legendboy

I've been looking for a used milling machine for about a year now and today I found what seems like a pretty good deal but I'm not sure.

The machine is a Maximart. 3hp 3 phase machine. Stands about 7' high, weights 1400lbs. Is a machine shop size mill. Large bed, power sliders.

Its about 20 years old and is in good working shape. The spindle has about 0.003 runout which probably can't be easily or cheaply fixed. The spindle bearings are probably pretty pricy.

The cost is $1800 canadian. What chu guys think?

itr603

My dad has worked in a machine shop my entire life. If it can be done he can do it. Changing spindle bearings for him usually requires 12-15 working hours and a whole lot of cussing. You should be able to call around to machine techs in your area for a quote to fix (before you but it). They will also be able to tell you if it is a good deal or a bad one. I would get the info from my dad but i am away at school. Hope that helps.

eg92b16a2

is that a cnc one or a manual? if it is a cnc what kind of controller?

BROOD

is it fitted with digital readouts?
does it come with a mill vise?

legendboy

Its an old machine, no digital readouts. No accessories except some misc collets. I know how expensive vises are too.

Adub33

I would look around for a better deal. It is priced a little high but you could look around and find something that comes with a vise and a DRO.

Mills are a pain to work on and expensive to fix.

I would say look around for something in the $2500-3000 range and get something that comes with a vise , DRO and maybe some carbide cutters.

-Alex

cjohnson_2

I never herd of that particular machine but probably wouldnt suggest it. with as much money as your gonna put into that to make it work properly you can probably get a better one thats working properly. call some machinery dealers (they have used machines just like car dealers have used cars)

gsrt nick

I have a machine shop. If your looking for a good cheap mill your best bet would be to find a bridgeport. I got one with a digital display for $1800 and I love it.
The best way to find one for cheap is at autions that buy out shops

Finland

Bridgeport is the way to go. A great machine. I'd buy one in a hearbeat for the right price.

ExploitedRacing-HR

1400 sounds extremely light wieght for a mill, My mill wieghts 3000 lbs! I never even heard of the brand of it either, look for an acual bridgeport.

bummster

I highly recommend the newsgroup rec.crafts.metalworking. a very active newsgroup with people doing all sorts of crazy things. they'll probably be able to tell you some info on that mill of yours.

cjohnson_2

For the price your willing to spend, Get a Bridgeport. Dont waste your time with any new machine at the same price as a used bridgeport. Its like comparing a used BMW to a new daewoo. Take it from the few of us that Machine parts for a living.

legendboy

I'm actually going to an auction next tuesday to pick up some gear. Syncro 250, Bridgeport mill and possibly a lathe

HamiltonRex

I used mills at school. We have 2 vertical and 2 horizontal. With all kinds of cutters and accessories for each.

There old machines, 20+yrs. Only 2 of them have automatic feeds. Neither have digital redouts, and they arent very accurate.

We just recently cracked the vice and broke it. We inquired abouta new one, they are around 4-500$ so we ended up V groving it, pre-heating it, then welding it why ny-rods. Then heat treating it. Worked well.

It depends on what you want to do, we dont do anything that requires crazy accuracy anyways. No precision pieces etc.

They are good machines though

.Ash

bridgeports are dirty cheap now. we picked up ours for $900 back in the day but have seen them at auction for $500.

legendboy

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ashish &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">bridgeports are dirty cheap now. we picked up ours for $900 back in the day but have seen them at auction for $500. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Keeping my fingers crossed!

.Ash

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by legendboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Keeping my fingers crossed! </TD></TR></TABLE>

i don't know how it is in canada but machine shop closing auctions that you see in the paper here are an excellent source for cheap nice equipment.

legendboy

Not here, most people here are retarded and bid prices to retail at most auctions

4drsedaneg

yea look for an actual bridgeport, there machines will out last the parts you make with it, and .003 of run out is nothing, learn howto take up the slack with the handwheels, look into msc, they have good deals on vises and ****. and if you are realy serious, find a bridgeport that has alot of slop, clean it up, and get a proto trak kit installed. they switch to a ball screw and have like no run out

I_HATE_JDM

.003 of run out is alot! Now if you are reffering to ball screw slack on a manual mill ill agree its not much and if you have a dro then it will tell you the exact posistion you are in. As far as bridgeports for the prices you guys are posting..they must be very very old. I have a bridgeport anniversary issue. with the dro it was over 16000. if anyone has any machine shop questions, just im me. I have been doing this a looooong time

HondaNerd

I got three knee mill for sell... with DRO and AutoFEED.

almost new ACRA Mill $3500 without DRO $4200.

OLD Bridgeport $4000 with DRO ...

Hit me up for exact detail...

Lattaaazzz!!

jaydmcrx

My buddy picked up an old bridgeport from an auction for 800 bucks. Works great. Buying the mill is only half the battle tho. All of the other stuff is going to be what kills ya. Bridgeport!!! can't go wrong. Even the oldschool ones.

quickersol

on a smaller note, i have a harbor frieght mill/drill (big red benchtop one) that works pretty good for custom automotive stuff around the shop. it cost $399 brand new. cuts through stuff pretty damn good for the price. i have cut 3/8" thick flanges for intake manifolds and header flanges with it although it does take some time to cut. if i was using it mainly for ocasional 1-off stuff i would be happy with it but lately i'm doing quite a few projects and am thinking of going to something bigger. hopefully i can find one of the reasonable smaller size older bridgeports locally or i also have been considering the harbor freight unit here:

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...33686

MadtownSi

Bridgeport is the only way to go!! I use one every day at work. We have one OLD Bridgeport that sill holds very good tolerances and one that is about 2 years old. I would also recommend looking for a used Bridgeport at some auction. If you can get a DRO and some tooling. Tooling is what is going to kill your budget. Good carbide tooling is NOT cheep.

BTW, Hardinge Inc. now owns Bridgeport. Hardinge makes very good metal working equipment. If you have ever worked on a Hardinge tool room manual lathe you will never want to work on anything else again!!!

Here is the link about Hardinge and Bridgeport http://www.hardinge.com/index.asp?pageID=339#id18

JDM Squad

1800 canadian money? iono how much that is in US, but that sounds real cheap(well the thing is 20 years old), but as for me i work at a machine shop and i work with HAAS cnc machines that cost $150,000 more or less, and the smallest mill we have at the shop is $45,000... US money.