Holes drilled in side of Warco Super Major column?.

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Holes drilled in side of Warco Super Major column?.

This topic has 25 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 4 December 2017 at 20:26 by Jon.

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27 November 2017 at 22:57 #13092
Martin Turner 4
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@martinturner4
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27 November 2017 at 22:57 #329465
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
Hi, I am looking at a used Warco Super Major but there is some strange holes drilled in the side of the column and two in the side of the base under the table, do you think it may have had a DRO previously fitted?.

%5Burl=https://ibb.co/dXjhL6%5D%5Bimg%5Dhttps://preview.ibb.co/cNH2L6/IMG_7698.jpg%5B/img%5D%5B/url%5D
27 November 2017 at 23:11 #329467
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
This should work
27 November 2017 at 23:56 #329469
nigel jones 5
Participant
@nigeljones5
in a word …no
28 November 2017 at 00:18 #329470
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
I will have another go, I tried to upload pictures into my album but they just won't go.
28 November 2017 at 00:24 #329471
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
[url=https://ibb.co/dXjhL6][img]https://preview.ibb.co/cNH2L6/IMG_7698.jpg[/img][/url]
28 November 2017 at 00:26 #329472
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
I really don't know why it doesn't work, I have just posted the link above on another forum I use just to try and the picture of the mill came straight up.
28 November 2017 at 01:44 #329474
peak4
Participant
@peak4
Try this

Done with the jpg link you provided earlier in the thread (https://preview.ibb.co/cNH2L6/IMG_7698.jpg) and the Image icon at the top of the posting page; the one next to the camera

No, I haven't a clue what the holes are for

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 28/11/2017 01:45:11

Edited By peak4 on 28/11/2017 01:46:45
28 November 2017 at 07:38 #329481
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
Thanks for that Bill, do you think the holes were used to hold a DRO sensor?.
28 November 2017 at 07:46 #329482
Ian Parkin
Participant
@ianparkin39383
I think those are for a power feed to the head elevation
28 November 2017 at 08:30 #329485
SillyOldDuffer
Moderator
@sillyoldduffer
Possibly the pair under the table were used to hold a DRO rule. They're quite close together though.

I suppose the pair of holes on the column might have supported a DRO display but it's an unusual place to put it.

Mystery!

Dave
28 November 2017 at 08:30 #329486
Martin Connelly
Participant
@martinconnelly55370
The standard powered head elevation as supplied on the Chester Super Lux (same design basically) mounts on the top of the column. Unless this was a home made drive to the manual handle shaft it would probably be for something else. Maybe an air/coolant system mount or a light.

Martin C
28 November 2017 at 12:44 #329568
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
It's probably fine and I am just being suspicious for no reason, it's either an 06 or 08 Warco Super major( the date stamp isn't that clear in the pictures).

It's a family that are selling it and they said it belonged to a late family member, there is no tooling at all with it.

One thought I had was are the bolt holes for an old DRO setup, i.e. it's been stripped off to use on a new mill and the tooling has been kept also.

It's probably genuine though.
28 November 2017 at 13:00 #329573
Chris Hembry
Participant
@chrishembry84309
Hi Martin,

An odd place to fit a DRO arm, but not impossible…how about a one-shot oiler system ?

Either way I doubt it would cause any issues.

Regards, Chris
28 November 2017 at 14:13 #329584
Anna 1
Participant
@anna1
Hello Martin.

I have a Warco Super Major mill, and I fitted it with Sino Dro.

The holes under the table may well be for the read head of a Dro scale, they look to be in a very similar position to the read head I fitted to my machine. Just above those holes, on the on the end face of the saddle I think I see a further hole and there is probably another hole on the other end cheek which is out of view, this would have probably had a long mounting plate fitted for the scale itself. I can't think what the other holes on the column are for.

Regards Anna
28 November 2017 at 17:12 #329616
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
It's just very odd, if a late family member did own it and had sadly passed on it would still have all the tools and and DRO fitted.

As I said earlier it could be 100% genuine but part of me is thinking has someone bought another machine because they have had issues with this one and kept the tooling and DRO.

My other option is a nice Tom Senior Light Verticle.
28 November 2017 at 18:07 #329624
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
Posted by Anna 1 on 28/11/2017 14:13:47:

Hello Martin.

I have a Warco Super Major mill, and I fitted it with Sino Dro.

The holes under the table may well be for the read head of a Dro scale, they look to be in a very similar position to the read head I fitted to my machine. Just above those holes, on the on the end face of the saddle I think I see a further hole and there is probably another hole on the other end cheek which is out of view, this would have probably had a long mounting plate fitted for the scale itself. I can't think what the other holes on the column are for.

Regards Anna

Anna you haven't been that happy with your mill have you?
29 November 2017 at 19:03 #329787
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
I have asked the question to the family selling it and have been told the late owner converted this mill to CNC and didn't get on with it so it got converted back and then he became ill.

Anyway I am going to have a look tomorrow and see what it's all about, I haven't even seen any Warco machines at all and the only mill I have ever used is a Bridgeport at engineering school, I would love one but as my workshop is 2M X 7.5M internal I want something a little smaller.
29 November 2017 at 21:04 #329805
Anna 1
Participant
@anna1
Hello Martin.

As you say in your post I have not been at all happy with my mill. Whilst I was not expecting anything like Bridgeport Quality from a cheap Chinese machine I had somehow expected something more for around £2500.

My machine had a long list of defects from new, some I have managed to cure some are not possible to be fixed. On looking at the picture of the mill in question I note that the column has been detached from the base. This may have been just to make it more manageable to move the machine as sub assemblies, or possibly like mine, the column has had to be shimmed to bring it square with the table. This machine really needs DRO to be usable especially on the Z Axis Like you I would love another Bridgeport but don't have the room. As an alternative I would love the Precision Mathews 9/35TV milling machine, a slightly shrunken Bridgeport type machine made in Taiwan. but as far as I know it is not available in this country. Please feel free to PM me if you require more information.

Kind regards

Anna
29 November 2017 at 21:31 #329809
Howard Lewis
Participant
@howardlewis46836
If the column has been separated from the base, it may well need retramming. (That was a rod that I made for my own back on my Warco Economy!)

Howard
29 November 2017 at 21:46 #329813
Martin Turner 4
Participant
@martinturner4
I am guessing they set up the column st the factory, so if the column is un-bolted from the base it will need setting up again?
29 November 2017 at 23:01 #329833
Anna 1
Participant
@anna1
Hello Martin and Howard.

The Column is bolted to the base and relies for its accuracy in relation to the table simply with the accuracy of machining on the base and the underside of the column at the factory. There is no factory setting or inbuilt adjustment. I had to shim my column 20 thou on one side to bring it to square, less than ideal. If you do not have it square you will loose your X Y position as you raise /lower the head. The head has to be trammed separately side to side but there is no adjustment front to back. Front to back relies on how square the head/head mounting bracket is to column mounting. It took me two days measuring /re-measuring to get the final column shimming acceptable.

Martin it would probably be wise to check the column after reassembly. Be warned when tramming the head it is very top heavy, and there is no mechanical means of restraining it. I made up a crude adjusting mechanism which helps

Kind regards

Anna
29 November 2017 at 23:30 #329836
Clive Foster
Participant
@clivefoster55965
Posted by Anna 1 on 29/11/2017 23:01:35:

Hello Martin and Howard.

Be warned when tramming the head it is very top heavy, and there is no mechanical means of restraining it. I made up a crude adjusting mechanism which helps

Kind regards

Anna

No 2 on how top heavy the head is. You must at least arrange a safety strap so it can't go too far round. The one on my similar style machine almost got away from me at quite a small angle off vertical when setting up for an angled job. Fortunately I'd hung a ring spanner on the nearest bolt and was able to nip it up again before it disaster. I think the economy finish on the sliding faces caught me out as it went from not quite moving to free in nothing flat. 15 years ago I could still lift well over a hundredweight by myself and was just strong enough to hold it one handed, no chance now. I'd say tramming is a two person job and once trammed it should be left alone. Unless you get creative with set-up devices.

Took the column off mine twice for moving and it went back OK. Shimmed from factory. Unfortunately wrong. Rigged up a sling from the (then) shed workshop roof to help handle it. Couple extra props for the roof of course.

One of the now retired UK suppliers used to list the 2/3 rds scale Bridgeport that Anna mentioned previously round about year 2000. Maybe had one on show at a Sandown Park ME exhibition. Used to be a German supplier too.

Clive.

Edited By Clive Foster on 29/11/2017 23:32:39

Edited By Clive Foster on 29/11/2017 23:33:13
3 December 2017 at 18:06 #330359
Jon
Participant
@jon
Anna there many many rebrands of the same mill, Chester, Warco, PM, XYZ and about a dozen more.

£2500K for a s/h Super Lux with no extras, theyre having a bubble can get a new one with tooling for less than that with a dro.
Used to be RRP £1500 until recently got mine £930 new with all tooling and they still made a profit!

Downside to the Lux is spindle speed, bearings, quill castings going oval, dovetails wear rapidly with lead screws.
4 December 2017 at 14:03 #330446
Anna 1
Participant
@anna1
Hello Jon, Thank you for your thoughts. I am just putting it down to experience, I could fill a page with the faults on my Super Major mill from new.. The Chinese lathe I bought was not without its faults but was a good buy for the money, hence deciding to buy the mill. I think the operative word is "disappointed". From experience now I will not knowingly buy any tools from China or India.

Before anyone suggests, it is impractical where I live for, to chase many miles around the country looking for second hand British machinery on the off chance that it might still be in good condition.

I have a Taiwanese rotary table and BS0 dividing head (Vertex) and they have both proved to excellent buys. Which is why I liked the look of the Taiwanese PM 9/35 Mill, the full spec seems to be very high. Justifying spending that sort of money on another mill is another matter. It seems that nobody in this country is marketing a reasonably high quality range of machines. I can only presume that the market isn't there, or am I wrong?

Kind regards Anna
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