## Rbeckett

Pressure washing with a solvent based cleaner is fine.  All you need to do after the bath is dry it completely with high pressure compressed air.  Evry machine I own has been bathed this way, including welders.  The soap solution will strip all of the lubricants and residues off, so make sure after you get it dry that you re-apply some preservatives to prevent humidity haze and surface rust from getting a foot hold.   I generally use triple ought steel wool to polish any surface blemishes out and go from there.  Once all of the oily film has been removed as well as any loose flakes you can paint immediately.   I use Tractor Supply brand implement paints.  I prime it well with the red oxide primer, and shot the implement color I choose right on top of that coat while it is still slightly tacky.  Then alllow it to sit in the sun and sunbake for a day and bring it into the shop for a couple of days of undisturbed air drying.  There is nothing to fear from pressure washing heavy equipment, as long as you are carefull to get it as dry a possible.  The standard caveats all apply such as do not direct the washer into plugs, connectors and wiring, and making sure to move the machine through all possible movements when drying to insure you get those hidden water spots dry and your fine.  I ususlly remove all the felt wipers and replace them with new felt, and re-adjust any gibs or shims to remove excess slop and play.  Definately a reasonably easy job even for most beginners.  If you have a doubt about how to dissassemble something take a pic or two as you go and use it to reassemble the unit later.  You can do this and have a great time too.  If you need any more help or guidance don't hesitate to holler and one of the members or myself will be more than glad to help you out.
Bob


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## David

Hi ML, I have done some of what you are about to do as others here also.  I personally would not use a pressure washer if you are not taking the machine completely down.  Water and bearings don't mix too well!  If totally dismantling machine, water usage could be controlled.  I use a solvent based cleaner on all machined parts.  Be careful on painted surfaces as some manufactures used some funky filler on cast surfaces which makes it hard to patch and paint.  As for as shiny surfaces,  if it is a machined surface, I use a wire wheel to lightly knock off surface rust then use a polishing wheel on grinder with appropriate buffing compound.  If chrome plated, just have to try polishing of some sort.   Some members have used a bio-degradable solution to remove surface rust from tables and such.  Not sure of name, it is in other posts, someone will help with that.

Show us some pictures so others can help devise a plan with you!

David


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## ML_Woy

David said:


> Hi ML, I have done some of what you are about to do as others here also.  I personally would not use a pressure washer if you are not taking the machine completely down.  Water and bearings don't mix too well!  If totally dismantling machine, water usage could be controlled.  I use a solvent based cleaner on all machined parts.  Be careful on painted surfaces as some manufactures used some funky filler on cast surfaces which makes it hard to patch and paint.  As for as shiny surfaces,  if it is a machined surface, I use a wire wheel to lightly knock off surface rust then use a polishing wheel on grinder with appropriate buffing compound.  If chrome plated, just have to try polishing of some sort.   Some members have used a bio-degradable solution to remove surface rust from tables and such.  Not sure of name, it is in other posts, someone will help with that.
> 
> Show us some pictures so others can help devise a plan with you!
> 
> David



Well here are some pictures I took. First one is the unit arriving on the trailer ready to be unloaded. Getting the fork lift off was a problem, the mill lifted right off with the dolly I had built. The second picture is one of it setting in the yard before I started to clean it up. The third is a picture of it after a days work with soap and water and paint thinner. That old way oil is tough stuff to get off. The coolant tank in the bottom was full of cuttings, someone had lost the screen and it was a chore to empty through the small inspection holes. The shop vac worked double duty, hate to look in the tank and the shape of the air filters now. So far I have found the calibration dials for the x feed to be pinned so they do not rotate and stay where set. There is probably some part worn out under the dial. Cannot figure out how they come off yet. The wipers on all of the surfaces are shot and need replacing. What is best to use for that task, I was thinking of thick felt. There are some nicks in the table and I was wondering if I could fill them in with some weld rod and grind them smooth, anyone tried that before?


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## Tony Wells

Nix on the welding the table. If the holes really bother you, clean them out well, degrease them and fill with Devcon metal filler, or JB Weld. Take a file and dull it down if you don't already have a dull one and run it over the table to remove any raised areas. Then talk to Richard about anything further on the table. 

I use a siphon gun and mineral spirits, or even kerosene sometimes, and a stiff nylon brush. Hose it down until the grease it softened, then scrub until you're tired of it. Hose it off again, and see how much more there is. Move everything around and try to spray into the screws and nuts that move the table. Remember though, that mineral spirits can leave very little oil behind, and you will need to put something on it to prevent rust from setting in.


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## AR1911

Good advice above. When I pressure wash a machine, it's usually at the corner car wash on a hot day, and I have a gallon of WD40 and an air hose ready back at the shop.
I usually squirt it real good with engine cleaner first. This saves a lot of work later.

I have also discovered automotive wheel cleaner does a great job on hardened stains and does not affect paint or any metals. Be sure to get an "all wheel" formula that says it's safe for painted wheels as well as cast and coated.
Good stuff!

Best thing I have found for dials and wheels is a $40 buffer from Harbor Freight, with the green compound stick.  Wish I had bought one 10 years ago.  Everything in the shop is shinier now 

You bought a nice machine, and it looks pretty good already.  Keep the photos coming.


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## ML_Woy

Tony Wells said:


> Nix on the welding the table. If the holes really bother you, clean them out well, degrease them and fill with Devcon metal filler, or JB Weld. Take a file and dull it down if you don't already have a dull one and run it over the table to remove any raised areas. Then talk to Richard about anything further on the table.
> 
> I use a siphon gun and mineral spirits, or even kerosene sometimes, and a stiff nylon brush. Hose it down until the grease it softened, then scrub until you're tired of it. Hose it off again, and see how much more there is. Move everything around and try to spray into the screws and nuts that move the table. Remember though, that mineral spirits can leave very little oil behind, and you will need to put something on it to prevent rust from setting in.



Thanks for the advice Tony, been reading your posts for a long time and I think I will leave the holes and nicks in the table alone for now. What type of material should I use to replace the scrapers? When I took the old ones off they just fell apart. Oh, the machine is a "PAL" built  by Balding Engineering in England in the 60's or 70's. Little brother to the Beaver VBRP model.


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## jumps4

your first mill is a monster
keep us posted about the cleanup and repairs.
steve


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## Tony Wells

Lots of people straining fro originality go with felt for the wipes, but new machines have gone with synthetics like Neoprene or similar. Grainger, McMaster, etc, sell sheet and strip materials that will work just fine if you don't mind cutting them out yourself. Some of the more popular machines have enough demand that you can get a premade set. You'll just have to decide which way you want to go. I kind of like making mine myself.

BTW, congrats on the machine. Good looking machine to work on.


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## DMS

When I was cleaning up my mill, I started with mineral spirits, but found that concentrated Simple Green worked much better, with less smell. I would also recommend a Scotch Brite pad for the really stubborn stuff; douse it with SG, then scrub with the pad till you hit paint/metal. Wipe with a clean rag.

It took me about a day and a half to clean, bondo dings, and paint the thing. Just pace yourself, plenty of ventilation, clean rags, and whatever cleaning fluid you are using. Oh, and make sure you coat any metal surfaces with oil after you clean them.


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## ScrapMetal

I have to provide a caution for DMS's "Simple Green" suggestion and that is, "Be very careful as it WILL remove paint."  I discovered this when using it clean up an old shaper.  I was cleaning up the motor and noticed that I was wiping off the information that was silk-screened on to the motor plate.  I stopped before I obliterated it completely but it is definitely harder to read now.

It's still a great cleaner, just know what it can do.

-Ron


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## DMS

I didn't have any problems with paint on mine, I think it was some sort of oil based enable. 

Probably good advice to test any cleaners on an "unimportant" area before getting too into things.


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## jfcayron

ML_Woy said:


> There are some nicks in the table and I was wondering if I could fill them in with some weld rod and grind them smooth.


As Tony said NO! :nono:

Aside from all the potential warping and cracking risks, with the extreme heat from the stick, the cast iron around the welds would become extremely hard and brittle. 
This would negate any reworking option besides grinding. For instance, you could not re-mill the slots or the surface. 
Also, any strong pressure applied in this area, like clamping force, will likely break a larger chunk of your table.

Of course you could braze, but that would require pre-heating the entire table and letting it cool *very *slowly after brazing lest it became - again - warped and/or brittle, or cracked. Not practical in my shop.

Tony is right, leave it alone or use a filler; just wanted to expand a bit on the why to the no.


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## ML_Woy

Tony Wells said:


> Lots of people straining fro originality go with felt for the wipes, but new machines have gone with synthetics like Neoprene or similar. Grainger, McMaster, etc, sell sheet and strip materials that will work just fine if you don't mind cutting them out yourself. Some of the more popular machines have enough demand that you can get a premade set. You'll just have to decide which way you want to go. I kind of like making mine myself.
> 
> BTW, congrats on the machine. Good looking machine to work on.



I would have never thought of a synthetics, a great idea, and what a simple thing to make! Hopefully there has been some improvements in equipment in the last fifty years and we should take advantage of them. The farther along I get the more I learn. I don't now think the motor is a 1/2 hp.  Things look different when the motor is turned upside down in transport! The literature says it has a 2/1 hp motor and that is exactly what the motor says 2/1 hp, 220 volt,  three phase, no amperage is listed. Motor was of course, built in "Jelly Old England", and I am wondering what the stamping 2/1 means. Is it a one or two horsepower motor?


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## ML_Woy

jfcayron said:


> As Tony said NO! :nono:
> 
> Aside from all the potential warping and cracking risks, with the extreme heat from the stick, the cast iron around the welds would become extremely hard and brittle.
> This would negate any reworking option besides grinding. For instance, you could not re-mill the slots or the surface.
> Also, any strong pressure applied in this area, like clamping force, will likely break a larger chunk of your table.
> 
> Of course you could braze, but that would require pre-heating the entire table and letting it cool *very *slowly after brazing lest it became - again - warped and/or brittle, or cracked. Not practical in my shop.
> 
> Tony is right, leave it alone or use a filler; just wanted to expand a bit on the why to the no.




DAAH!! Should have realized it was cast iron, how dumb could I have been. I know from experience the problems with warping and welding cast iron. I will just leave the table alone and use it as it is. There are just minor dings and drill marks.


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## sophijo

*Table divets*

here'sa technique I found somewhere.....mill out divets, "key" bottom of hole with round burr. Tape over hole and cut out opening so that filler will cure proud of the table surface , then finish to match. If you just fill hole it may cure short of the surface.


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## ScrapMetal

Depending on where they are and how bad, why couldn't a person drill out the hole/divot, tap it, screw in an appropriate threaded piece, and mill it to match the rest of the table?

Just a thought,

-Ron


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## Tony Wells

With threaded plugs, you would always see the patch, Ron. Better to drill and ream, then turn some cast iron pins just a bit long and light press fit them. Mill pretty close to flush then smack a ball bearing in the center to swell them tight, and then mill almost flush and stone down to flush. If your cast is a good color match, you would have to search for it. But that's a lot of trouble for a few dings and drill pecks. It's still a bit touchy, as you don't want to add ANY stress to your table. A drill press wouldn't matter so much, but a mill is a little more particular.


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## ScrapMetal

Thanks for the proper method Tony.  I would probably ignore things like small dings and gouges but if it were a major issue that is definitely how I would go about it.

-Ron


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## ML_Woy

Well here are some more pictures of the PAL now that it is cleaned up, or at least fifty years of way oil and grease have been removed. You find out a little about something when you clean it up. All of those things which have gone wrong with the machine over the years are brought to the fore front. I discovered that the adjusting bolt which controls the tilt if the head had been broken off and the 5/8" , 20 spline head where the wrench is to attach is missing. A few gib screws have been twisted off making adjustment of the knee a little difficult. The wipers which keep swarf from getting under the ways have totally deteriorated. A prior owner had used grease rather then way oil, assuming that all "Grease fittings" were for grease and not for Way Oil. And the biggest thing, there seems to be no place to fill or drain the gearbox. Actually I am not sure it has a gearbox as the limited documentation I have is for another model, the Mark II and VBSR models. Both have gearboxes and show fill points and site glasses for fluids but this model seems to be missing both.

All that said I think the unit has survived pretty well for all if its' years of service. I am still looking for someone who has operated a PAL and may have some clue to the lubrication.


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## APAUL1975

ML_Woy. That is a monster mill.   How does every body keep their wives from freaking out when when you bring theses monsters home?


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## ML_Woy

APAUL1975 said:


> ML_Woy. That is a monster mill.   How does every body keep their wives from freaking out when when you bring theses monsters home?


 
It takes great planning when handling delicate situations, first you start many months in advance of the delivery date. You mention how your development as a machinist is being hampered by the lack of the right equipment. Second, you talk about the price of new equipment and how expensive it is today. Then third you announce that you have miraculously been put onto a great find by one of our friends and it is something you have to act on right away or loose the opportunity. Fourth, have a long delivery date, so the damage to the family budget has time to season before the object arrives.

Sounds like a story doesn't it but actually it worked out that way. I found out about the mill in April, just before a huge federal income tax bill had to be paid, I was fortunate that the guy who sold it to me waited until September for me to take delivery and pay for it. It also helps to have a partner who has her passions and allows me to have mine.

In a week or so I am going to be posting the whole story on this project as to what transpired after the delivery and where it is now. So be looking for the thread update!


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## ML_Woy

Thought I would drop an update on my PAL mill project. I have reached the point where the machine is now in operation and ready to make chips. The last couple of months, since I took possession of it in September,  have taken me down a road I have never been before, working on a milling machine. When I purchased the machine I was understanding that it was only in need of some cleaning up and would be ready to use. Well after removing the sixty years of accumulated dirt I found out the real story. Seems this machine had suffered from not a lot of use but not a lot of first class repairs when any thing went wrong. Whomever had it before the owner I purchased it from took the approach of " Just do a quick fix and get back to work because time is money." The owner I purchased it from had no idea of how to operate the machine, how to lube it and consequently caused some expensive damage I later found.

First thing I did when I got it unloaded was begin to remove the sixty years of old machine oil and cuttings glued everywhere on the machine. I quickly found parts missing and busted. Fortunately I have a retired friend who was a machinist and he came over and helped me carefully disassemble the gear boxes, and cross slide. I had been able to acquire some sales literature on the machine from Tony in England on the machine, but detailed data was totally missing. I found that the past owner had been lubing all of the way oil fittings with gear grease so all had to be removed and flushed so that oil would again flow to the way surfaces. The belts had to be replaced, requiring three trips to the parts house for the correct ones. Then the static phase converter, that came with the machine, was wired and mounted on the wall and I was ready to try and fire the machine. Well it started only to fill the room with smoke! Further investigations showed that the motor on the machine, a two speed motor,was  not compatible with a static converter and the motor had been damaged by the prior owner. This required a new rotary phase converter and a rebuild of the motor. I was unable to find a supplier of two speed, three phase motors, from any of my local suppliers. I was fortunate to  have a great electrical motor re builder here in Sacramento who repaired the motor. Good side, new motor and phase converter, bad side expensive! The project had suddenly doubled in cost. My original $1,200 purchase was now $2,300.

Only thing that saved me from my wife having a financial melt down over the project was that for many years when I was working I made it a point to throw all of my change from my pockets in a can every night for many years. When I retired and we moved to the country I had put the can out in the garage and forgot about it. Well while moving the mill around to get it into it's final resting place I stumbled across the can of coins. I decided it was time to take the can to the bank and cash it in, well it yielded $2,200 in currency when I exited the bank. The can paid for the repairs and enough money for a three axis DRO from DROPros.

Today I finished mounting the DRO, all of the broken levers, knobs have been replaced and the machine is ready to use. Here are some pictures of how it turned out.








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