what should I pay for this Enco mill?

"Rules" like this are absurd and have no value whatsoever, other than to prevent one from actually using his head to identify a real deal. For example, if you are shopping for a clean, used milling machine, and someone has just what you're looking for, in like new condition, for 60% of new cost, your "rule" would make you pass on an excellent deal.

I can always break the rule! :) It's less of a "rule" and more of a guide. There's a few sellers trying to sell lean, used mills for $1400 and up. They are priced way too high based on what I've seen sell over the past few weeks. Anything priced below $900 gets sold quickly. Theirs have been sitting for at least 5 weeks. That tells me that my guide is about right, since a new mill is about $1800-$2000. I think sellers on CL pad their prices, expecting people to offer less. We all want to think we are getting a good deal, so I assume they are padding it and offer less. I have nothing to lose; they can counter and I can accept or reject. I suppose it would be different if I lived outside a major metro area.
You raise an interesting point, though; at what percentage of "new" do we decide is too much? Your example of 60% is really close to my 50%, so I might be willing to pay it. Those listings for $1400 are 70% of $2000; that's too close to new prices to justify buying from a stranger on CL with no returns or warranty. It's really a judgement call, I suppose. To me, and excellent deal is 50% or less of new.
 
The problem is the "new" price has changed, sometimes a lot on the older mills. There is a ton of details to take in. My experience with CL is the ones who are asking too much are not the original owners and they have scanned new prices where ever and always quote them. Trying to point out their price is out of line has never made anybody budge significantly. The only thing that's worked for me is to show up, face to face and go from there. Pic's always look way better than the machine looks like in the flesh so when they look ragged online they are going to look even worse live. I also try to not get too attached to the deal beforehand. That way I can be calm about dickering.
 
Does anyone know where I can find the cover for the belts? One of the mills I'm looking at is missing it. It's probably not critical that I have it, but I'd like to know if one is even available. The seller seems to have lost it. A quick Google search didn't turn up anything. Maybe I'm not using the right term? However, I did find the Grizzly version, but I'm not sure if it's EXACTLY the same.

belt cover.jpg
 
I've tossed out a low ball offer and have had it accepted. I call those throw away offers or bids. That was the 25% in parts machine, chuckle. It's better machine than new now. In that case the fellow had picked it up at an auction for peanuts obviously.
 
That cover is removable via the PIN type hinges.

Many of us just leave it off as it gets in the way every time you want to chnage belts for the spindle speed.
 
That cover is removable via the PIN type hinges.

Many of us just leave it off as it gets in the way every time you want to chnage belts for the spindle speed.

and rattle and buzz like crazy if left open.
 
I leave my cover off. Like above it's a pain to remove to change the belts and rattles. Your hands are no where near when using the mill. You can claim its a safety issue to a seller offer a lower price.
 
UPDATE:
I went and saw the mills in posts #36 and #41.

Post #41 (Enco): I've decided, after seeing one in person, that an RF-31 is just too big. I took a look at it and thought, "I'm not really ever going to need that much table." The whole machine is also bigger than I thought it would be. The column is 4 5/8" in diameter, which confirmed for me that it was the bigger one. The Z-axis downfeed was underwhelming to me. The large bolts that are tightened to keep the head from rotating are not original, so the heads are a bit smaller and require you to wedge a screwdriver in there to keep them from rotating as you turn the bolt. The rotating vise is actually a compound slide off a lathe. Otherwise it was a nice machine. The seller was asking $925, I offered $800 and he didn't counter except to say he was firm, didn't really need to sell it and had a few others coming to look. He posted it awhile ago for $1,100 and got no takers, so he lowered the price and his getting more bites.

Post #36: what a mess! The seller has this at a friend's house. The seller took the motor, switch cover and switch lever off. He had them all on a plastic box, but his buddy lost the nuts for the motor bolts, the nuts for the bolts that are tightened to keep the head from rotating, and the top belt cover. The garage it was in was a total mess, so we had a hard time finding everything. He told me he took one of the lead-screws off. Not sure why he did this, but everything worked when I tested it. The machine was filthy; it was covered with a thick grime. The seller was using steel wool to get it off. The motor runs fine (it was wired, just not mounted on the machine), the main spindle bearing appears to be ok, but the middle pully bearing runs a little rough. This whole machine badly needs lubing. The handles on the tables looked melted. The rest of the handles were missing or had a bolt only. The spindle lock handle and downfeed handles were gone. These didn't appear to be similar to what I've usually seen on these mills so I'm wondering if it's "aftermarket" or a replacement. The downfeed axle was chewed up bad, so attaching another downfeed handle assembly will be an issue. A y-axis lock bolt on the side of the table was missing.

The label reads "Samson", so I'm not sure what this is equivalent to. The machine is painted green. The column was 4" in diameter which leads me to believe this is a smaller machine. It was on the ground, though, so maybe my perspective was off. It seemed much smaller than the bigger one. I think I may take another look at the next size down.

I told him I'd think about it. He was asking $750. I'm thinking of offering way less, given the condition. I'm thinking I could maybe get a new/used downfeed mechanism and spindle lock. I'd have to take the machine apart and clean and lube it. The top cover I could leave off. How hard is it to disassemble these machines? Are used parts even available? Or, I'll keep looking.

Thoughts?
 
Unless he is willing to sell it for next to nothing as a project and you are ok with fixing it before you can use it I would pass. I am thinking between $100 to $150 at most.
 
Myself? Being a newbie at this, if in your position - with having free access to larger machines at work, and being really limited on space at home - I'd be spending a lot more time at work, after hours. But, that's just me.
 
Back
Top