- Joined
- Mar 26, 2016
- Messages
- 58
Hello, I posted here about a year ago asking advice about some benchtop mills. I got a really good response with lots of hlepful info from many kind people. Ultimately, I did not buy a benchtop mill or any mill. Essentially I was convinced by you guys that it was a better deal to get a larger used mill like a Bridgeport, and just figure out some way to cram it in my garage. The hobby size import mills are simply too expensive for what they are, and a used BP is more mill for less money, potentially.
Well, one finally came up on CL, and the price isn't completely ridiculous like it is on most stuff that gets listed around here. You can see the ad itself here.
It is a 1982 Series 1, with what I believe is the 2J2 head, 2HP, Vari-SPeed. The guy bought it at auction and just doesn't use it much or know much about it, and is ready to part with it.
It seems like it might be an OK mill, but I don't have much experience and would appreciate any advice or thoughts on the value of this mill.
I will repost some of the pics from the ad here with my concerns:
Here is the mill in question. It seems in ok shape for being 36 years old. It does have some rust on the table and the vise.
It has a BP power feed, but the owner tells me it works in one direction but only sometimes works in the other direction. He did send short video showing that it can be made to work in both directions, so it probably (maybe) isn't a serious issue.
These next two pictures sort of flummox me- to my untrained eye, those scrapings look perfect, and I can't see any wear. However, the top of the dovetail ways are really dinged up and have lots of marks, and basically the whole mill has lots of rash and dings. It looks like it was used roughly.
Like here- the scrapings look great, but the egde of the dovetail part has a huge ding 2/3 of the way up- is this normal for machines to have this level of marks?
It comes with a functional but very basic Fagor DRO readout. I'm not sure how much I really need features but all modern DROs have many buttons and features. I mean, this has a zero button and nothing else. . . I might like the bolt hole pattern feature or ceter finding or anything the newer ones can do. Might not be a deal breaker thoughk, and perhaps I can get a more modern head without having to buy new scales, but I'm not sure if that will work or not.
This pic is indicative of the overall condition- every single part is covered in little dings, like the handwheel above. The guy did send a cellphone vid with it running, and demonstrated that the vari-speed and power downfeeed worked. However, the head sounds loud and rackety on the video. I looked around an rebuild parts for the vari-speed are $300 or so.
The powerfeeed mostly works as described above. I know some guys like these original ones, but again, on the video, the thing sounded really loud and it sticks out and is heavy. I might end up needing to get a more modern one. I've heard these are so heavy they can actually bend the table, hope that isn't the case here.
I'm not familiar with this ty pe of phase converter, and I'd really hoped to get a belt drive BP and convert it to VFD drive for variable speed because it is easier and quieter. Web research makes it seem like I can make this vari-speed work with a vfd also.
I can't see a brand on this rusty vise but assume it is of import quality. I'd have to get a better vise for sure.
Anyway, this BP would definately be better than no BP, but it certainly isn't cherry. If the price were right I could work around some of the issues, and I bet that rust will clean up.
He has a set of collets, a handful of mills, a set of reamers, and a few hold-down items that will come with it.
I feel like the guy wants too much for it with all its little issues, but the thing is, these don't come up on CL around here often and when they do, they are WAY overpriced. In fact, this one isn't that local, I'd have to drive 3 hours one way to get it, and am not entirely sure how I'm going to get it off a trailer and in my garage if I do buy it.
But there isn't much better on offer, and I've been watching CL for over a year- this mill isn't quite what I'd hoped to find, but it would certainly do fine. I'm a hobbyist that just wants to noodle with it, no serious goals. I also have a Grizz G4003G 12x36 lathe.
So guys, what value would you put on this mill? Intersted in any opinions on either side- is it a hard pass, or are the issues perhaps not as serious as they might seem? Any advice will be helpful as I make my determination of how mcuh to offer, or whether to wait for the next one.
Well, one finally came up on CL, and the price isn't completely ridiculous like it is on most stuff that gets listed around here. You can see the ad itself here.
It is a 1982 Series 1, with what I believe is the 2J2 head, 2HP, Vari-SPeed. The guy bought it at auction and just doesn't use it much or know much about it, and is ready to part with it.
It seems like it might be an OK mill, but I don't have much experience and would appreciate any advice or thoughts on the value of this mill.
I will repost some of the pics from the ad here with my concerns:
Here is the mill in question. It seems in ok shape for being 36 years old. It does have some rust on the table and the vise.
It has a BP power feed, but the owner tells me it works in one direction but only sometimes works in the other direction. He did send short video showing that it can be made to work in both directions, so it probably (maybe) isn't a serious issue.
These next two pictures sort of flummox me- to my untrained eye, those scrapings look perfect, and I can't see any wear. However, the top of the dovetail ways are really dinged up and have lots of marks, and basically the whole mill has lots of rash and dings. It looks like it was used roughly.
Like here- the scrapings look great, but the egde of the dovetail part has a huge ding 2/3 of the way up- is this normal for machines to have this level of marks?
It comes with a functional but very basic Fagor DRO readout. I'm not sure how much I really need features but all modern DROs have many buttons and features. I mean, this has a zero button and nothing else. . . I might like the bolt hole pattern feature or ceter finding or anything the newer ones can do. Might not be a deal breaker thoughk, and perhaps I can get a more modern head without having to buy new scales, but I'm not sure if that will work or not.
This pic is indicative of the overall condition- every single part is covered in little dings, like the handwheel above. The guy did send a cellphone vid with it running, and demonstrated that the vari-speed and power downfeeed worked. However, the head sounds loud and rackety on the video. I looked around an rebuild parts for the vari-speed are $300 or so.
The powerfeeed mostly works as described above. I know some guys like these original ones, but again, on the video, the thing sounded really loud and it sticks out and is heavy. I might end up needing to get a more modern one. I've heard these are so heavy they can actually bend the table, hope that isn't the case here.
I'm not familiar with this ty pe of phase converter, and I'd really hoped to get a belt drive BP and convert it to VFD drive for variable speed because it is easier and quieter. Web research makes it seem like I can make this vari-speed work with a vfd also.
I can't see a brand on this rusty vise but assume it is of import quality. I'd have to get a better vise for sure.
Anyway, this BP would definately be better than no BP, but it certainly isn't cherry. If the price were right I could work around some of the issues, and I bet that rust will clean up.
He has a set of collets, a handful of mills, a set of reamers, and a few hold-down items that will come with it.
I feel like the guy wants too much for it with all its little issues, but the thing is, these don't come up on CL around here often and when they do, they are WAY overpriced. In fact, this one isn't that local, I'd have to drive 3 hours one way to get it, and am not entirely sure how I'm going to get it off a trailer and in my garage if I do buy it.
But there isn't much better on offer, and I've been watching CL for over a year- this mill isn't quite what I'd hoped to find, but it would certainly do fine. I'm a hobbyist that just wants to noodle with it, no serious goals. I also have a Grizz G4003G 12x36 lathe.
So guys, what value would you put on this mill? Intersted in any opinions on either side- is it a hard pass, or are the issues perhaps not as serious as they might seem? Any advice will be helpful as I make my determination of how mcuh to offer, or whether to wait for the next one.
