Teach me about Milling Machines

[LonesomeTriZ]

I am looking at used mills but I know very little about them. This is one I am very interested in. How much should I spend and is it a good machine to get?

[LonesomeTriZ]

A few more.

[LonesomeTriZ]

This might help.

VAN NORMAN MACHINE TOOL COMPANY MDL:12, INDUSTRIAL MILLING MACHINE W/ GENERAL ELECTRIC CONTROL BOX, 110VOLTS, PH1, CYC60, APPROX OVERALL DIMENSION 56IN 55IN 64IN.

[Dirtcrasher]

Van Normans are massive!! Not sure about parts availability....

You can usually find a nice Bridgeport for about 1000$ and mine does anything I need it to do. A digital readout instead of "dialing it in" is a very nice feature and expensive to add later.

Even when the table gets worn, you just keep the backlash in one direction and your good to go. It's most important that the spindle is nice and tight and runs true/good bearings.

2 Machinist sites:

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/index.php

http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/index.php?sid=a03aca510852d84cb4b37b7b9e9381a7

They both have links to give you any info you want to read up on. There is probably a disussion forum specifically for the Van Norman.

[LonesomeTriZ]

Thanks. That is a big help. A lot of people are telling me to go with a Bridgport. Do you have photographs so I know what to look for? Also a model number would be very helpful.

[Billy Golightly]

Most all of the bridgeports are about the same. The older model 'J series" is what we have. If your getting a mill, the biggest and most important things you cannot tell without seeing them in person. Especially if your gonna be buying surplus. Making sure everything is free and not rusted/bound up is #1. Tolerances and wear, see that the bed isn't loose and flopping about. Make sure the gibs all secure the bed down good. If you can get lucky and get one with a little bit of tooling (collets, some end mills, etc) you'll be much better off. Also watchout for 3phase electric motors (Almost everything that is surplus will be 3 phase) which will require an additional phase converter electrical box to run off of normal 220v electricity.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I have been hearing a lot about Bridgeports since I started looking for one. So I think I am going to go that route. The issue I am dealing with now is I want it waiting for me when I get home. So seeing ti it person beofe the purchase is going to be tough. WHat is a good used average price I should expect?

[SWIGIN]

a mill would be handy but i have done some milling with my lathe.

it takes longer and its not near as nice as a mill but you can do small things....heres a dial holder i milled on my lathe (the black end)

i milled it out of 1 1/4 round stock....sorry i dont know much about mills but we did have a old bridgeport at school and it was sweet.

[plastikosmd]

Bridgeports are a good home shop machine. Pretty universal, cheap and plentiful. There are also plenty of knockoffs. Some are quite good. There are quite a few variations/options. HP/type of head, powerfeeds, chrome ways, table size etc. My advice is to get the best one you can afford (you really dont want to be moving a bunch of them) and get one with some tooling (unless you score for dirt cheap.) Like all metalworking stuff, it is the tooling that eats up your budget. A good vice, (kurt or knockoff), rotary table, index head, R8 stuff etc etc). There is nothing wrong with a VN that you have pictured. Heck it may take a heavier cut. The bounus of the bridgeport is the fact you have a quill (for drilling.) It is a bit easier then just using the z axis to drill with. My mill is similar to the VN but has a quill. Same physical size or smaller than a bridgeport but more machine. Switching between vertical and horizontal milling is a snap. (Abene mill made in sweden)
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/vertical.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/Horizontal1.jpg

[Dirtcrasher]

That mills awesome!! Vertical and Horizontal in one machine!!

I got my BP with a Kurt vice, albreit chuck and collets for 100$, they just wanted it OUT of the building!

[plastikosmd]

wow! Insane price. Many of the mills, van Norman, deckel, abene, etc do both vert and horiz. This one is nice because the switch is easy. It is also a beast. 5hp spindle w/ 2 hp table motor. Rapids on all 3 axis. Etc. My best advice is get one with as much tooling as possible

[racerxxx]

Hey Lonesome,

Check your craigslist, just did a search for ya in ATL and found this, In my eyes a bit pricey, but not a bad machine. It's the very first pic. It's got adjustable speed(don't have to move a belt, just turn a handle while running and you can adjust the speed up or down---way easier) it also has a DRO(digital read out)--easier to watch the numbers digitally versus keeping track while reading the handle increments. Decent used BP's go for around 1500+ arond me in SE PA. Just look for a tight one, no slop as everyone else has said and try to look at it in person, don't buy in haste, you'll only regret it. You may even try to hit some local machine shops, they may be down on their luck and unload one cheap. When my father in law slowed down a few years ago we sold off a few of his "extras", he still has 5 but they all get daily use!

[LonesomeTriZ]

I checkd out a few on Criagslist but they were out side my price range. I thought I could get a cood used one for around $1000. I guess that is not very realistic.

I wish I could afford one like plastikosmd has.

[plastikosmd]

keep shopping, don't be in a rush if your budget is 1k. They do show up. Also dont be afraid to make an offer. These things are heavy and not everyone wants to move one.

[LonesomeTriZ]

Good point.

Will I be able to hone and bore ATV jugs with a mill?

[Dirtcrasher]

I don't think it would be worth the setup time to bore a cylinder myself. My head would have to be trammed in absolutely dead nuts to cut a 5" depth hole dead nuts. I think thats why have have specific Sunnen boring and honing machines, power hones etc.

You will find one, before I found mine I found a few for 700$ to 1500$, I think I'd hold out for a DRO myself. Power tables are nice, I just don't do long enough passes to warrant it, but I wouldn't refuse it either :D

[LonesomeTriZ]

Okay, say all that again, but dumb it down a LOT. I did not quite catch everything.