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Craigslist score $200 3 in 1 combination mill/lathe/drill
- Thread starter Ulma Doctor
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2013
- Messages
- 4,105
i just by accident found another piece of information.
I was wrong about about the model number for the combo mill.
as a point of clarification it is a Central Machinery LH009
the LH007 didn't have the quick change gearbox and power feed.
I was wrong about about the model number for the combo mill.
as a point of clarification it is a Central Machinery LH009
the LH007 didn't have the quick change gearbox and power feed.
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2013
- Messages
- 4,105
My $200 find already paid for itself :biggrin:
i was able to use her yesterday to machine some aluminum bearing retainers.
i needed to modify the retainers to accept a readily available box seal.
the factory seal is very expensive and slow to get.
so with a little planning and a little skill i was able to pull off another modification for profit and make future repairs easier.
i was able to use her yesterday to machine some aluminum bearing retainers.
i needed to modify the retainers to accept a readily available box seal.
the factory seal is very expensive and slow to get.
so with a little planning and a little skill i was able to pull off another modification for profit and make future repairs easier.
Congratulations on a great buy!
I have one with the Enco label that is 14 yrs old. From what I have seen of their designs, yours predates that as the switches, back panel, and control levers resemble an earlier one I saw. Mine proved to be a good starting point for me to go from wood to metal turning and to play a little with milling. It is a step up from the 7x machines with decent capacity and power for a small lathe. The issues I ran into were that adding a QCTP was a little bit of an exercise, as were lack of readily obtainable accessories such as a four jaw chuck and face plate, and rests. The QCTP needs a 1" riser and longer through bolt to work because the spindle is an inch higher above the bed than the typical small lathe. I wound up using a 1-2-3 block and making the bolt from a hold down bolt and Tee-nut. I did manage to find the additional chucks and steady/moving rests from Smithy but they aren't cheap. I would have nearly as much in the upgrade as I would in simply buying a dedicated lathe.
The mill function was another story. The problem with these machines is that the milling quill is too high above the combo cross slide/milling vise so you need to get a riser and a better quality milling vise for it as well. Makes it a bit tedious switching between the mill and lathe function. I also found the mill setup itself to lack rigidity. But if you are limited in space and your expectations aren't great, it certainly can be used to good purpose.
In the end I decided I had outgrown the 3-in-1 and got a 12x36 lathe and a dedicated Jet benchtop mill. I'll be selling the Enco 3 in 1 but I will miss it's lathe function. Once I got used to it I realized there was a lot to like about it.
Have fun with yours.
Steve in Central TX
I have one with the Enco label that is 14 yrs old. From what I have seen of their designs, yours predates that as the switches, back panel, and control levers resemble an earlier one I saw. Mine proved to be a good starting point for me to go from wood to metal turning and to play a little with milling. It is a step up from the 7x machines with decent capacity and power for a small lathe. The issues I ran into were that adding a QCTP was a little bit of an exercise, as were lack of readily obtainable accessories such as a four jaw chuck and face plate, and rests. The QCTP needs a 1" riser and longer through bolt to work because the spindle is an inch higher above the bed than the typical small lathe. I wound up using a 1-2-3 block and making the bolt from a hold down bolt and Tee-nut. I did manage to find the additional chucks and steady/moving rests from Smithy but they aren't cheap. I would have nearly as much in the upgrade as I would in simply buying a dedicated lathe.
The mill function was another story. The problem with these machines is that the milling quill is too high above the combo cross slide/milling vise so you need to get a riser and a better quality milling vise for it as well. Makes it a bit tedious switching between the mill and lathe function. I also found the mill setup itself to lack rigidity. But if you are limited in space and your expectations aren't great, it certainly can be used to good purpose.
In the end I decided I had outgrown the 3-in-1 and got a 12x36 lathe and a dedicated Jet benchtop mill. I'll be selling the Enco 3 in 1 but I will miss it's lathe function. Once I got used to it I realized there was a lot to like about it.
Have fun with yours.
Steve in Central TX
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