New To Me Clausing 8520!

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kyleaudio

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Hi guys, just last weekend I picked up a Clausing 8520 milling machine. This is my first milling machine, so I have some learning to do, but from what I can see on the internet this seems like a really good machine for it's size.

I paid $600 for it and it came with a collet set (missing one size) and a 4" Kurt AngLock vise with swivel base. It has a newer Baldor 3/4hp motor and power feed. The power feed unit needs some work, when I engage it at the lower speeds it really bogs down and doesn't maintain a steady feed. I probably just need to go through the motor.

Serial number is 003201. Any idea how old it is?

uTUc8Xy.jpg

Kyle
 
Kyle,

Everyone must be asleep tonight. $600 for an 8520 would normally get you a pile of rusty junk. Average price across the US is probably $1800 for the bare mill. The vise is worth probably $200 by itself. So you got a steal. If you had to spend $1000 on parts to make it work, you would still be at better than break-even.
 
Yes, I agree, it was a great deal! They had it listed for $450, when I got ahold of them, he told me that he realized that it was listed too low and that the new price was $600. Not a problem, I'll be right over! It was being sold by a company that was moving to a new building, so I guess that they didn't take much time to assess the value and just wanted it gone.

It doesn't seem like it needs much though, a few screws here and there are either worn out, missing or have been replaced with the wrong part, it could use a new draw bar, fix the power feed and clean it up some. Other than that it needed a set of vise jaws, it had a set of shop made brass jaws (shown in the picture) and it only had one of the original jaws. I'll also be replacing the light with an Ikea (Doubleboost) light because the one on there now won't stay at the right angle. The bend is too tight and it springs back.
 
Kurt is a good brand. You shouldn't have much trouble finding replacement jaws.

I've forgotten what the original Clausing lamp looked like, but the one on it is probably cheap Chinese anyway. Although anything you buy from Ikea these days will be, too. A quick eBay search didn't turn up anything. I would probably get something cheap from Ikea for temporary use and set up a search on eBay for the original. One will turn up eventually.
 
Based on what I could find it was made in the late 40's/50's
Heck of a deal on it, paid $1400 for mine + $600 in shipping. Are you sure it's an 8520 or is it a 8530 ?
I ask because yours looks to have an original powerfeed (hard to tell from picture). May have been added later, but found this on lathes.co.uk:
"On the Model 8530 the option was offered of an electronically controlled power feed unit; this could be provided in two forms, to move the table just longitudinally, or in traverse as well - though unfortunately both versions earned a reputation for unreliability."
Here's a link to the site with the info: http://www.lathes.co.uk/clausing vertical/
Here's another site with tons of info and sources of replacement parts: http://www.wentztech.com/metalworking/equipment/clausing-8520-mill/
 
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Yeah, I already got the vise jaws, they weren't hard to find. I got a set of soft steel and a set of aluminum jaws from monster jaws.

Was there a light from Clausing? looking at the brochure pictures and the optional accessories brochure I don't see one. I've already got one of the Ikea lights on my lathe and it works great. I made an adapter to mount it on an old worn out mag base so I can stick it wherever I need it.
Rl9RPWS.jpg

Thanks for the info on the age, it's older than I thought. The label plate says 8520. I compared the pictures and it looks like the 8530 had a heavier knee and a 2 speed hand feed. Here is a picture of my power feed setup.
ifEKWo7.jpg
 
Man you stepped in the right pile , really nice find how come it's always the other guy and not me . Good looking machine bet it doesn't need much work to bring her back to being useful . Have fun with it and keep your eyes out for one for me too. Na not really great find
 
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Probably is an 8520 if the label plate says so, just wondered because of the power feed.
When you scroll down on the lathes.co.uk site it shows a picture of a 8530 with power feed, but doesn't have the 2 speed hand crank.
You were correct in the 8530 has a slightly bigger table and heavier knee.
 
Silverbullet, I was very lucky with this deal! I've been looking for about 6 months now for a decent smaller mill that isn't too expensive. I happened to see this one just in time.

JPigg55, I took a closer look and it looks like it was added on later. The bearing block just to the inside of where the hand wheel and dial would be looks exactly like the one on the other side, so it probably had a hand wheel there originally.

I picked up a few end mills and they came in yesterday so I made my first milling cuts. It did a nice job! Now I just need a project!
 
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