Van Norman #16

I have an opportunity to buy a #16. Appears to be in very good shape. Has a full set of collets but no arbors. How difficult is it to find these? Initial searches on the internet have not been successful. From reading, this looks like a good machine but difficult to find parts for. I think I can get it for $1200.00. In my area that is probably not a bad price.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

MonumentMan said:

Has a full set of collets but no arbors. How difficult is it to find these?

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I've got a VN6. Love it! Super precise.
She came without collets (VN"C" or Hardinge 5V).
Arbors are nearly impossible. Only nearly not completely. But, they will likely be expensive if you find one.
Consider turning your own or try holding a shaft in a collet.
There are some tabs on the head that you might be able to integrate into the design to ensure that she won't slip.
There are people here who know more and have significant more experience than I do.
Is she a VN16S (spindle) or U (universal) if so. Then consider jumping on that wagon with delay!
Does she come with an arbor support?
Otherwise is she fully operable?
Can you get her loaded/unloaded/set in place/wired without hurting you or others?
If you've been around the block, then you've got this covered.
If like me, then you learn by asking questions, and making errors.

But, if I turn out the lights at the end of the day and still have my eyes and fingers.
I figure I learned sumthin!
Still have all the parts at roll call.

Daryl
MN

Looks like there is a VN16 on CL in Lake City MN. Not sure if that's the one you are looking at. If not, you might want to look at it.

I'll probably be selling my VN6 with a full set of collets (plus duplicates), multiple arbors, and optical X axis vernier for around the same price (maybe...).
I pick up my VN22LU on March 6th, and am still trying to figure out how one person can live with less than three mills!
I had plan to post on the HM Classifieds, and VN Yahoo when/if I'm able to emotionally detach myself.
And calculate a price.... But, that's the price range I'm thinking.

Daryl
MN

MonumentMan said:

I have an opportunity to buy a #16. Appears to be in very good shape. Has a full set of collets but no arbors. How difficult is it to find these? Initial searches on the internet have not been successful. From reading, this looks like a good machine but difficult to find parts for. I think I can get it for $1200.00. In my area that is probably not a bad price.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

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What model are you looking at? The No. 16 came first. The Nos. 16L, 16M and 16S are the next generation. 16Ms usually had a NMTB 40 taper spindle and arbors for those are easier to find.

Cal

Daryl,

Yes, that is the machine I am looking at.

Cal,

He said it was built in 47 or 48 so I am guessing it is a straight 16? Every thing appears to be there except arbors. If the machine has a set of collets, am I correct in assuming I can do anything a normal vertical mill would do on this machine without an arbor?

I just bought a Hendey 14 x 30 and new to all this. I am always making something for my business and tired of paying machinist. My last project cost me 9k in machining and I had to re-fabricate a lot of it myself after if failed.

MonumentMan said:

...
Cal,

He said it was built in 47 or 48 so I am guessing it is a straight 16? Every thing appears to be there except arbors. If the machine has a set of collets, am I correct in assuming I can do anything a normal vertical mill would do on this machine without an arbor?
...

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Your typical Bridgeport-style knee mill has a quill, so they are much handier for drill and boring holes. But as far as milling operations, a Van Norman duplex mill, like the No. 12 and No. 16, is much more ridged and versatile than a Bridgeport. It's not an oversized mill/drill, it's a MILLING machine. The ease with which you can tilt the cutter-head on a Van Norman is very handy, once you learn how to apply it. For example, if you want to chamfer an edge or cut a V-shaped slot, you can quickly tilt the head, make your cut and put the head back to vertical without removing the part from the vise. There's no need to tram the head in after you tilt the head back, like there is with a Bridgeport.

Can you get any pictures of the machine and tooling?

Cal