Long Chang LC-30A mill resto

I was just reading through your adventure, looks like you got a nice machine!! I just want to bring up something that @C-Bag mentioned earlier. Make sure there is a hole in the table so you can adjust or install the split nut!! I remember working on my old rf-30 and having to lift the machine off again to blast one in last minute with the torch!!

Keep up the good work,
Ryan
 
RYAN S said:
I was just reading through your adventure, looks like you got a nice machine!! I just want to bring up something that @C-Bag mentioned earlier. Make sure there is a hole in the table so you can adjust or install the split nut!! I remember working on my old rf-30 and having to lift the machine off again to blast one in last minute with the torch!!

Keep up the good work,
Ryan
Click to expand...

Thanks Ryan, I was looking for a hole but the I realized that the lead screw nuts are not split unfortunately.


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Big day today. I decided to buy a hoist when I found one for $300. I figure I'll move the mill at least once, need to hoist my Unisaw onto it's new stand and I want to pull my lathe off its bench and finish the top. And so now I own a 2-ton hoist. Took about 20 mins to assemble the hoist.

So I skidded the stripped down mill closer to where I wanted it to end up.
all stripped down.jpg
I bought chain and 1-ton rated shackles. I took the good advice of dropping the chain through the centre of the head and slid a length of 1/2" steel through the loop and clamped the steel bar to the head so it couldn't slip out if the mill tipped at all.
clamping the crossbar.jpg

I took a deep breath and started lifting. Many pumps later, it reached the height of the stand. I was struggling for space or I would have come at a different angle.
so close.jpg

almost there.jpg
Finally managed to get it close enough that I could just shove it over on the stand.
in place.jpg
For all my worrying it was dead easy to do. Now that I have the hoist I won't hesitate to take it off should I build a new stand. Hint, hint... :)

I then started cleaning all the gunk off the mill. I tried Simple Green first but it wasn't touching it. Paint thinner made quick work of it. Took all the goo off the column which made a remarkable difference on cranking the head up.
The muck came off the ways easily and an overall wipe down made a huge difference in it's appearance.
I cleaned the table, the y-axis slide (is that the right term?) and the leadscrews and nuts. Overall, it wasn't too bad.
 
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End of a long day and the mill is all back together. There was nothing really amiss with it, just really dirty.
There wasn't a lot of swarf anywhere, just build up of grease. I don't think it was ever stripped down and the cosmoline removed. The lead screw threads were nice and square and showed little wear. The ways were very clean with no discernible wear. I figured out that the y-axis gib adjustment screw was slightly bent which prevented the gib from moving in or out. I stuck it in the vise and gently bent it straight and filed off a small ridge on the head that had formed when I had tried to remove the gib.
Otherwise, it went back together easily, all the ways are oiled, the leadscrews are butter smooth and the spindle is smooth.
I need to convert the motor to 220v so I can use the 220v outlet that's close by.
And tram it. Sigh.

All buttoned up again.
Back together.jpg
Shiny new collet chuck and vise :)

chuck and vise.jpg
 
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Hi David,

Just curious, now that you have a mill with a MT3 spindle instead of R8, is your handle changing from 'DavidR8' to DavidMT3"?

Bruce
 
BGHansen said:
Hi David,

Just curious, now that you have a mill with a MT3 spindle instead of R8, is your handle changing from 'DavidR8' to DavidMT3"?

Bruce
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what to do...
Maybe this?
DavidR8->MT3
or
DavidRMT83 (this one rhymes when spoken)

In truth, the R8 is a wordplay on my last name used by my family for 60+ years
:D
 
David,
Celebrate, you bought an old used mil, tore it down to clean and inspect.
You found no significant issues from what I have read. You did well sir.
Sometimes we get lucky, sometimes we learn hard lessons.
 
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