Kent Model KTM 380 Knee Mill?

[ddushane]

Has anyone out there had any experience with one of these? I spotted one locally that was made in 1980, Not really sure what kind of shape it's in yet or how much they're wanting for it. Here's some pictures of it, I'll try to get back over there on my next days off & ask them about it. Thanks for any help you guys have on it.

Dwayne

 

[Old Iron]

Don't know anything about them but I noticed that the motor tag said 50 cycles. You prolly need a transformer to run it on 60 cycles unless the motor has been redone.

You had better ask them about that.

Paul

 

[twstoerzinger]

I think the 50 cycle rating on the nameplate is a mistake.
Synchronous speed for a 4 pole at 50 hz is 1500 rpm and typical rated speed for 50 hz would be around 1450 rpm.
The 1720 rpm rated speed on the nameplate is typical of a 4 pole running on 60 hz (1800 synchronous speed).
You cannot get 50 cycle power in the USA.
China runs on 50 hz, so I am thinking someone at the factory ordered the wrong batch of nameplates.
It appears to have been operating on 60 hz in the US for a long time.
It is also true that many AC motors will run on either 50 or 60 hz without issues - except the speed they attain.
Terry S.

 

[Richard King]

I know the company and the President Allan Lou of the company personally . Allan's Dad was one of the original machine builders in Taiwan and is highly respected. I taught several scraping classes in their plant near Taipei in the late 80's. They originally made surface grinders and branched out into the mills. There are 2 Kent machines now in the USA as the brother of the Lou's started up his own company over here and registered Kent Machine in the USA and that's why it says Kent USA on the web. I believe both companies sell good machine tools.

That machine looks like it has been sitting outside for a while, so if you buy it, be prepared to dismantle it and probably have to replace all the bearings. Have to de-rust all the surfaces even thought it might have cosmoline on it the electrical system is probably shot. It looks like it may have been on a military base where they put unused machine outside for storage (stupid).

The machine was and can be again a good machine once it is cleaned up and repaired. I would think if you paid more the $1000.00 it would be to much.
You can contact Kent and ask questions about the machine at: http://www.kentusa.com/mills/

PS: I agree on the 50 cycles / 60 cycles as I took my power scrapers over to Taiwan where they use to use 50 cycle and my scrapers ran without issues.

 

[ddushane]

Thanks guys, I'll try to find out what they are asking for it tomorrow, if it's not too bad I might get it. Thanks again for yalls time.

Dwayne

 

[ddushane]

I finally got around to calling the guy, he said it had some tooling, the price is $2800. It's more than I have to spend right now. It's at West Texas Machinery in Seminole, TX 432-758-6484 if there's anyone interested. He also said it had been running on 3 ph electricity.

Dwayne