# Need yalls opinions



## killswitch505 (Aug 2, 2017)

How bad is it really? Came across a pretty interesting deal I'm probably in over my head.


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## British Steel (Aug 2, 2017)

Looks like a metal squirrel went digging for his nuts...

I've seen and used worse, my worry would be that messing up the table like that could be just the surface detail covering other neglect - it doesn't suggest that the user(s) took particular care of the machine generally.

How are the ways, still in good shape or scored, galled and pitted? does everything work (close to) as it should?

Dave H. (the other one)


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## killswitch505 (Aug 2, 2017)

Waiting on pics of the ways. It's in my price range cheap lol


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## 4GSR (Aug 2, 2017)

It's not in your shop yet???

If you don't take it, I will!!!

Like Dave said, he has seen worse, so have I.  It's still a functional precision mill.


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## killswitch505 (Aug 2, 2017)

Man I really would like to pick it up just scared I'm opening a can of worms


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## tq60 (Aug 2, 2017)

Looks good other than the table but so what.

What is the price?



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk


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## Mark_f (Aug 2, 2017)

I would take the table off and have it milled and ground as much as possible without affecting the structural stability of the T slots and then run it.


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## killswitch505 (Aug 2, 2017)

Two thousand i could probably get 1-1500 for current set up the table kind of scared me


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## tq60 (Aug 2, 2017)

2 K may be way too much but it depends on your local market and the rest of it.

You can use a dial indicator and mag mount to check the DRO as well as simple running all of the features.

As long as the table is flat the ugly holes are just ugly holes as long as you can fixture your work to the table.

If the marker is bare and within your budget and you can transport it then take a wad of 100 dollar bills and put 1/2 in car and 1/4 in a different pocket as nd after close inspection you want it offer the 1000 by holding out and asking.

You have the rest that you can be hard to get but hard cash usually gets it done.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk


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## killswitch505 (Aug 2, 2017)

tq60 said:


> 2 K may be way too much but it depends on your local market and the rest of it.
> 
> You can use a dial indicator and mag mount to check the DRO as well as simple running all of the features.
> 
> ...


This seem about par for the course around here and even what I'm seeing on eBay wish I lived in the north east!!!!


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## 4GSR (Aug 2, 2017)

There's bound to be some one within 150-250 miles of you that has a surface grinder that can resurface the top for you.  You are not going to remove all of the buger marks, but should get the minor ones to go away.  Not much you can do about the really bad ones other than fill with some liquid metal and carefully machine flush. Well-Indes is still in business and they still make that mill, too.  Repair parts should be easy to get if needed.  Index is a good robust precision mill and should give you years of dependable service.  Mine is a 645 model made in 1960, it was in pieces when I got it.  Put it back together, had the table surface ground to rid of most of the buger marks, and been running it ever since.  Going on 13 years now.


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## Ulma Doctor (Aug 3, 2017)

as a point of information,
you could make a milling pallet from a hunk of aluminum or from some plate steel for use as a vise base and general clamping and leave the table as it is and save some money.
you'll lose the headespace taken by the thickness of the pallet, but the end result would be acceptable and useful regardless


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## markba633csi (Aug 4, 2017)

Hard to understand how that kind of damage happened- maybe a lot of work was done with angle plates?
Mark


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## Dabbler (Aug 4, 2017)

It seems to be a good find.  I'd offer only a little less than asking, but our market here would set the price at double what he's asking.


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## Silverbullet (Aug 4, 2017)

Those holes and digs can be filled , there are epoxies  with steel mixed in or cast iron can be added. I'd take it if he knocks off some or throws in vise rotary table or whatever if he has anything. You could mill it and drill and tap plates to the table . Even use stainless it's up to you the repairs to it are not hard or expensive.


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## killswitch505 (Aug 4, 2017)

Thanks guys I told the guy I'm super interested and would like to come see it at the end of next week but if someone comes money in hand sell it


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## killswitch505 (Aug 6, 2017)

Well I got a text today the guy sold the mill. Kinda sad but alas my current setup has potential to do what I need it to do. It also allows me to save more towards something awesome. I kinda got new to me mill fever.


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## Ulma Doctor (Aug 6, 2017)

it was not meant to be killswitch.
but fret not- there is a machine waiting for you - you just don't know it yet


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## killswitch505 (Aug 6, 2017)

Thanks ulma doctor!!! I've about 4K to spend on a machine. That wouldn't leave me much for tooling. So I'd like to find a never uncrated brand new J head shipped to my door for 500-1000 bucks that would leave me 3000 to spend on tooling!!!!!!


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## Ulma Doctor (Aug 6, 2017)

a man has to dream, and dream big if you are gonna dream!

i hear you guys have a shortage of machinery for sale down there, just stay diligent in your search.
try talking to normal folks about machining stuff or machines and you may be surprised about the conversations or leads that come from the talking
if you place a Wanted ad on craigslist you may get a lead or 2 that way.
your machine will find you soon enough


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## 4GSR (Aug 6, 2017)

I can remember in the early 1980's, the west Texas area and eastern New Mexico was booming with machine shops on every street corner.  Guys had shops stuffed in their barns out on the family farms and in garages at home as most of us have today.  Then the oilfield went bust.  All of the machinery went, who knows where.  Used to be a machinery dealer in Odessa that advertized in one of the machinery magazines for many years trying to sell leftover stuff he had accumulated from the bust.  One day, he was gone!  There's a guy in Odessa that has a small shop that does work on the stuff he runs out in the field.  His dad bought a brand new LeBlond NC lathe back around 1978 for a play toy.  It had less than 4000 hours on it in 2005 when I visited the shop!


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## killswitch505 (Aug 6, 2017)

Ulma doc, it's awful down here I've given up hope I've family in California, Florida and Missouri. I'm starting to look in those directions. 

4gsr, we still have machine shops on every corner I think 8 in my town alone only two are manual shops with huge machines being an electrical contractor for almost 9 years I've worked at most of them I would be willing to but I've hooked up 15-20 million dollars worth of mazak CNC machines over the years..... my buddy Randy owns of the manual shops he's my go too guy with questions he has a really great J head I'm trying to convince him he needs something new. The oilfield mentality "run it until it's junk" is king around here. A good machinist around here makes 15-25 an hour around here you can walk onto a rig entry level for 22.


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## 4GSR (Aug 6, 2017)

Yep, that used to be the oilfield slogan, "run it until it's junk!".  Luckily, I've never had to work on drilling rigs in my earlier days.  Been out on several workover rigs in my past.  Don't miss that part of the business one bit!  Having more fun designing frac plugs now days!


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## killswitch505 (Aug 6, 2017)

4gsr, when I started to close shop in 2014 one of my customers convinced me to to go to work for them and design/build 3  Diesel electric drilling rigs just finished my 3rd earlier this year. They want me to stay on I'm not sure how I feel about it I'm tired of the oilfield I'm thinking door greater at Walmart seems pretty nice.


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## Dabbler (Aug 7, 2017)

In Calgary, we have another added dimension.  Not only are the machines run until they literally can't cut straight, but then they sell at auction for big $$$, around 1/2 new price.  All of my used machines have come out of Vancouver for this reason.


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