I haven't touched a mill in at least 25 years but i've been needing a drill press. Not just a little drill press but a decent one. after seeing the prices on those and having been playing a friends cnc plasma table, well, more like total teardown, electrical troubleshooting, computer/software replacement, and then full setup, i was hooked on cnc.
So i've been watching local ads for roughly 8 months, just waiting for the right deal to come along. It finally did this week.
I learned you can pick up a Wells Index 745 with a 2 ton cherry picker too LOL.
I ended up with the mill, some kind of rotary table with swappable "surfaces", one is like a lathe chuck, and one is a flat plate with grooves, made by Rutland. Also got a complete collet set, all R8, few handfuls of various used end mills, couple of boring heads, 3 snap on tap and die sets (not sure how its related to the mill but i wasn't complaining), a huge wooden box of what looks like 99 (10x10 layout minus 1) incremental woodruff key bits with only one having any use, a chineseum vise, starret dial indicator with magnet base, and all the t bolts, i guess they are called, that slide in the table to hold work in place as well as all the interlocking stepped pieces for those.
The quill spins freely and moves up and down well, x, y, and z, all move nice now but took a little back and forth to get going. This thing has been in storage in Arizona for a decade so i'm sure all the grease is shot. Even if it is not, its getting replaced. Only thing i couldn't test was the motor and i'm not too concerned about that. Its a 2hp 220 3 phase, so if its bad, its cheap. Just need to hunt down a VFD and figure that out.
My biggest fear was something being seized up and rust on the ways but they look great since they are coated with a fine layer of grease.
As i tear into it next week, i'll get some pics to help with the many questions i'm sure to have.
So far, the only noticeable issue is the shaft for z axis is bent at handle. The handle still goes on and it still works, but it is noticeably bent.
I only got two pics after i got it home and unloaded and the head is still rotated down. The pic in the storage shed was all i had to go on but you can see the rotary thing on the table. It has to weigh 80+ pounds. Took a camera with me but it was WAY to hot today to mess with it. Thinking i couldn't go wrong for $1000 out the door, no delivery though .
So i've been watching local ads for roughly 8 months, just waiting for the right deal to come along. It finally did this week.
I learned you can pick up a Wells Index 745 with a 2 ton cherry picker too LOL.
I ended up with the mill, some kind of rotary table with swappable "surfaces", one is like a lathe chuck, and one is a flat plate with grooves, made by Rutland. Also got a complete collet set, all R8, few handfuls of various used end mills, couple of boring heads, 3 snap on tap and die sets (not sure how its related to the mill but i wasn't complaining), a huge wooden box of what looks like 99 (10x10 layout minus 1) incremental woodruff key bits with only one having any use, a chineseum vise, starret dial indicator with magnet base, and all the t bolts, i guess they are called, that slide in the table to hold work in place as well as all the interlocking stepped pieces for those.
The quill spins freely and moves up and down well, x, y, and z, all move nice now but took a little back and forth to get going. This thing has been in storage in Arizona for a decade so i'm sure all the grease is shot. Even if it is not, its getting replaced. Only thing i couldn't test was the motor and i'm not too concerned about that. Its a 2hp 220 3 phase, so if its bad, its cheap. Just need to hunt down a VFD and figure that out.
My biggest fear was something being seized up and rust on the ways but they look great since they are coated with a fine layer of grease.
As i tear into it next week, i'll get some pics to help with the many questions i'm sure to have.
So far, the only noticeable issue is the shaft for z axis is bent at handle. The handle still goes on and it still works, but it is noticeably bent.
I only got two pics after i got it home and unloaded and the head is still rotated down. The pic in the storage shed was all i had to go on but you can see the rotary thing on the table. It has to weigh 80+ pounds. Took a camera with me but it was WAY to hot today to mess with it. Thinking i couldn't go wrong for $1000 out the door, no delivery though .