Long Chang LC-30A mill resto

[DavidR8]

Hey all, as many of you know, I week or so ago I bought a new-to-me Long Chang LC-30A mill drill.

I bought it from the second owner who bought it from a local machine shop. The fellow I bought it from only used it as a drill press.
It didn't come with any tooling unless the factory drawbar counts. It has an MT3 spindle which I know is not the norm for mills but it will do for my needs at this point.

Over all it's in good condition, just really grimy and covered in crud. In disassembling it to get it out of my truck I think that there is still some of the original cosmoline on the column. Nasty stuff.

My plan is to pull it apart, clean and inspect everything and then reassemble. It will likely get paint as there was a lot of bondo-type filler that was dislodged when I pulled the column off the base.

I need to fashion a gantry crane so I can move the thing around my shop. Getting it off the truck in pieces was one thing, lifting pieces onto my bench is something altogether different.

PIctures to follow

 

[mikey]

I'll be following along, Dave. These things are all pretty much the same and a lot of us have one so if you get stuck, sing out and I'm sure we can figure it out.

 

[DavidR8]

Thanks @mikey
It will be the first time in dig into something like this so I have every expectation that I’ll be calling on the combined brain trust!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RYAN S]

Pictures please!!

 

[DavidR8]

These are repeats for a lot of folks but I think it's best to put them all in one place
Mill in the sellers shop

In my truck

Column off for unloading. Motor is already off.

Base coming off

Base in the garage

Shims on the base

Casting dross in the base

Table well

Leadscrew cover

Bondo on base

Column with chipped paint

Y-axis leadscrew. Check out that lump of extra casting!

 

[mickri]

The stand that my mill/drill sits on has locking casters. Makes it very easy to move it when I need to and I have not noticed it trying to move around the shop when I use it.
Does your garage have a big beam above the garage door? My garage has a 4x14 beam over the garage door that I have lag bolted a heavy duty door hinge to about 4 feet in from one side. I use this with a 1/2 ton chain hoist to pick up heavy items.

 

[DavidR8]

Thanks @mickri
I do have a beam across the door opening, a couple of 9' 2x10s on face. That would like be stout enough to lift the mill if I brace them.
Do you have any pics of your base?

 

[ttabbal]

I use a 2 ton HF engine hoist. It can move a Bridgeport around, should handle your new mill fine. I figured I would try it as I already owned it for its intended use. Turned out to work well for moving and lifting big stuff.

However you lift stuff. Always try to think about how it can shift. I've had some unexpected results that could have caused injury if I were not careful.

 

[DavidR8]

Duly noted @ttabbal! I'm no fan of injury

 

[mickri]