USED Milling Machine / Upgrade from RF-45

K

Kscar3318

Registered
Registered
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
18
So there is an industrial surplus dealer local to me that I keep an eye on their machine tool inventory. I currently have an RF-45 square column mill/drill that works okay, but I would love to have a full size mill. I came across these two machines and honestly I have never heard of either brand and wanted to poll HM users to get your thoughts / opinions.

Thank you in advance for all the help!!

hgrinc.com

Used PP1519ECMC Millport Vertical Mill For Sale

Used Millport Vertical Mill For Sale
hgrinc.com hgrinc.com

hgrinc.com

Used Cullman Milling Machine For Sale

Used Cullman Milling Machine For Sale
hgrinc.com hgrinc.com
 
For a first mill, I would choose the Millport, (of the two) . It's more versatile. For $300 you get much more work you can do with the Vertical, as opposed to the Horizontal.

Just my opinion.
 
If you're wanting to get into CNC and don't mind retrofitting a control (assume that the one present doesn't work) then the first one would be worth looking at. Hard pass on the second
 
Vertical mill is more useful than a horizontal mill. The big unknown with the Millport is what condition the electric cnc control is in.
 
Same as what the others said: take a look at the Millport. I know nothing about that brand. Its 3axis CNC, you'd need to add handles (x/y/quill) for manual...possibly need to disengage servos (probably not x/y, maybe the quill servo though). The quill feed arbor is removed and blocked off, so that would need to be addressed if using as a manual mill. It should have ball screws due to the CNC which is a plus; definitely something to check.

Assuming its is reasonable working shape: big jump from benchtop mill/drill. Does look like it will need some TLC and need to work around/with its limitations. The auto-oiler could mean that the ways are in good shape. For $1300? Could be fair deal.
 
Millport is a known industrial maker and Centroid controls are good and upgradable. I worked on upgrading our Centroid based machine at work last year and the company is available for parts and support. I wouldn't try to convert it to manual, so if that's what you want hold out for something else.

Of course, condition is everything. Did you get your RF-45 working well? Your thread on tearing it down didn't come to a conclusion.

If you're wanting to replace the benchtop machine because it has problems you might be better off locating a manual knee mill. If the RF-45 is working well, and you want a CNC, then work the best price you can and know you have a machine to fix anything wrong with it.

Horizontal mill listed is only for a production shop with a specific need, if you needed one you'd already know if it's good and what it's worth.

More info on what you do in your shop will help.

John
 
Restoring a 25+ year old automated mill is an ambitious project, but as they say, with those machines "the bones are there". Did I say it was ambitious?

If I were to go that route, I would stop looking at $1000 auction-reject machines. I would pick up a $2500 range Lagun FT(V)-2S Servo machine. Then replace the control with something open source and modern, and possibly replace the servo drivers too. They are fairly plentiful machines, and would be a hell of a lot easier to work on than the two examples above. They are already ballscrew machines, and can be made to function reasonably well in manual with the addition of handwheels. Many parts for the machine are common to Bridgeport and are available. Lagun still has an inventory of NOS parts in So. Cal too.

Just like buying a car or any other fixer-upper, there is a lot to consider. Would you have an easier time with parts and information while restoring a 1968 Volvo, or a 1968 Chevelle? Well, if you know the answer, stop looking at Volvos. You wont' find parts or information. Go for the Chevy, and you'll find whole forum sections dedicated to answering your questions. Unless you like being a pioneer. Pioneering takes patience and money.
 
Thanks everyone for all of the responses!! After reading through the responses I think the Millport would be more project than I can take on right now.

Ps...How do I mark the thread as closed or solved?

matthewsx said:
Millport is a known industrial maker and Centroid controls are good and upgradable. I worked on upgrading our Centroid based machine at work last year and the company is available for parts and support. I wouldn't try to convert it to manual, so if that's what you want hold out for something else.

Of course, condition is everything. Did you get your RF-45 working well? Your thread on tearing it down didn't come to a conclusion.

If you're wanting to replace the benchtop machine because it has problems you might be better off locating a manual knee mill. If the RF-45 is working well, and you want a CNC, then work the best price you can and know you have a machine to fix anything wrong with it.

Horizontal mill listed is only for a production shop with a specific need, if you needed one you'd already know if it's good and what it's worth.

More info on what you do in your shop will help.

John
Click to expand...
John, to answer your question about my RF-45, yes I got it back together and working better than before in some respects. When I went to reinstall the quill inside the head it would go in about 2/3's of the way and then get really tight. To the point were I was having to use my dead blow hammer to force it the rest of the way. I tried everything I could think of, I cleaned and re-cleaned both inside the head and the outside of the quill, I tried reseating the pinion that engages the quill, etc. to no avail. I should have gone back and updated my post with this, but was so frustrated by that point I didn't even want to look at it...
 
Kscar3318 said:
Thanks everyone for all of the responses!! After reading through the responses I think the Millport would be more project than I can take on right now.

Ps...How do I mark the thread as closed or solved?


John, to answer your question about my RF-45, yes I got it back together and working better than before in some respects. When I went to reinstall the quill inside the head it would go in about 2/3's of the way and then get really tight. To the point were I was having to use my dead blow hammer to force it the rest of the way. I tried everything I could think of, I cleaned and re-cleaned both inside the head and the outside of the quill, I tried reseating the pinion that engages the quill, etc. to no avail. I should have gone back and updated my post with this, but was so frustrated by that point I didn't even want to look at it...
Click to expand...
Threads here live forever unless you start talking politics.

Sounds like something wrong on the RF-45, there should be someone on here who’s done that job and can help out. The search for good and inexpensive machines is an ongoing quest, don’t give up because what you’re looking for might come along when you least expect it.

John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top