I was wanting a vertical mill to go with my atlay lathe and burke horizontal mill and was contemplating a cheaper harbor freight unit to get started but never could pull the trigger on it.

I was carousing the local classifieds and saw an ad for this ... it was cheaper than the small harbor freight unit and I could not say no. It is a lot bigger than I thought from the picture was in the ad.

Very minor surface rust and every thing seems to be in good order. I need to make a stand for it now. It should get me started.

I hope it will be useful for smithing !

My new to me rf 30 made in Taiwan

That's probably as good as, if not better than, anything you'd get from Harbor Freight.

from what I am finding out it is a better build than the chinese stuff and a decent unit other than if ya need to reposition the head during a machining operation for a deeper cut etc.

If I need a deeper cut I can walk to the neighbors and use his full size index mill.

oh your in for fun.....lol....I'm talking to a neighbor across the street now,( he's a "older" retired tool & die guy), went to his garage sale and got an South Bend 13"x42" Engine Lathe, 1 1/2 hp Single Phase, 3 & 4 Jaw Chucks, Rocker Toolpost and holders all for the price of.....

" ah....just get it out of here, if I need it I know where it's at "

But, he also knows I'm looking really hard at his Bridgeport Knee Mill that was sitting under all that dust.....Said he'd think about it, depends on if I'm planning on plowing snow or not this winter...

"time to let the chips fly..."

Now you're talking.

Interesting post Kritter! I am a tool & die maker with 34 years of experience. Old school/ new school here. Have a good hand on old school and about 10 years into CNC stuff. Got about 10 years left to go until retirement. Most likely I will be making chips somewhere until I die. Now you need some good projects and involve the retired toolmaker in to learn the ropes....

I had an Enco mill/drill in the early eighties, I built 3 single shot actions and rifles on it, one legal machine pistol and milled many govt. model slides for Wichita and Bomar sights. They are good if you down feed .125 it will go down .125. I sold it and now have J head Bridgeport. Jeff

I have been perusing the local ads to see if I can find a single phase mill and lathe....everything that I seem to come across is way to big and is 3 phase....I am NOT going to northern tool or harbor freight....there are enough small shops going under that I am sure that I can find a decent mill/lathe for not to much dough....and later need to find some competent help to learn to use it

I am always lookin for the old American at the "steal" pricing and still am but this will do for 200.00 and the guys who actually had these mill/drills and the clones seem to like em and learned quite a bit before they "upgrade"

This one was supposedly owned by a machinist for home use and when he retired he dropped it off at the company he worked for. They tripped over it for several years and since they have real machines they decided to move her out- I believe the story so far

Of course I like the American machines and seek them but just have not met up with the right deal yet. I WILL eventually

Hey JRM53- can I ask what single shots ya built? Where may I find plans?

Thanks for the additional encouragement and not more of the "Bridgeport is better" yappin

Hey Kritter I am in NEO- where is that mill at

right across the street from me..... :-)

You can find used (or build) a rotary phase converter to resolve the power issue. I am not talking about the electronic static converters, but essentially an MG set. The power companies make three phase electricity by spinning a three phase generator. You can too, you just spin it with a single phase motor instead of steam or water and you make the power at a lower voltage. If you size it to run the largest machine, you can hook up every 3ph. tool in the shop to it as long as you only run one tool at a time (or size it for combined loads if you want to run more). A hobby shop can stand the productivity hit. I have an old Monarch (1939 model) tool room lathe that was converted to single phase 220v by retrofit of a DC drive. For the mill (that I haven't found yet) I will likely use the phase converter.

Tall Paul, Did you ever price "Grizzly" equipment? They have lathes and mills and other neat stuff.

2fingers- yes I know of and have priced the grizzly stuff. I believe it is all rebadged asian stuff as most of the others isn't it?

I just keep lookin for deals on this stuff- I use the stuff mostly to repair my equipment with some hobby use to learn.

I will still be lookin and maybe converting this to cnc if I can do it cheap enough. It has been done.

If I ever get real serious and have the need the new stuff would be an option but for now used is good.

Tallpaul the actions that I built were designed by Frank de Haas from Iowa he sold the plans He also had a couple of single shot paper back books on the single shot rifles one being "Single shot rifles and actions" IBSN 0-910676-01-X published in 1969 also there was an article on his actions in the Rifle magazine published by Wolfe in Az. These rifle are somwhat odd as the lever does not open like Ruger No 1 but instead pulls back to the pistol grip of the stock. I built these in 1980 and 1981. Jeff

I've gotten along with a 'Jet' mfg mill/drill for the last 20 years or so and it's done what I've needed it to do. Never had it break down or anything like that. I don't do any heavy duty machine work but for my restoration & rebuilding work it's been everything I could ask.
I've made alot of parts and done lots of repairs with that machine.

I have an ancient Cincinnati 'Catarac' verticle (bench) knee mill of very small capacity (is that the right term?--the table & travel is small on it).
It's in the ever popular 'forever being rebuilt' phase, but hope one day to get it completed, reassembled and put it to some use.

I have a jet 16 Mill/Drill that I've been using since the early 80s and its still going strong. Don't sell them short, you'd be suprised what you can do with one with a bit of imagination.

I've fluted several barrels, made tons of jigs and other tools, resurfaced flywheels, and done valve jobs. Great for sight work, cutting keyways and V cuts for sights. Just a few things I can think of I've done over the last 30 plus years. Use care in set up and you can do most anything. Just dont think you got to make deep hogging cuts. Take your time.

You have a 13" dia. X 42" swing lathe in you garage? Neat. Now all you need is a horizontal Mill with a gang cutter set up. Sounds like you may have a busy winter in the garage.

__________________
Always Stay Strong!

I have a very similar looking mill for popping holes in this when the cnc's are busy.

Works good. It was a schools mill and had no holes or damage done to it. Ways are excellent and the table moves nice and smooth / accurately. The spindle has a little play in it.

I paid $400 for mine with a vise and some other stuff. The Rong Fu ( I believe that's what KBC/Jet were selling in that era, are actually really good mills.

I think you'll be plenty happy with it.

Todd