Used, 1.5hp import milling machine value?

Discussion on all milling machines vertical & horizontal, including but not limited to Bridgeports, Hardinge, South Bend, Clausing, Van Norman, including imports.

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yardiron
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Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2021 2:48 am
Location: NJ

Re: Used, 1.5hp import milling machine value?

Post by yardiron »

I let the Bridgeport vises go, he gave me $500 for the pair, and another $800 for the two Kurt angle lock vises. All were in like new or new condition but I really didn't feel like shipping something that heavy. The Kurt vises were listed for a year online and he was the only reply. I still have three more Bridgeport vises, and two new Kennemetal vises new in the box.
I also found a single older Brown and Sharp scripted vise with 6" wide jaws but only 1.5" tall. I also found a box of extra Bridgeport vise handles.

The Bridgeport vises were sort of a requirement on the smaller machine, they sit nearly 1.5" lower than the Kurt vises, leaving more working space above the vise. When I was using the machine the other week height of the work piece was an issue, with a 5/8" end mill in a collet, long enough to make the 2" deep passes needed, and the 4x3x1inch block of steel in the Bridgeport vise, I was barely able to lower the table enough to get on top of the block clamped in the vise vertical. The machine has only 8" of total travel up and down and I needed to be able to make a 2" deep recess in the center of the piece from the long end and to edge radius the entire piece. I could have clamped it to the table with a sacrificial piece below it but the clamps would have had to be moved more than just flipping it in the vise twice. I was using a 3" long end mill in an R8 collet.


How does wiring degrade just sitting?
The wire on the machine is the same as the wire in the box on the shelf, its no different than a box of wire bought today, MC cable, metal shielded, poly wrapped, vinyl insulated 8ga copper wire. Its attached to the rotor switch and motor on each end with two screws, the other lead connects the motor to the wall box. There is no other wiring in the machine.

What is there is hardly even 'in' the machine, its on the side, and the motor hangs upside down from the rear of the drive case. A total of about $10 worth of MC cable and a $20 rotor switch. I found two boxes of Allen Bradley barrel and rotor switches on the shelf too, along with several 30a push button control boxes like the one on the wall next to the machine. I think the fact that the switch is behind the rotatiing cutting head on the side of the machine is a bad idea all around. You have to reach past the spinning cutter on the left side to turn the machine on and off. Since its sitting in a corner, its not possible to walk around the back to work the switch. The switch on the wall was used to start and stop the motor, the factory switch was left on all the time. Its far safer to just push a button on the wall to the left than to stretch and reach over the table and past the spinning tool. As a guy with a long beard, I really can see the potential for a big problem.

The only thing I see hurting its value is that you can buy a brand new mill from Harbor Freight for $3,000 cash, ($2,400 plus $600 shipping to the store). Plus tax of course. I'd venture to guess that this thing is far better quality than what ever HF is selling. But I do like the lower knee design on their machine better but from what I've heard, those are not very well made machines. The fit and finish even in the pic doesn't look good compared to what I've got here. The same compared to the Grizzly machine, the table on this machine is gunmetal blued, not raw, the slots are deep and the ends form an oil troth with a plug for recovery if you wish. The table is very much like the one on the Bridgeport I used to use in design. Its also thicker than the one on the Grizzly.
After watching a video on youtube of a guy running a Grizzly machine, I think mine is a good bit larger overall. I have a Bridgeport vise at each end of my table, and easily enough room to mount at least three more, maybe four more in between. I have five slots vs three too. I'm 6ft3in tall, and the machine sits on 7" rubber pads that raise the thing off the floor about 3" I have to stand tippy toe to see into the belt drive case with the lid open.
The table is not 'full size' the table on the American Eagle I sold first was 12x48" and that was at least 6 or 8" longer than the MSC, and a couple inches deeper.

The one thing I'd likely change if I keep it is likely the belts, or at least have a new set on hand. I don' suppose anyone local would have three matched pairs of belts on hand if I needed them.
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Bill Shields
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Re: Used, 1.5hp import milling machine value?

Post by Bill Shields »

to be obvious:

why don't you take a few pictures and post it for sale in the appropriate section.

put a price on it and see how many nibbles you get.

you might also try DiscoverLiveSteam.com
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
yardiron
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2021 2:48 am
Location: NJ

Re: Used, 1.5hp import milling machine value?

Post by yardiron »

I didn't forget about this post, I just haven't had the chance to get out there and take a few pics.

Its been a busy couple weeks here. I was hoping to make the next trip out there with an enclosed truck so i can bring home a few items, including one of the smaller lathes.

I did find two more unmarked but older milling vises in one crate I did bring home, plus two more Bridgeport vises. He must have been buying every vise he ran across used at some point, I'm finding them all over the place there, on shelves, under benches, in boxes, and even two atop the furnace for some reason. (I think those were put there to keep the thing from rattling because with them gone, it rattles and rumbles pretty bad. I had to take a chunk of railroad iron and put it on the top of the cabinet where the vises were to quiet it down the last time I was there).

I haven't really decided whether I'll sell this or try and get it into the basement at my house. I don't mind keeping it but I think it may be easier to just find a smaller bench top type mill for the sort of things need it for.
The big 'IF' will be how much the main casting weights when its all apart, of 'IF' I can leave some of it together and move it that way. I can get it to the house whole, the shop has a set pf 15" overhead beams and a track winch set up rated to 5500 lbs, I used it years ago to lift my back hoe up off its front axle for some repairs so it'll have no problem lifting the mill high enough to back a trailer under it. I have a barrel of heavy pipes that I can roll it on as well.

I'm thinking that I can most likely remove the motor, then remove the upper turret section and handle that whole with two guys and a hand truck.
I'd remove the pads, remove the table itself and then see what the rest weighs. If its too heavy that way, I'll remove the knee assembly too. After that its all one chunk of iron. What I'm thinking though is that its likely mostly hollow.

I'm thinking that if it weighs in at 1000 lbs,
the motor is likely 80 lbs, the wiring, switch, and light are another 5lbs.
The table is likely 120lbs, the table hardware another 15 lbs.
The upper turret, pulleys, and drive case is likely around 225lbs or so.
That leaves 550lbs or so for the rest. The knee casting and slide and hardware is likely another 140 lbs or so.
Leaving the main casting at around 415 lbs.
I think two guys can handle 415 lbs if its strapped to a handtruck and slowly walked down the stairs.
I and a buddy were able to carry 50" wide bottom tool box down the stairs with not much trouble at all two years ago, it was heavy but we just grabbed an end and took it down the steps. I set up a platform at the bottom on some car wheels and plywood to allow us to be able to set the box down and turn it past the bottom of the stairs. The mill won't be as long ad should be able to be taken all the way down to the bottom having enough room to pivot and turn. (The stairs are only 39" from the wall at the bottom).
The stairs are very long and gradual, which isn't the best for a lot of weight but I've added a few supports already and would add a few temporary supports for moving the mill.
whateg0
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Location: Wichita, KS

Re: Used, 1.5hp import milling machine value?

Post by whateg0 »

Mrpete222 has videos of him moving machines into his basement
Mr Ron
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Location: Vancleave, Mississippi

Re: Used, 1.5hp import milling machine value?

Post by Mr Ron »

I have a similar machine made in Taiwan. Based on the condition of the economy, I feel you could get more than $1500. A new comparable machine is around $6000, so a price around $2500 doesn't sound unreasonable as long as it is in good shape. I definitely would not compare it to a HF machine.
Mr.Ron from South Mississippi
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