MetalworkingFun Forum

Here's a quick & dirty photo of my new-to-me milling machine. Bought & paid for today, picking it up and swapping out the clapped-out Bridgeport on Tuesday. More to come after it's in.

For now I can say it's a 2HP Alliant made in Taiwan, fitted with ball screws on the X and Y axes and a Prototrak 2-axis control with 3 axis readout. Excellent condition, unprintable price (dirt cheap!!) and the seller is giving me the pallet truck it's sitting on. Throwing in a 20-piece quick change R8 setup, plus all the documentation and an OE mini cassette recorder for storing programs.

All I can say is that this is one of my best scores ever!



It's not much to brag about in regards to being a CNC machine, but it WILL make parts, and can make two or more the same. That's something I couldn't say about the outgoing 1960 Bridgeport. ;)

Nice score Ken - you have a knack of being in the right place at the right time, with the right skills to get the right price. Whilst I consider you a good friend you still deserve a you suck award:


Can it still be operated in manual mode?

Are you selling the old BP, parting it out or sending it to the big machine shop in the sky?

I second the award!

Only caution I've heard about manual use of ball screw feeding is climb milling can become a runaway train due to the lack of resistance.

That pallet truck is a great thing to have around. I bought a used one for my move down here to "the land of... you know the rest." and have used it often. Only problem is they don't store very easily.

Thanks Darren, I appreciate that you think I suck.

The machine retains the capacity to be used in manual mode, or I probably wouldn't have bought it. The old Bridgeport is going to a local guy who can take it apart and scrape it in, back to like new. He's "sidecar850" on the PM site, and is well known for the meticulous work he does. I don't expect to get more than $250 for it.

When I called him to see if he'd be interested in the machine, he asked what I was getting to replace the Bridgeport. When I told him about this machine he piped in that he was a LOT closer and has a reconditioned Series 1 Bridgeport with similar control available for $7500. I chortled and told him what I was paying for this, and there was silence for a few seconds. "John?", I queried, and he just said "I'd have to do the same thing."

One does have to be careful with climb milling on ball screw machines, Steve. I'm well aware of the dangers and will be careful.

Nice find Ken! It's good to see you getting excited about machining again. I know you're probably burnt out from being in it so long. Have fun with the new tool.

Oh, and

Ed

No burnout here, Ed...just short on time and I've been spending what little time I have taking care of my parents and a little bit of riding me British motorbike. ;)

Very nice

DaveH

(05-24-2013, 09:27 PM)PixMan Wrote: [ -> ]Excellent condition, unprintable price (dirt cheap!!) and the seller is giving me the pallet truck it's sitting on.

Now Ken,

You just KNOW that pallet truck is going to be in your way all the time, and besides that.....what will you ever need it for? I'll just do the neighborly thing and let you keep in my shop out of your way, sound good?

Oh and ........


Best Regards,
Russ

Congrats man!! Now get making some motorcycle accessories!

I know exactly where that pallet truck is going. I've already told the seller it's going to a shop in West Brookfield.

I'll borrow on a the extremely rare occasion that I could use one.

Pix,Oh yeah, that's what I shoulda done, sell it to someone I could drive miles to and bring home in a trailer only to have to bring it back.
I'll opt for the keeping mine here in spite of the floor space it takes up.