Barker Pm Horizontal Milling Machine

G

gwarner

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While I would love to have a big old Bridgeport I don't have room for one. So I am on the hunt for a small mill.
There is a Barker PM available about 2 1/2 hours away from here and I am interested in it.
My research has shown that they work well on aluminum but will they actually make a decent cut in steel.

This one has leadscrews on the Y and Z axis and rack for the X axis. It come with no tooling. The asking is under $500.

Are Barkers a good choice for a hobbyist or would I be better served to put the dollars toward a Chinese Grizzly?
 
Is this the type of mill?


If so, might be a bit limited for an all around hobby mill. Also likely to have limited resell value - although I am no expert on these machines- at all... So if you found it didn't meet your needs, then you still would want another and may find a limited market trying to resell this one to free up room for what you really want.

I have an older Grizzly bench mill and have been quite happy with it for maybe 18 years now. I did finally find a Van Norman 12 as I got tired of messing with belt/pully changes on the Grizzly every time I wanted to change speeds - and the Grizzly also doesn't take heavy cuts at all - the head pulls into the work etc. so an honest, heavy, old school universal mill was in the cards for me.

Am keeping the grizzly because it also serves as a sensitive, downward motion, precision drill press - which is an often overlooked feature.

Overall, I suspect you might be happier if you keep looking. Maybe a Burke #4 will turn up in your area. I also have one of these and it's a really nice little machine... 1/2 the size of a Bridgeport.

Cheers,
Glenn
 
If that's the mill under discussion, if it were mine, I'd fabricate an angle plate to use as a 'table' and mount my vise on that, so that you can work from the 'top'. It would be far more versatile in that mode.
 
Glen,
Thanks for the reply. That is the machine of which I speak. The one here on CL is better equipped with the front support arm.
I saw that video you posted while searching for more information. That was what lead me to determine they work well on aluminum.
I have held off on buying it due to what you describe as basically being stuck with an inferior machine.
If it can't cut steel then I have no use for it. I still have not heard if it can adequately cut steel.

I can tell you that I have been watching Craigslist and auctions within 150 miles almost daily for over 2 years and there has been 1 Atlas for $350 that was basically a pile of rust no motor and no tooling and 1 over priced Hardinge TM that has been there for months. Everything else is too large and I would never get them down my basement steps.

I am getting impatient and am about to give up searching for some good old American iron and go with a Jet or Grizzly.

I have been doing all of my milling on my Sears radial arm saw with 1/4" shank carbide router bits. If you want to talk about light cuts.
 
Gw-

Yes, that mill is much better equipped. Running as a true horizontal will certainly allow you to cut mild steel. It looks like a wonderful robust little machine. So I wouldn't worry about its ability to mill steel, or anything softer. One thing to consider, if you buy a small mill that is 500 or 1000 miles away- even within a 1500 mile radius, you will be able to put it on a pallet and have it delivered to your doorstep by a freight forwarder for under $400. I've bought three machines this way as I couldn't find anything locally, at a reasonable price. Even with freight, with the right purchase price, you come out ahead. Plus you can look in a much wider search radius, and be more selective.
 
Glenn, I would like to thank you for your advice on expanding my search area. Sunday, before Memorial day I drove 6 hours to Saint Paul and 6 hours back pulling my new mill home.
I got it for a great price and had a lot of extras with it. While it looked rough in the images I first saw of it, once cleaned up it is actually in excellent shape.

I got a Nichols hand Miller. This is a heavy and capable machine that will more than meet my needs. I was able to disassemble it and move it to my basement shop.

Shipping rates must be better where you are located. There was an Index machine that I wanted in Ohio but that was going to cost $645 to ship here.
That is more than I spent for the mill and travel to get this one.
 
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I do of the original ad. I will post them and the way it is now under the new Nichols category in a day or two. Have been real busy.
 
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