Would you buy....

You are completely right. This is why the current owner is dumping it. I'd love to have an old/strong, not Chinese mill...but not if it's a paperweight. I'm looking at Grizzly and P.M. while watching Craigslist. It kills me that I missed out pre-tariff @ Grizzly and the great deal with P.M on Amazon. SO MANY nice/older machines available if I lived in the great lakes/east coast area. I have to be quick with Craigslist, 24 hours and he better stuff is GONE!
 
GunsOfNavarone said:
You are completely right. This is why the current owner is dumping it. I'd love to have an old/strong, not Chinese mill...but not if it's a paperweight. I'm looking at Grizzly and P.M. while watching Craigslist. It kills me that I missed out pre-tariff @ Grizzly and the great deal with P.M on Amazon. SO MANY nice/older machines available if I lived in the great lakes/east coast area. I have to be quick with Craigslist, 24 hours and he better stuff is GONE!
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Heck, at least you do not live in a machine tool desert (Yea, I know you are close). I picked up my Fosdick drill press from near you. My mill, I hauled back from Salt Lake city. This last South Bend, I drove over 2 hrs south of me. Here, if you do not catch a tool within 1/2 hr of its posting, forgot it.

Definitely better pickings on the East coast. About ten years back, I moved here from Pa. I set some of my good friends up with some good tools, rather then moving them out here, thinking I could easily replace them. Still workin on it.
 
It's strange, but I feel like if I could hold out for a Bridgeport or the likes, I'd get a better machine and a decent start on tooling/accessories. I have the cash in my safe for a random purchase like that, but having to go rent a uhaul trailer first, takes the spontaneity out of a first come first serve purchase like that.
 
Yea, having a trailer helps.

Sucks to rent a Uhaul, and end up not wanting it. Or worse, renting the Uhaul, and drive for 2 hours, and have the seller call, and say it was just sold. Had both happen to me.
 
Thats basically the rong fu, 30 or what ever the magic number is. I have a similar, but much more used, and worn mill. For a hobbyist, it can do a lot. Price initially seems a bit high, but it does look hardly used. so ??? Changing belts gets old, maybe a treadmill motor conversion in the future.

It looks like they only used it as a fancy drill. You would be better getting a set of R8 colets, or an R8 to ER40 chuck, and set of ER40 colets (thats how I use mine).

Definitely worth taking a look, if you can be the first responder.
 
I think the lead screw, and nuts, are the biggest wear items. Check the backlash, and how smooth the table moves. It would not be a deal breaker, as they are easy to get. Could be a bargaining point.
 
If you are looking at projects bigger then a six pack, I would hold off for a bigger mill. But small projects, even with the round column, are easy to do. I use my rung foo probably about the same amount as the Van Norman. Its smaller, and easier to set up.
 
Yeah, that chuck looks WIMPY...that would have to go. A good chuck...$300 ish. A round column i don't want, but if I can get a good deal...(I don't think $1400 is a good deal) 2 hp and has a large (way bigger than most I've been looking at) table travel. Doesn't really come with anything of value.
 
I have the RF 40. I do not consider the round column that big of a deal. The spindle stays 90 degs to the table, The only thing you loose is the exact X-Y position. Mine was well worn. I got it for $600, and have probably about another $500 in seals, a lead screw, nut, handle, and gib locks.
 
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