B-port clone rebuild

[RandyM]

$1450


Tell me, the factory in which this machine was apparently heavily used, with the really cheap maintanence department, replaced the precision, high radial loads capable bearings, with just a regular sealed bearing.

The bearing ran smooth until I put some oil in it and it loosened the grease, now it does a bit of clunking when spun. Is that a bad bearing disguised by grease or does the bearing require grease over oil?

I'd say the grease was hiding the bearing deficiencies and I'd replace the bearing.

Second, with the machine in the shape it's in, and it's just a home shop machine, is it worth putting that super expensive bearing in? Or will a good quality regular bearing suffice?

Only you can answer that question. Is it worth it to you? If you go the cheap route I'd think you'd be putting bearings in it all the time. Personally, I am one to make things right and would repair the machine properly. Good luck.

 

[Hukshawn]

Personally, I am one to make things right and would repair the machine properly.

I can appreciate that. But at $300 for the pair, along with the other 3 bearings, the 5/32" aluminum tubing and ferrules for the one shot oiler, I'm starting to climb up well into the "too much money right now" zone. I can't hide those expenditures from the Warden...

I have been back and forth with my local supply, I will see what's available for the higher quality of the non precision bearings and go from there. And all the power quill stuff will be put on the back burner until some far off later date.
My wife is supportive of my hobbies, she is not supportive of the money spent - which is an oxymoron, I realize. And it's already a bone of contention.

For now, I'll get all those bearings in and continue on the clean up/paint. It'll be a good running machine none the less, when I'm done.

 

[BGHansen]

Well, I decided to make a new thread in the right area. This is likely to be a long process. Hopefully not terribly expensive too. Wife is mad enough how much money as time I've spent on this already.

So, the First j-head column mill.
View attachment 243864

I played around with it and noticed it has some war wounds. I picked this up from a guy a few hours away from me who retrieved it as a bit f payment for work he did in a factory. I believe he was an electrician who also built conveyor belts.

I bought it for $1450. I think it was a fair deal.
The machine is filthy, but useable as is.
View attachment 243867 View attachment 243869 View attachment 243870


I like clean machines, but usually don't wind up cleaning them up before I use them. This time I wanted to clean it up first.
So, I decided to tear it down. Found some parts that could be replaced. Some bearings, the x table brass nuts, and found the quill feed doesnt work.

View attachment 243872
The worm gear is shredded.
Also can feel some broken gears inside the quill fine feed.

To be continued.

Looks like you have a bit of a project. On the other hand, if you do rebuild it, you'll know every nuance about the machine. Sounds like no casting are broken, just the normal wear and tear items. Enjoy the adventure, and maybe make something for your wife.

Bruce

 

[Hukshawn]

Ohh, I can't stay mad at a face like that...




Edit: jeez, looks a lot smaller when all taken apart sitting on the bench. But the new paint makes it look a million bucks better.

 

[Hukshawn]

Well, it is fully disassembled. I had to set up a makeshift crane to get, what I'm going to call the turret, off and the column. Then there were 6 bolts holding the flange that holds the column down, I had to heat those with a torch to get them out. Nearly set all the varsol in sump on fire, well actually, I did set it on fire, I had to put it out with a fire extinguisher. Haha. Good thing it was only varsol, really slow burn. I didn't panic!

Honestly, I took it down this far all because I really want to clean the sump out so I can use it. Otherwise I'm sure I could have cleaned and painted the mill body intact. Feels good to have it all apart to clean real well. I have not come across anything further broken. So now it's all uphill from here. I'll spend the next several days cleaning the crrraapppp off everything and give it a nice paint job and in the mean time I'm sure my bearings will come in.
I have yet to talk to my supplier about what bearings to use in the spindle. I might just a high quality non precision bearings instead of the $300 bearings. It's just not feasible right now. If a time comes where I wear out whatever I put in or I find there's too much run out, I'll take the plunge. Now that I've torn into it this far I will feel comfortable taking it apart to get the spindle out.

 

[Dabbler]

wow... that is ambitious. I have an odler mill, and all I've gotten to is doing an upper head rebuild. I admire your grit!

 

[Hukshawn]

Since it's not a knee mill, the lower end was easy... well, the cleanup won't be. It's pretty caked

 

[Hukshawn]

The clean up and paint is done. Looks a bit rough, wish I had the time and space to strip the old chipped paint off. It just looks like I painted over beat up paint, which is exactly what I did. But still 100% better than what it was before.



And I scrubbed the sump out. Maaan, what a goopy mess that was...


Now I'll wait a week for the paint to dry fully, stone all sliding and mating surfaces to remove any paint, debris, burrs, etc, and start putting it back together!

 

[RandyM]

Looking good Shawn. Thank you for sharing your project with us.

 

[Hukshawn]

Now you can really see the size of my garage and why a knee mill really would not have worked. Lol.