Anybody have this mill/lathe combo?

[speedracing944]

I am looking at purchasing a mill/lathe combination so I can make parts for my V-8 swap project. This is the product I am looking at.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44142
Does anybody own one of these? What are you impressions from operating it? If you are located close to Madison Wisconsin can I take a look at it?

Speedy

[turbo6bar]

I think you could mill aluminum well, but if you're working steel you might be asking too much.

I have no personal experience, but I've heard they are a compromise and resale is not so great.

What type of work are you trying do?

[M.D. Holloway]

One of my engineers has that one - he uses it mostly on Al and is satisfied but for any harder alloys it can have too much slop - at least that is what he found to be true.

I wonder if you couldn't get your hands on an old Bridgeport for a mach shop that has upgraded. A few times a year I seem to come accross a shop that is dumping their old one for a new model. They are big but bulletproof. If I had a barn to store one in I would snag one for trasnpo costs. The midwest should be filthy with them - check out shops in the Detroit aera, I bet they are gonna be a bunch filing chapter 11.

[RickM]

The problem with the combo lathe/mills is that you have to typically "dismantle" one process to do the other. Therefore, setup time is lengthened and tedious.

If you want separate machines on a budget I'd suggest a good Taiwanese lathe and an older Clausing mill. They are very well made "hobbyist" machines.

To get around the 3 phase requirement in a home environment go with a Frequency Converter as opposed to a rotary or static converter. You will be able to convert your single phase service, govern speed and motor direction with a small solid state device.

Just my 2 cents.

[speedracing944]

Face mill a bellhousing (Al), drill/tap some holes in the bellhousing to mount the torque tube, make motor mounts (steel), machine pilot bearing adapters using the lathe and other little items. The biggest would be the bellhousing but I don't think it would bog down the mill seeing as it is aluminum.

I would love a full size bridgeport but lack the space, 3 phase power and the $4000 for a used piece of equipment.

More thoughts please.

Speedy

[speedracing944]

I have looked at Ebay and was blown away at the prices. If I could locate one for just a little above transportation costs i could always adapt a single phase motor.

Any leads on one?

Speedy

[M.D. Holloway]

I will keep my eyes and ears open - I just had the opportunity a few months ago in Iowa. The fab company did publisize it but when I was talking to the plant manager he said that the mill they had replaced was sitting out back and was waiting to go to scrap. I asked what was wrong with it he said that it lacked the plc and computer setup thatthe new ones had. The thing must have been 40 years old and was all mechanical. Setup time and accuracy was dictated by hand and feel rather than the laser guided automatic stuff of today.

He said I could have it but lets face it, I would be hard freaken pressed to move 8 zillion pounds of bridgeport iron half way accross country to have it take up my usable space in the garage.

[turbo6bar]

A homebrew rotary phase converter is all you need for 3 phase. I have an old Newport milling machine (Bridgeport copy) and it runs great on the rotary phase converter. If you want to do the Made in USA theme, get a surplus Baldor motor from eBay. You're good to go.

[RickM]

Turbo, I've found the Frequency converters to be in the same price range or less and more versatile. Am I off base here?

[turbo6bar]

How much are frequency converters? About 5 years ago, there was no contest in price. A surplus 2 HP Baldor motor from eBay and 4 large uF caps and it was built. I have full forward and reverse on my milling machine, but I imagine the frequency converter can change motor speed. That would be a nice feature, but I would not pay a premium.

Jurgen

[RickM]

Jurgen, I bought two on Ebay for under $200. Both capable of 3 1/2 to 5hp. Maybe not enough for some Bridgeports but sufficient for my machinery. New is another story....not cheap.

[turbo6bar]

At that price, frequency converter it is. I bought the Newport on eBay, also, but at that time frequency converters were high $$$ items, even on eBay.
regards,
jurgen