New To Me Rockwell 21-100 Milling Machine

B

Buffalo20

Forum Guest
Register Today
Tuesday of this week, i bought a Rockwell model 21-100, milling machine. The machine started its life in a vocational school, where it saw almost zero use, then about 10 years ago at an auction the shrink wrapped mill, was sold to a contractor, where it sat in their warehouse, unused. On Tuesday, he offered it up to me, and i instantly grabbed it up.

the mill is a small knee mill, with a 6-1/2" x 24" table, an R8 spindle, with 5 spindle speeds. It weighs about 800#, i will take possession on Wednesday of next week.

The table and knee are tight, if not a bit stiff, but some TLC, will bring it back to life.
 
Congratulations on your find, sounds like the mill should be in fairly good shape with not much use on it. I don't know too much about your mill but others who do will be here to help you out if you need it. Great people here and a wealth of knowledge.
 
Congrat's! I recently picked up a 21-100 myself. It replaces an RF40 clone that I have owned for a number of years.

I think you will enjoy the little Rockwell. It will have 6 speeds ranging from 245 RPM to 4200 or from 370 to 6300 depending on which motor is installed.
Mine was stiff as well at first but a little clean up and lubrication has everything moving nice and smooth.

They are great little machines for those of us with limited shop space.
 
I would rather have it stiff and tight than I would loose and shaky!

Nice find guys!

Ken
 
My hands are already loose and shaky as it is! Here's a picture of my machine in my small garage shop.

From the sounds of it, Buffalo's machine has a fewer miles on it than mine. I hope you will post a picture after you pick it up.

Just a word to the wise: Be careful of the aluminum belt housing when you go to move it. More than one person has broken the housing during a move. The 21-100s are very easy to move with an engine host, but you want to tilt the head to about 45 degrees so the lifting straps doesn't bear against that housing.

Good Luck!IMG_0499.JPG
 
What size milling vise are you using?? I have 6" vises on the other 2 mills, but I thinking either a 4" or a 5 would better suit the Rockwell.

As the spindle is R8, as are the other mills, the milling vise is really the only tooling, I'm going to need to buy, at least at the present.
 
I'm using a 3" import. I had a 4" on my RF40 and when I moved it to the Rockwell, it looked oversized so I let it go with the RF. I think around 3 1/2 would be ideal if there is such a thing. Most of what I do fits in the 3 " and anything large I will clamp to the table.

Oh, and you will need a 7/16 clamp down set. The slots in the Rockwell table are narrow.
 
I picked up a ER32 x R8 arbor for the mil and collets from 1/8", up to 3/4", which should work nicely with the new mill, Started the search for the vise and apparently I'll need a 7/16" t-nut/stud set. With the vise, T-nuts/studs and the ER32 x R8 (with collets), I've already spent more than I bought the mill for........
 
I have this mill also it's a great for its speed range I have made a swivel turret for mine and a DRO on 3 axis and a 4 inch modified vernier caliber for the quill
Only wish I had looked for the horizontal vertical version


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk
 
I agree with Lowpass5 - a 4" is as large as you will want on this mill. The Y Axis Table and Travel are both pretty small, and a 4" overhangs quite a bit already.

It is a great little mill and I have never regretted buying mine. It is not a full size Bridgeport though, so I recommend you scale down the tooling recommendations from full-size mill owners:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top