What's the model name of this Enco?

[bulgie]

I just bought an Enco, not sure of model, maybe you can help me with that?

Swing is about 16", Table = 8-1/4" x 28-3/4".
Here are a couple pictures.





The badge on the front of the head has (I think) "2050009", not beautiful penmanship but it does appear to be original from the factory. Googling on the number has so far gotten me nothing, so maybe that's a serial number not a model?

Motor has a date on it, 2002, and appears to be original. In 2002, were Enco mill-drills made in Taiwan or in China? (Please let it be Taiwan! But it was cheap enough I'll live with it either way)

Neither the mill nor the motor have any country of origin marked on them. Though all the stickers are there and readable, looks like they just chose not to say! (Is that even legal??) I don't have any manual or other documentation.

My first mill! I used to run a Bridgeport at work, but never had one at home before. this is strictly for my hobbies and the usual little home-handyman stuff. I know the limitations but it should be plenty for my modest needs.

Thanks a million
Mark

 

[NCjeeper]

Maybe look up Rong Fu 25 and 30 models.

 

[C-Bag]

It’s either a real RongFu 30 or clone.

 

[mickri]

Welcome to the forum.
This manual should be close to your Enco.

 

[bulgie]

Thanks @NCjeeper @C-Bag and @mickri . Mickri, that RF-30 does look a lot like mine, just a couple minor differences. I expect that manual will be just about perfect.

Anyone have any ideas on country of origin?

 

[landsharkey]

I don’t see any difference from a 1989 Enco that was made in Taiwan other than the Enco sticker. It looks nice and barely used.
Is that a 4” vise on there?

 

[RJSakowski]

The numbers on the plate may be a company asset number. I would expect a factory serial number to be a cleaner stamping.

 

[bulgie]

I don’t see any difference from a 1989 Enco that was made in Taiwan other than the Enco sticker. It looks nice and barely used.
Is that a 4” vise on there?

Yes, 4".

Mine looks identical in almost every way to the one in this epic thread, which was said to be a '95 IIRC. Only the paint color and the style/wording of the big Enco sticker up top is different. (The older sticker says Made in Taiwan and mine doesn't.) So maybe nothing of any importance changed between '89 and 2002. Other than maybe being cloned and made in China instead of by Rong Fu in Taiwan? I heard Enco later sold Chinese clones, but I haven't heard a date for when that happened. Are the clones really that exact? (Wouldn't surprise me.)

Main reason I'm hoping mine is Taiwanese is intangible, "owner satisfaction" or some such. I just don't want any Chinese machine tools in my shop. Am I a snob? (Probably!)

Been searching for a long time for a "right size" mill at a price I can afford. Now I'stuck with this one. Haven't made chips yet, but I'm sure it'll suffice.

 

[bulgie]

The numbers on the plate may be a company asset number. I would expect a factory serial number to be a cleaner stamping.

Thanks, hadn't thought of that.

 

[mickri]

Time to start making some chips. On my Excel I found the X & Y dials to be spot on to the movement of the table. Note that one full turn of the dials is 0.125. Not 0.100. The Z dial is way off. I think this is due to how the Z dial is engaged by fiction. So I always measure the amount of Z travel with a caliper.