Having had an improvement in my financial outlook , I'm looking at mills
again . Lathemaster.com has a square column machine , weighs around 750 lbs
.. Two horse spindle motor , table is 32X9 or so ... and can be had for less
than 2k delivered . Nothing fancy , it is intended for "tabletop" use . I'm
torn between buying a used larger machine and buying something like this one
new .
This has a more powerful motor than some Bridgeports ... and looking at
the design should be close to as rigid . It has the advantage (and drawback
, to be honest) of a slightly shorter table .
Opinions solicited ... anyone have experience with this type machine ?
I've heard good reports about this supplier from several internet forums ...
anyone here dealt with them ?
--

Snag aka OSG #1
'90 Ultra , "Strider"
The road goes on forever ...
none to one to reply

On Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:56:31 -0500, "Snag"
wrote:

Having had an improvement in my financial outlook , I'm looking at mills
again . Lathemaster.com has a square column machine , weighs around 750 lbs
. Two horse spindle motor , table is 32X9 or so ... and can be had for less
than 2k delivered . Nothing fancy , it is intended for "tabletop" use . I'm
torn between buying a used larger machine and buying something like this one
new .
This has a more powerful motor than some Bridgeports ... and looking at
the design should be close to as rigid . It has the advantage (and drawback
, to be honest) of a slightly shorter table .
Opinions solicited ... anyone have experience with this type machine ?
I've heard good reports about this supplier from several internet forums ...
anyone here dealt with them ?

Can't help you with any experience, but I've been looking
too. Wholesale Tools and Enco both have pretty much the same
offerings. I can't believe there is a whole lot of
difference between any of these machines. I will probably
end up with one of the 2hp 4.5 inch round column table top
machines eventually. I just can't quite justify the higher
price for the square column (or dovetail) machines. See:

http://www.wttool.com/category-exec/...Drill_Machines

Maybe this is like the one you are drooling on? Only has a
1.5hp motor though.

http://www.wttool.com/product-exec/p...ovetail_Column

I've only ordered from Wholesale Tool once. Order came next
day via UPS. I don't know how well they deal with freight
shipments. They should be able to give you a quote though if
you call them. During normal business hours they have some
sort of javascript chat mechanism that can be used via their
website. I've seen it popup, but haven't felt the urge to
try it yet. They have more than one location, maybe one of
them is within driving distance. Seems like I remember you
being on the west coast though, probably not an option.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

Leon Fisk wrote:
On Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:56:31 -0500, "Snag"
wrote:

Having had an improvement in my financial outlook , I'm looking at
mills again . Lathemaster.com has a square column machine , weighs
around 750 lbs . Two horse spindle motor , table is 32X9 or so ...
and can be had for less than 2k delivered . Nothing fancy , it is
intended for "tabletop" use . I'm torn between buying a used larger
machine and buying something like this one new .
This has a more powerful motor than some Bridgeports ... and
looking at the design should be close to as rigid . It has the
advantage (and drawback , to be honest) of a slightly shorter table .
Opinions solicited ... anyone have experience with this type
machine ? I've heard good reports about this supplier from several
internet forums ... anyone here dealt with them ?

Can't help you with any experience, but I've been looking
too. Wholesale Tools and Enco both have pretty much the same
offerings. I can't believe there is a whole lot of
difference between any of these machines. I will probably
end up with one of the 2hp 4.5 inch round column table top
machines eventually. I just can't quite justify the higher
price for the square column (or dovetail) machines. See:

http://www.wttool.com/category-exec/...Drill_Machines

Maybe this is like the one you are drooling on? Only has a
1.5hp motor though.

http://www.wttool.com/product-exec/p...ovetail_Column

I've only ordered from Wholesale Tool once. Order came next
day via UPS. I don't know how well they deal with freight
shipments. They should be able to give you a quote though if
you call them. During normal business hours they have some
sort of javascript chat mechanism that can be used via their
website. I've seen it popup, but haven't felt the urge to
try it yet. They have more than one location, maybe one of
them is within driving distance. Seems like I remember you
being on the west coast though, probably not an option.

Yup, the one I'm looking at is very similar to that ZX45 machine . Bigger
motor and some other minor differences , and the price is a bit better at
Lathemaster . I looked at the round column mills a few months ago , and am
convinced that the loss of register when you move the head up or down was
going to be a problem - for my uses . Might not be an issue with you . I'd
really rather have that Van Norman #1 I looked at a few months ago , but
it's apparently 460/3 only and I can't get that (at any kind of reasonable
price) out where the machine is going to end up . 220/1 or 220/3 vfd or
rpcis not a problem though .
Not sure how you placed me on the coast , I'm about 3 miles east of the
Big Muddy in Memphis .
--

Snag aka OSG #1
'90 Ultra , "Strider"
The road goes on forever ...
none to one to reply

On Sat, 20 Oct 2007 14:18:41 -0500, "Snag"
wrote:

snip
Yup, the one I'm looking at is very similar to that ZX45 machine . Bigger
motor and some other minor differences , and the price is a bit better at
Lathemaster . I looked at the round column mills a few months ago , and am
convinced that the loss of register when you move the head up or down was
going to be a problem - for my uses. Might not be an issue with you.

For the kind of stuff I might be doing I think I can deal
with it. I suspect a lot of my "doodling" would be more
eyeballing, rather than .001 inch stuff


I'd really rather have that Van Norman #1 I looked at a few months ago , but
it's apparently 460/3 only and I can't get that (at any kind of reasonable
price) out where the machine is going to end up . 220/1 or 220/3 vfd or
rpcis not a problem though.

I could be wrong, but I think you could run that machine
with a 220 vfd to a 220-440/3phase transformer to the
machine. I guess it depends on whether it has other power
draws on it like a coolant pump, electronics... You maybe
able to go 220-440 and then vfd too. I vaguely remember you
mentioning this machine, but not the details concerning
HP/amps/electronics and stuff. Iggy would know more about
the ~440 volt vfd prices and single to 3-phase stuff.

Not sure how you placed me on the coast , I'm about 3 miles east of the
Big Muddy in Memphis.

I'm probably thinking of "Snarl" then, I get some of you
guys confused It looks like you would be about the same
distance from three different Wholesale Tool stores. Too far
away to be convenient for just looking/picking one up
directly.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

Leon Fisk wrote:
On Sat, 20 Oct 2007 14:18:41 -0500, "Snag"
wrote:


Not sure how you placed me on the coast , I'm about 3 miles east of
the Big Muddy in Memphis.

I'm probably thinking of "Snarl" then, I get some of you
guys confused It looks like you would be about the same
distance from three different Wholesale Tool stores. Too far
away to be convenient for just looking/picking one up
directly.

Snarl and I have a love of large powerful motorcycles in common ... we
both post to a few other places that are more 'cycle oriented .

--

Snag aka OSG #1
'90 Ultra , "Strider"
The road goes on forever ...
none to one to reply

I would be skeptical of the HP rating of a motor from China. I've seen
numerous versions, and any comparison to a motor made in the good 'ol USofA
is difficult, especially true when the US motor was made over 10 years ago.

Typically, the motors from China don't have any internal protective devices
such as those that are included in domestic motors, which have to meet
several agency approvals.

A temperature protection device would cost very little, yet none of the
machine motors from China that I've seen have had them installed.

The quality of the centrifugal switches is very poor, and often fail in a
short time.

I wouldn't consider using a China motor in a demanding application, such as
more than an hour of operation, without at least installing an internal
switch for thermal protection.

WB
..........
metalworking projects
www.kwagmire.com/metal_proj.html


"Snag" wrote in message
...
Having had an improvement in my financial outlook , I'm looking at mills
again . Lathemaster.com has a square column machine , weighs around 750
lbs . Two horse spindle motor , table is 32X9 or so ... and can be had for
less than 2k delivered . Nothing fancy , it is intended for "tabletop" use
. I'm torn between buying a used larger machine and buying something like
this one new .
This has a more powerful motor than some Bridgeports ... and looking at
the design should be close to as rigid . It has the advantage (and
drawback , to be honest) of a slightly shorter table .
Opinions solicited ... anyone have experience with this type machine ?
I've heard good reports about this supplier from several internet forums
... anyone here dealt with them ?
--

Snag aka OSG #1
'90 Ultra , "Strider"
The road goes on forever ...
none to one to reply

Wild_Bill wrote:
I would be skeptical of the HP rating of a motor from China. I've seen
numerous versions, and any comparison to a motor made in the good 'ol
USofA is difficult, especially true when the US motor was made over
10 years ago.
Typically, the motors from China don't have any internal protective
devices such as those that are included in domestic motors, which
have to meet several agency approvals.

A temperature protection device would cost very little, yet none of
the machine motors from China that I've seen have had them installed.

The quality of the centrifugal switches is very poor, and often fail
in a short time.

I wouldn't consider using a China motor in a demanding application,
such as more than an hour of operation, without at least installing
an internal switch for thermal protection.

WB
.........
metalworking projects
www.kwagmire.com/metal_proj.html


"Snag" wrote in message
...
Having had an improvement in my financial outlook , I'm looking at
mills again . Lathemaster.com has a square column machine , weighs
around 750 lbs . Two horse spindle motor , table is 32X9 or so ...
and can be had for less than 2k delivered . Nothing fancy , it is
intended for "tabletop" use . I'm torn between buying a used larger
machine and buying something like this one new .
This has a more powerful motor than some Bridgeports ... and
looking at the design should be close to as rigid . It has the
advantage (and drawback , to be honest) of a slightly shorter table .
Opinions solicited ... anyone have experience with this type
machine ? I've heard good reports about this supplier from several
internet forums ... anyone here dealt with them ?
--

Snag aka OSG #1
'90 Ultra , "Strider"
The road goes on forever ...
none to one to reply

This is why I was hoping someone that posts here has or knows someone who
has or had one of these machines .
Nothing like direct experience ...
--

Snag aka OSG #1
'90 Ultra , "Strider"
The road goes on forever ...
none to one to reply

I would be skeptical of the HP rating of a motor from China. I've seen
numerous versions, and any comparison to a motor made in the good 'ol
USofA is difficult, especially true when the US motor was made over 10
years ago.


The horses they use are just getting smaller. Used to be one horse was a
draft horse like a Clydesdale. A craftsman or china horse is a Shetland
pony.

Karl

On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 05:41:46 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:


I would be skeptical of the HP rating of a motor from China. I've seen
numerous versions, and any comparison to a motor made in the good 'ol
USofA is difficult, especially true when the US motor was made over 10
years ago.


The horses they use are just getting smaller. Used to be one horse was a
draft horse like a Clydesdale. A craftsman or china horse is a Shetland
pony.

Karl

And approaching an undernourished sled dog.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

Gerald Miller wrote:
On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 05:41:46 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:


I would be skeptical of the HP rating of a motor from China. I've
seen numerous versions, and any comparison to a motor made in the
good 'ol USofA is difficult, especially true when the US motor was
made over 10 years ago.


The horses they use are just getting smaller. Used to be one horse
was a draft horse like a Clydesdale. A craftsman or china horse is a
Shetland pony.

Karl

And approaching an undernourished sled dog.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

The horses may be smaller , but two is still twice as many as one ...
I'll be back in the town I saw the Van Norman in a couple of weeks from now
.. A little more research to find out for certain if it can be rewired to
230 will help me decide , assuming they haven't sold it yet . Old American
Iron , excessed from a Navy base at some point and in pretty good shape as
far as I could tell .
Just because I have the money in hand doesn't mean I'm gonna grab the
first machine that comes along . No matter how bad I want one . This is
something that should outlast my grandchildren with proper care and
maintainance . And one of 'em is already interested in makin' chips at 6 .
I been waiting this long , a little while longer to be sure I'm getting
the right machine can't hurt .
--

Snag aka OSG #1
'90 Ultra , "Strider"
The road goes on forever ...
none to one to reply

....
Just because I have the money in hand doesn't mean I'm gonna grab the
first machine that comes along . No matter how bad I want one . This is
something that should outlast my grandchildren with proper care and
maintainance . And one of 'em is already interested in makin' chips at 6 .
I been waiting this long , a little while longer to be sure I'm getting
the right machine can't hurt .

You got the right attitude toward a machine purchase. One will come your
way. The most important thing you can do is to encourage your child's
interest. 20 years ago, I started doing everything I could to help my son's
interest in making things. At 25 now, its the one certain thing we will
always have in common.

Karl

Karl Townsend wrote:
...
Just because I have the money in hand doesn't mean I'm gonna grab
the first machine that comes along . No matter how bad I want one .
This is something that should outlast my grandchildren with proper
care and maintainance . And one of 'em is already interested in
makin' chips at 6 . I been waiting this long , a little while
longer to be sure I'm getting the right machine can't hurt .

You got the right attitude toward a machine purchase. One will come
your way. The most important thing you can do is to encourage your
child's interest. 20 years ago, I started doing everything I could to
help my son's interest in making things. At 25 now, its the one
certain thing we will always have in common.

Karl

This is my oldest grandson , the lust to "make stuff" skipped a generation
.... His four year old sister is wanting to "help granpaw" make stuff too ...
I just love it !
--

Snag aka OSG #1
'90 Ultra , "Strider"
The road goes on forever ...
none to one to reply