My new J Head

[comstock-friend]

Ebay purchase with a 13" South Bend. I've been trying to repair old machines for 30 years and am now too old so I bought something I can make chips with right now. This has been a lightly used hobby mill (auto shop) for the last 15 years. Lightly used even before that. (The South Bend had been a college lab machine so also lightly used.)

Here are some photos picking them up and getting up my terrible driveway at home. Hope it compliments my Index 55 vertical. (South Bend will mostly be for chuck work as it has a cam lock. My Enco 13" bench lathe has a nice Royal 5C collet set up and has roller bearing so more suitable for that type of work.

I think the BP paint is original. Scraping just about complete on the ways. Mitutoyo DRO, brand new Kurt, Yasua 8" rotab, lots of brand new not used end mills, X power feed (Servo), etc, etc. Only issue was that previous owner was a greaser, not an oiler so I'll have to at least pull the jibs and try to get the grease out and way oil in.

I'll now have a BP round ram M head available. About 1938 so hoping it can go to a nice home that can bring her back. More details on the M head later.

John

 

[Stonebriar]

Congratulations! Nice looking equipment there.

 

[brasssmanget]

OK I admit it - I'm envious. Those are both very nice acquisitions.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

nice machinery you got there!!!
i want your rigger's truck, that's a cool rig!!!

 

[comstock-friend]

nice machinery you got there!!!
i want your rigger's truck, that's a cool rig!!!

Skates and Monorails are a great way to move machinery...

John

 

[comstock-friend]

OK, got the Ronk Roto-Con/Mark II wired and fired up. Photos show to Roto-Con contactor pulled in, the idler motor is spinning, the BP J head is in forward position and (lucky me), the spindle is spinning in the forward direction without me having to swap two leads on the BP plug. Again, I've had this RPC for years (maybe before 2000) and I've just got around to wiring it up to start on push button, disconnect switch, fuses, two three phase plug outputs, etc.



Now happy with a three phase garage. We may give a VFD a shot after I tire of swapping belts around.

Voltage with the BP running not great, not terrible:

A-B 250 volts
A-C 225 volts
B-C 245 volts

Without the BP running, I'm pegging the meter on the 250 volt scale. Have to borrow a Fluke from work to double check my Taiwanese VOM.

Now to some parts!!!

John

 

[comstock-friend]

First "Oh S**t, grinding noise in back gear! Checked a few forums. Suggested to tightened the screws on the upper cam ring pins (one is stripped and will need more attention. Noise gone! Haven't checked to see if my spindle pulley bearing sleeve has two holes or four (a spare set in case the first gets stripped such as mine. These can be drilled and tapped as necessary. Anyway, all still good. Spent most of the day cleaning up the new South Bend 13" (1958). Things are looking up. One three phase extension cord away from the South Bend running.

 

[Rbeckett]

OK, I'm jealous. Looks brand new still and probably will work just like the day it was made. Great score and have fun with the new toy!!!

Bob

 

[Uglydog]

nice machinery you got there!!!
i want your rigger's truck, that's a cool rig!!!

Yes, great rig!!
I hope that you don't mind that I've saved the pics and am considering adapting to my trailer.

I like the J head as well.
While messing with the pulleys on my Cincy can be annoying.
It slows me down and gives me time to think through my entire set-up before I throw the on switch.
But, then I'm not trying to make money off my mill.


Daryl
MN