Milling machines – western-made s/h recommendations up to £2k

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Posted by duncan webster on 30/06/2021 23:53:50:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the Myford milling machines imported from far east and 'fettled' by Myford?

That one in the link doesn't look to have fine downfeed on quill, which limits it's usefulness a bit.

And you will want a DRO, they make it so much easier. Hands up who hasn't lost count when doing a long traverse

Edited By duncan webster on 30/06/2021 23:56:29

Yes the 'Myford' mills were made in Taiwan & fettled in Nottingham with decent electrics etc. Mine is a decent bit of kit & a DRO is so so useful!!! A lack of fine feed on the quill is not really an issue, when I did this sort of thing on our Toolroom Bridgeport mill I would drill with the quill & put cuts on using the knee.

Tony

[William AyerstParticipant @williamayerst55662]

A bit of a left field suggestion, someone from my local model engineering club has offered me am Amolco standalone mill. It seems overall about half the size of the Myford VMC – but it is less than a quarter of the price. It seems to get a fairly good write-up, but clearly it feels like it would end up being too small and too underpowered? I dont know how far beyond the pale my thoughts are – the Amolco has a 7x3x5" milling envelope which seems like it could handle anything bar a loco frame in one setup?

I think unless something world changing comes up, I am looking for a Centec 2B with a Mk3 head in good nick. It has good vertical clearance (that can be easily extended with a spacer) for indexing/rotary heads, a quill for drilling and knee for milling.

[Pete.Participant @pete-2]

Didn't you say someone on the forum contacted you offering a Centec with quill?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by William Ayerst on 02/07/2021 00:45:59:

the Amolco has a 7x3x5" milling envelope which seems like it could handle anything bar a loco frame in one setup?

Apply those figures you posted a couple of days ago regarding head room and you won't fit much on an Amilco and no quill.

Edited By JasonB on 02/07/2021 07:12:42

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

If you've been offered a Centec 2B with a Mk3 VH then snap it up. If it's good enough for Cherry Hill then it should suit you very well. Here's a picture of mine…

[William AyerstParticipant @williamayerst55662]

You're quite right, a kind gent has contacted me – one small hiccup is that he's in North Wales and I'm by the south coast. I'm looking into pallet shipping it down, but if not it looks like there might be a long roadtrip ahead of me

I'm not sure who or what Cherry Hill is but I am happy with the recommendation.

[Bob StevensonParticipant @bobstevenson13909]

https://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/Hill.htm

…..I bet Cherry's mill is cleaner than that too!

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

William: I'm in the Midlands and got mine from a guy in Bradford. A strong friend with a van was all that was needed 'cos the VH, table assy (heaviest bit), and base are easy to separate. The base is rather large.

I was lucky in that it has INT30 tapers (very rare I'm told). I fitted VFD's on the main motor and power feed, and also fitted a 3-axis DRO.

Bob: you're definitely correct – I'm not very tidy.

[CalumParticipant @calumgalleitch87969]

I thought I posted this yesterday, but it's clearly failed to take: Home and Workshop, in Sidcup (usually on the back cover of MEW) have several mills at the moment that seem to fit your requirements.

[William AyerstParticipant @williamayerst55662]

Thank you Calum – they had the 2B with head quill but it's since been sold. I spoke to the gent there and they said they'd give me a heads up if anything new turns up.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by William Ayerst on 02/07/2021 08:45:47:

…

I'm not sure who or what Cherry Hill is but I am happy with the recommendation.

Cherry Hill MBE is amazing. The MBE is for services to Model Engineering. The lady produces top-end work, often modelling rare machines requiring large amounts of original research. Possibly the best model engineer ever?

Just two examples lifted off the web.

Dave

[William AyerstParticipant @williamayerst55662]

So it looks like a deal on a Centec 2B could be done – the only problem is that it's in North Wales and I'm in West Sussex. Renting a van for two nights (for an early start on the first day) plus petrol and anciliaries will probably set me back about £250.

Not undoable, but my gut feeling is that wrapping it and ratcheting down onto a pallet is the simplest solution? Any suggestions for machinery removals firms in the area would be gladly taken, for something in the £2-300 mark for curbside delivery?

Many thanks all for your help and advice, it's been (and continues to be) invaluable.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

William, there are lots of machinery move companies around the uk. Google it. That Centec does look like a nice machine. With that head you have the best of both worlds.

Steve.

[Pete.Participant @pete-2]

Steve at Landilift delivered my last machine, took care of everything and delivered safely, unlike these pallet companies that have no idea how to move machine tools, I don't think he'd mind me sharing his number as I believe it's advertised on another site, 07836736496.

He has a small hiab on a hilux size pick up, if your workshop is accessible for a normal size car he can unload it straight into your workshop with the crane, a nice hassle free service from someone who knows what they're doing.

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

I would do it myself. You should be able to do west sussex to north wales in a day (6 hrs driving) leave between 4 and 6 in morning, pick up lunchtime, back home for tea.

Colin

[Paul KempParticipant @paulkemp46892]

I would be careful using a 'normal' pallet company to do the job, have you not read the tale of woe of the chap on here that bought a Colchester lathe that was dropped? Check insurance very carefully as they were comments on there, later shown to be true, that insurance value of a std pallet load is quite low per kg. Entirely possible in your case it will not even cover what you paid! If you want to do it on the cheap then it's likely to end in tears! When I collected my Omnimill I borrowed a plant trailer, took a mate and some gear, 3 1/2 hr drive, extracted from shed and loaded and 3 1/2 hr drive back, was home in time for tea! All under my control and at my risk and convenience.

Paul.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

I must admit when i bought both my Myford super 7 & the Tom Senior mill i picked them up myself. I do have a Vivaro van (bonus). We dismantled both as much as possible & got them into the van no problem. The Super 7 was in seven oaks & i am in Leeds. So long journey. But exiting drive both times.

Steve.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, I suppose it all depends on how much you wish to have a machine, how far you are willing to travel to get it or willing to pay for a contract mover. Myself, I have fetched many different second hand bits of gear and have travelled near and far by car and with my trailer for bigger stuff. My Boxford lathe, I travelled from Norfolk to Glasgow in one day. Went to Birmingham for a flypress and then down to Colchester for my Donkey saw in one day, to London on two different occasions with my trailer, one of which was when I left off work in the afternoon and I got back home at about 10:00 PM, to name a few places, but these were all some 15 years ago which, I would have to think about doing the really long trips now though. You could always hire a van or a trailer if you have a hitch on yours or a friends vehicle and your driving licence covers a trailer big enough.

Regards Nick.

[HillclimberParticipant @hillclimber]

A wee question for the experienced users on this thread about the Centec 2A/B decision.

Big (literally) difference between the 2A and B seems to be the table size, and travel. But the other is the 'knee' hand wheel repositioning from the back corner to the front of the machine.

My question is just, how significant is that handwheel repositioning?

Cheers, Colin

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Colin, I guess it puts the control at the front of the machine and saves you having to reach or move to the back end, always better not to have to reach over or round moving parts when making adjustments to your cut. Being the lift is directly under table, probably increases rigidity as well.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 03/07/2021 11:35:45

[HillclimberParticipant @hillclimber]

Nick, tx. Thinking about it a little more, I guess that would be particularly true if your cut were towards the RHS of the table….

Cheers, Colin

[Roger BestParticipant @rogerbest89007]

It looks like the Centec fits the bill.

Its certainly worth getting a quote from Landilift. Moving top-heavy stuff is very difficult and needs plenty of kit and bits, hiring the van is just the start.

A van would need a good tail lift with appropriate SWL. That's why low trailers are so popular.

Good luck with the adventure.

[William AyerstParticipant @williamayerst55662]

Thank you – I think I have decided to bite the bullet and get Landylift/Steve to move it – it's about double the cost of renting a van and paying for petrol, but I don't then need to disassemble the mill and reassemble it at the other end, give myself a hernia, drop it midway, etc.

Hopefully this saga then draws to a close and i thank all of your for your kind help and attention.

[Robin DuftonParticipant @robindufton85682]

We've used Matt in the past to shift stuff and been very happy. https://www.1tonne.com/

You say it's 15' x 8' and have ruled out a large knee mill. The manual machine space in our workshop is that size and has two lathes, drill and a Bridgeport type mill. If the small lathe were gone you have bench space and our walkway is free space to put something like a saw. The mill cost considerably less than £2000 and is like new. It came from a company who repaired weaving looms that had shut down, and had spent it's life making small brass parts. Two of us moved it in our Transit van with an engine crane.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by Hillclimber on 03/07/2021 11:00:33:

A wee question for the experienced users on this thread about the Centec 2A/B decision.

Big (literally) difference between the 2A and B seems to be the table size, and travel. But the other is the 'knee' hand wheel repositioning from the back corner to the front of the machine.

My question is just, how significant is that handwheel repositioning?

Cheers, Colin

The real issue is you need space to get around the table to see the dial properly, it makes plunging cuts a little harder to control.

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