Help ID Enco mill drill

[mikey]

Also on the RF there is a knob in the middle of the drill handles tight the drill handle only works, loose the fine feed works. I could have this backwards as I just use the fine feed. Yours doesn't seem to have the knob so I wonder if you push the handle in?

Yeah, that's backwards but as you noted, this one doesn't have the knob in the middle of the downfeed to engage the fine feed wheel. I'm wondering if it has power downfeed? Cannot tell with the pics available but if it is a power downfeed then there will be a motor behind that fine feed wheel and the handles will be able to move in and out. I don't see how those handles can move toward or away from the head so it probably isn't a powered feed.

This looks like a Taiwanese Rong Fu but it is not an RF-30/31; an early predecessor of an RF-45?. There are some significant differences from the RF-30/31, notably the Reeve's drive, the angled handle to raise and lower the head, the lack of the fine feed engagement knob, the outboard depth control and the different appearance of the quill spring housing.

Regardless, it should be straightforward to take it apart for servicing. Parts might be a challenge, though.

 

[mmcmdl]

It's no Bridgeport but it IS a mill . congrats on getting it , now find that space in the garage ?

 

[T Bredehoft]

I can't remember where I saw it, but one owner had applied a 1" dia. rod mounted vertically behind the head, secured top and bottom, with a roller ball bearing mounted on the head, to keep it from rotating when not secured. It wouldn't loose X and Y when raised or lowered.

 

[mikey]

I think that was Cuppa' Joe on Youtube. A more recent iteration is from Bruce Wittingham called the True Line 88. I have one but haven't had time to install and review it. I will, though.

 

[Canuck75]

Seebeeman,-

I have a King PDM 30 (RF31 style) mill and use it all the time. Made lots of mods, including one to keep the X (see my post "Keeping the X on a Round Column Mill") which might be of interest. Meets all my needs as a hobbyist so am very happy with it.
Could you post pictures of the variable speed mechanism if you get it. Would be a great mod to attempt.


Thanks

 

[seabeeman]

Progress! We picked the coldest day in a decade to move this thing, but it's done. I had -40F at the house this morning without wind chill and it was about -20 when we were actually loading/unloading it, but it is in my garage! I've been reading everything I can on this and am already dreaming of DRO's, power X feeds, and a True-Line 88 system.

Progress thus far has been cleaning it up and figuring out the fine down feed spring and fine feed wheel, which I have done. I'm new to this but can't find pictures of anything like this online. A round column mill, not a drill press, with a variable speed head and the down feed setup it has.

The head looks kind of like a snowmobile clutch system with a two speed pulley off the motor hooked up to a large belt and an adjustable sheave on the quill. Turning that wheel pulls a wedge in on top of the sheave, compressing it and increasing it's diameter. Looks like a very tough system and I would think a snowmobile belt could be found to replace the one on there if needed.

As to the fine down feed wheel, the pieces were just stuck. Inboard of the handle is a large threaded "collar" that bears on a keyed, toothed collar. When the first piece is threaded in, away from the handle, it pushed that toothed collar into the worm wheel driven by the worm gear on the fine adjustment handle. Turn that first collar back out and it disengages. Problem number 1 down.

I also figured out the down feed spring. C-Bag mentioned the coiled spring in the round cover, but this one doesn't have provisions for a bolt. Rather, there is a plate behind that screwed to the casting with 4 tabs punched in, creating for inward notches. That coil spring housing has 2 roll pins sticking out of it that engage those tabs. Both roll pins were broken off. A trip to the hardware store and the vertical feed should be back in business.

Still no luck figuring out an exact make and model, but I noticed the tag says "Fing Industries Inc" and it is made in Taiwan. It's also a 1HP 110/220V model which I can't find referenced anywhere either. Everything else seems to be 1.5HP at a minimum.

 

[C-Bag]

Thanks for the pics. Good sleuthing out the functions.

I'm going to be surprised if you find an exact manual or parts list. I don't think there is a lot of these around.

 

[mikey]

Glad you're getting this sorted. I'm with C-bag on this one - it is going to be interesting finding a parts breakdown for that mill.

One option to explore might be to give MSC a call. Since Enco sold the mill, they may have a pdf parts manual available.

In the very near future, I suggest you check the spindle for wear and concentricity. If the run out is more than a few tenths then it may be the bearings, the drive sleeve or the spindle itself. If you can identify the part numbers then they might have a new spindle and drive sleeve lying around that you can buy - fingers crossed.