# Scored a powermatic/burke millright



## woodtickgreg (Dec 19, 2014)

I am a truck driver for a roll forming company here in Michigan. The job takes me to many shops. One shop that I go to frequently had a powermatic/burke millright knee mill. I inquired about it and the shop foreman said it might be for sale and it hasn't been plugged in for many years as they had a Bridgeport in the shop as well. This was about 2 years ago, I made an offer and never heard anything. About 4 months ago the foreman approached me and said the owners were still wanting to sell the machine and would I still be interested in it, I said yes. 4 months goes buy and I still don't hear anything. One day I was at the shop making a delivery and the foreman was out sick, another employee and his helper took care of me. The older employee knew I had inquired about the mill again and asked if I had heard anything. I said no and told him my story and the history. His helper, a young kid, said hang on a minute and I'll be right back. He returned with a nice dressed man and said this is the owner and my dad. The owner knew me and the company that I work for. He asked if I was still interested in the mill, I said my offer would still stand, he accepted it and asked when I wanted to pick it up. My offer was $350.00. Well the rest is history and I now own the mill. It's in pretty good shape, table has a couple of small cutter marks but overall really nice shape. The knee won't go up or down but I can see the screw turning, so I don't think it is anything major.
This is how she looked as she sat in the shop unused for years.


Loaded on my work truck to take back to my shop.








We loaded it with a hi-lo and straps, I unloaded it with a crane at my companys shop. It is still at my work, I will take it apart to bring it home. I am going to see if a few guys can move the base if it is stripped, if we can then maybe we can get it into my basement shop.


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## rafe (Dec 19, 2014)

That is quite a score, I have been looking for a mill for about a year 1/2  and looked at an old burke, which I really liked and thought I had a deal with the owner but it fell through, then it was a M-head bridgeport , which I was steered away from here ,Then a Lagun ...too much money. But now ...if you will deliver that for $400 I'd be real happy and you would make $50.....Nahh I actually found a nice J-head which a friend of mine is selling and with a little TLC it will be a fine addition to my shop. My biggest concern is moving it and I don't relish the idea.....I hope that you will post some more pictures after you have it set up. Santa was very good to you this Christmas ....


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## jfkid (Dec 26, 2014)

How has your Millrite working? I recently aquired one as well (I had to pay a bit more though!). It's a little older Burke model and I need to try to figure out how the horizontal attachment mounts.


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## Ulma Doctor (Dec 26, 2014)

Wow Greg, that's a score and a half!!!!

:man:

she's real pretty

please post sexy pic's(of the machine:jester when you get her home, i love machine porn!!!!


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## Bill C. (Dec 26, 2014)

woodtickgreg said:


> I am a truck driver for a roll forming company here in Michigan. The job takes me to many shops. One shop that I go to frequently had a powermatic/burke millright knee mill. I inquired about it and the shop foreman said it might be for sale and it hasn't been plugged in for many years as they had a Bridgeport in the shop as well. This was about 2 years ago, I made an offer and never heard anything. About 4 months ago the foreman approached me and said the owners were still wanting to sell the machine and would I still be interested in it, I said yes. 4 months goes buy and I still don't hear anything. One day I was at the shop making a delivery and the foreman was out sick, another employee and his helper took care of me. The older employee knew I had inquired about the mill again and asked if I had heard anything. I said no and told him my story and the history. His helper, a young kid, said hang on a minute and I'll be right back. He returned with a nice dressed man and said this is the owner and my dad. The owner knew me and the company that I work for. He asked if I was still interested in the mill, I said my offer would still stand, he accepted it and asked when I wanted to pick it up. My offer was $350.00. Well the rest is history and I now own the mill. It's in pretty good shape, table has a couple of small cutter marks but overall really nice shape. The knee won't go up or down but I can see the screw turning, so I don't think it is anything major.
> This is how she looked as she sat in the shop unused for years.
> View attachment 90217
> 
> ...



If the screw isn't turning might have a sheared key.  Do you have a garage or basement shop? At least you have a heavy truck to haul it home.


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 26, 2014)

Bill, the screw is turning when I crank the handle but it does not go up or down. I have not had time to mess with it, it is still at the shop where I work. I will have to take it apart to get it home and I will probably find out what the issue with the knee is at that time. I have a basement shop and this thing needs to go down there somehow. I'll get it in one way or another, and when I die someone else can figure out how to get it out! LOL.


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 26, 2016)

Wow, I just checked the date on this thread. It has been 2 years since I purchased the mill, went through a bunch of crap in my life that got in the way of things. Divorced, had to move my shop and all of the equipment, etc. But the dust has settled from all of that, now I am in a new home and building my shops again. The cool thing is now my wood shop is separated from the metal shop. Both are in the basement, new basement has a toilet! The last piece of equipment to go down is the millright. 
So how does one get a 1,500 lb. Ish machine into a basement by themselves? Stay tuned, more pics coming.........


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## 4GSR (Dec 26, 2016)

woodtickgreg said:


> .....snip........
> So how does one get a 1,500 lb. Ish machine into a basement by themselves? Stay tuned, more pics coming.........


Hire your ex wife to help?

BTW- Welcome back!


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 26, 2016)

4gsr said:


> Hire your ex wife to help?
> 
> BTW- Welcome back!


Ha Ha! Funny. No cuz she would be nagging, *****ing, and complaining the whole time! 
I have been here, never really went away just lurked a little more. But I am getting real close to making chips again! And I have a much better shop too!


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## eeler1 (Dec 26, 2016)

woodtickgreg said:


> So how does one get a 1,500 lb. Ish machine into a basement by themselves? Stay tuned, more pics coming.........



Gravity is on your side here.  But stay out from below the machine, just in case gravity decides to take over.   

I'd take it apart, since you are going to do that anyway to get it fixed and lubed and operating.  The head comes off pretty easily, the table, the knee.  You still have that heavy base casting, but  less heavy than as a whole and not quite as top heavy.  Lay some kind of flat surface over the steps or other protrusions, and skid each section down gently.

I've used skids, pipes, a come-along, and an engine hoist, and done ok.   But never had to deal with steps into a basement.  

Good luck, and take pictures.


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 26, 2016)

eeler1 said:


> Gravity is on your side here.  But stay out from below the machine, just in case gravity decides to take over.
> 
> I'd take it apart, since you are going to do that anyway to get it fixed and lubed and operating.  The head comes off pretty easily, the table, the knee.  You still have that heavy base casting, but  less heavy than as a whole and not quite as top heavy.  Lay some kind of flat surface over the steps or other protrusions, and skid each section down gently.
> 
> ...


I've been taking pics, I'll try and get what I have so far posted up soon. I'm way ahead of you on the take it apart, lol. I got a plan, heh heh heh.


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 26, 2016)

So let's see where I am on this

I don't know why all the pics rotated?
But here is the top of the machine in pieces in my basement.


The millright will go against the wall to the left of the no.4


She's a little dirty from sitting. Next is to remove the knee, saddle, and table.




The handles and dials will get some love on reassembly.



View attachment 142237


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## FOMOGO (Dec 26, 2016)

Glad to hear your resettled, and getting your shops together. Sounds like the beginning of a great adventure. Looking forward to the mill rehab. Cheers, Mike


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 26, 2016)

It sure is nice to be able to take this apart at work and use the crane! When I removed the table I found out what the problem was with the knee and why it wouldn't go up or down. It was simply a loose set sctew.




There's the column in its naked glory, the heaviest piece, I guess it weighs 500 lbs.



Parts loaded in my truck for the ride home.


All the loose parts are in groups for each assembly and bagged.



The knee was one heavy bugger to lift off the tailgate and set on the ground by myself, lol.


Table all strapped down for the ride down the basement stairs.


Everything but the column is in.


Again, I don't know why the pics rotated and I can't figure out how to correct them.


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 26, 2016)

So part of my plan to get the column in the basement involves a winch because it has a holding brake and power out. But I wanted a way to mount it to my truck so that it was removable. So I scrounge a bunch of steel at work and got to fabbin and weldin.

All heavy wall stuff.


8" channel for the base.


The hoops will protect the winch and provides handles for carrying and installing in the hitch receiver.


Nice low mount. Good clearance all the way around.


I can even drop the tailgate with plenty of clearance.


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 26, 2016)

Got it painted.




And the winch installed.


Horrible freight had a black Friday sale on the winch with a coupon for $279, cheapest I have ever seen it. This winch has had decent reviews in the 4 wheeler mags so what the heck I'll give it a try. I'm not an off roader but will use this winch to load logs for milling into lumber after I'm done with the machine move. Some reviews have advised to not let it get wet, so good thing it is removable!!


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## LucknowKen (Dec 26, 2016)

woodtickgreg said:


> It sure is nice to be able to take this apart at work and use the crane! When I removed the table I found out what the problem was with the knee and why it wouldn't go up or down. It was simply a loose set sctew.



Why does it seem whenever i pull a machine apart for repairs the word simply never comes up?
Congrats on the new move and good luck with your new toy.
lk


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 26, 2016)

Next I drilled some holes in heavy 4" angle iron.
	

		
			
		

		
	



Repurposed some Castors and bolted them to the angles.


And nice to have access to a crane! Bolted the angles and Castors on.


Piece of cake to move around now.


3 chains ought to do it, overkill I know but why not. Lol


I can still roll it around with the chains bolted on.


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 26, 2016)

So that's it for now, I hope to move this over the new years weekend if the weather co operates, and I can borrow my friends trailer with his ramps, and all the planets are in perfect alignment, lol. I plan to do pics and a video.


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 29, 2016)

After work I loaded up the base and got her home, unloaded by myself, plan is to get it into the basement on Saturday after work.
It sure is nice to have the use of a crane at work!


All strapped down and ready to roll.



I self shot some video of how I unloaded it by myself. I'll shoot more when moving it into the basement. You'll see it all good or bad. Lol.


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## FOMOGO (Dec 29, 2016)

Nice job on the winch setup. Looks like your place of work comes in pretty handy. Every job should have a few bennie's. Mike


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 29, 2016)

FOMOGO said:


> Nice job on the winch setup. Looks like your place of work comes in pretty handy. Every job should have a few bennie's. Mike


It sure does, Some of the other bennies are the other shops I go to, I do them favors, and then they help me when I need something. And then there is the material thing, I can pretty much get whatever I need for free, other shops let me dig through their scrap too.


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 2, 2017)

So I got the base off the trailer by myself. And here is the set up for getting it down into the basement.

It starts with some heavy aluminum extrusion channels as ramps to get up and over the first step.


I'm hoping this set up will work like it is on rails.


More of the aluminum channel across the landing to help spread out the weight and guide it.


And the big question is. Can I push this thing up the ramps and onto the landing by myself?


There will be a video if anyone wants to see how it went. And how maybe you could do something like this if you needed to.


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 2, 2017)

Here's the link.


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## Silverbullet (Jan 3, 2017)

Good job , well thought out and done. The ramps or channels should be hung in the ceiling joists with do not touch or use wrote on them. Never know when another machine might turn up. Like the video too.


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 3, 2017)

Silverbullet said:


> Good job , well thought out and done. The ramps or channels should be hung in the ceiling joists with do not touch or use wrote on them. Never know when another machine might turn up. Like the video too.


You are so right! They already are. I think I will even wire wheel the long stair channels and paint them. You never know what might be purchased in the future, or god forbid I should move again and need to get all this stuff out of the basement again.


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## eeler1 (Jan 3, 2017)

A move worthy of Moses building pyramids for Pharaoh.  Glad I've never had to deal with stairs.


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## tq60 (Jan 4, 2017)

woodtickgreg said:


> So let's see where I am on this
> 
> I don't know why all the pics rotated?
> But here is the top of the machine in pieces in my basement.
> ...


Ot a bit regarding pics.

We posted some the other day with phone and same thing.

Just a guess but the photos are "wide screen" so try holding phone sideways for next photos to see.

We thinks the software wants to post the image in a short and wide layout.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk


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## FOMOGO (Jan 4, 2017)

That's "getting er done" Greg. The only improvements I could imagine, after the fact of course, would be to replace the chain with a solid piece of angle or bar with a centered cable attachment  to get rid of some of the wiggly jiggly element, and maybe some kind of low profile roller/ guide to protect the landing edge and smooth the decent. One more example of where there's a will, there's a way. Cheers, Mike


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 4, 2017)

FOMOGO said:


> That's "getting er done" Greg. The only improvements I could imagine, after the fact of course, would be to replace the chain with a solid piece of angle or bar with a centered cable attachment  to get rid of some of the wiggly jiggly element, and maybe some kind of low profile roller/ guide to protect the landing edge and smooth the decent. One more example of where there's a will, there's a way. Cheers, Mike


Yes I agree, if I ever have to do this again I will make a v roller to go at the top of the stairs. I don't trust cable crimps much so I would probably sticky with the chain, maybe just one heavier one. But that's what I had on hand. Remember, I salvaged everything to move this, except the winch itself.


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## markba633csi (Jan 5, 2017)

Where there's a MILL there's a way LOL
Mark S.


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 5, 2017)

markba633csi said:


> Where there's a MILL there's a way LOL
> Mark S.


I like it! That's just too funny.


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