Warco Mill – but what model??

[Matthew DynesParticipant @matthewdynes73479]

Hi all,

Complete novice here so bear with me.

I inherited the pictured mill (follow the links below) but I am really struggling with finding a manual online for this model. Can any shed some light where I might be able to get a manual?

Being a complete novice I know nothing about it so would like to read the manual cover to cover.

Appreciate any help!

https://ibb.co/V9TRvtJ
https://ibb.co/9ctw01X

Thanks

[Matthew DynesParticipant @matthewdynes73479]

[TrickyParticipant @tricky]

It looks like a Warco Major and is still current so Warco should be able to supply a manual.

See web page Warco Major

Richard

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

I concur with Richard, plus there is a serial number on the nameplate – hopefully still legible, and maybe a model number on there somewhere, which would help Warco ID it.

Chris

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Matthew, welcome to the forum. Judging by the 12" rule attached to the front of the table, I think it is likely to be a Warco Economy mill/drill. On the plate above the serial No. is stamped with; RF-25 which concurs with the listing No's. below.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 28/08/2020 11:12:01

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

Nick – you are quite correct, I didn't see "RF-25" but looking again and zooming in it is quite clear as is the serial number.

I also have the Warco "Economy" mill, but the Warco manual that came with it is completely useless; it is very badly written in Chinengllsh, most of which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever however hard one trys to translate it. Given that Warco sold the 'Economy" for about 30 years it is rather a disgrace that no-one at Warco bothered to sit down and write a sensible clear manual, it's not that it would take that long to do.

Far better is to go on the Grizzly.com website, an American tool supplier. Look for the manuals section and then for the Grizzy Model G1005Z Mill/Drill and download the manual from there. It's very clear and written in English! It is also all in imperial, so if you are a metric man you will have to do some conversions!

Chris

PS the link is:

**LINK**

[Roger BestParticipant @rogerbest89007]

Hi Matthew,

Although this is described as an economy mill it is a beast relative to modern mini-mills intended for hobby use. Its only an economy machine relative to "proper" industrial machines. I am sure you will have a lot of fun playing with it.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi ChrisH, I know what you mean about the manual, the one that I got with my Major is only very basic and I found the Grizzly one which shows lifting procedures which the one supplied didn't.

Regards Nick.

[Matthew DynesParticipant @matthewdynes73479]

Thanks Nick, I appreciate the info! I had a friend offer me £1000 for it, not sure he would offer that again if he saw the price new haha.

Chris – really appreciate the link to the manual, having scanned it quickly it looks like it has exactly the details I was hoping for. Spindle speeds match, layouts match etc. Thank you!

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

The ID plate shows it as a RF 25, badged by Warco as an "Economy".

It is over 20 years old, but a very useable machine.

I think that they were available in either Imperial or Metric form.

If you cannot get a manual, PM me with an E mail address, and I will photograph my manual and E mail it over to you.

The manual is for a "Complex Machine", so some of the English may be a little odd!

Do not over tighten the clamp screws for the intermediate pulley bracket, it will crack!

As will the bracket around the quill, carrying the depth stop.

If you wish, I can tell a few of my experience s with the machine.

HTH

Howard

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Matthew, the prices shown are from a 2002 catalogue, the Major of similar design by comparison at the same time was £1150.00.

Regards Nick.

[Matthew DynesParticipant @matthewdynes73479]

Thanks everyone for all the messages, I'm very impressed with the responsiveness of members on this site already!

Can anyone point me in the direction of some good cutters for this or any other recommendations for bits I should pick up for it? I fully intend on using it so any advice is welcomed again!

Thanks

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Matthew, there are a few adds on the R/H side of this page of sellers and shopping partners, also arceurotrade.co.uk, Chronos.ltd.uk, RDG Tools to name a few popular ones.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 28/08/2020 14:40:23

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

Matthew,

As you say that you are a complete novice, I hope I won't be offending you by suggesting that you purchase a suitable chuck to hold any milling cutters you intend to use, if you haven't got one already. The drill chuck will spit a milling cutter out when used to cut on its side flutes, with exciting results.

John

[Matthew DynesParticipant @matthewdynes73479]

Hi John, none taken. Any recommendations?

[Matthew DynesParticipant @matthewdynes73479]

Another question.

So the thread on my drawbar is m10. Per the manual my mill is mt3.

Every collet set I look at is mt2 m10 or mt3 m12.

Am I right in thinking that I have some weird combo of mt3 m10 thread drawbar??? So confused.

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

Mathew, glad the link was good. I have had the 'Economy' mill/dill for about 10 years, forget when exactly I got it, and it has served me well during that time.

I have made a few alterations over the years, fitted a DRO to all axis, 3 ph motor and inverter, changed the belt drive to poly vee and fitted power feed to the x axis, and see no reason to change it for what I do, certainly could not justify the expense of changing especially as I got it for only £600 from Warco as they were selling the last few (imperial machines) they had in stock off cheap. SWMBO thought I was mad when it arrived, but it offers a lot of mill for the money and certainly more than I would otherwise have been able to afford at the time.

So enjoy it, realise it has limitations as all tools do, the main one here being loosing tool registration when raising or lowering the head but even that can be worked around.

Chris

[DiogenesIIParticipant @diogenesii]

Posted by Matthew Dynes on 28/08/2020 19:26:02:

Another question.

So the thread on my drawbar is m10. Per the manual my mill is mt3.

Every collet set I look at is mt2 m10 or mt3 m12.

Am I right in thinking that I have some weird combo of mt3 m10 thread drawbar??? So confused.

Matthew, I do beg your pardon, but I have to ask whether you are absolutely sure it is M10 and couldn't possibly be the 3/8 Whitworth as indicated in the specification (from Nicholas) given above? The dimensions are, superficially at least, similar.

3/8 Whit is a common "Imperial" option for 3MT spindle tooling, so finding stuff that fits might become a little easier.

Sincere apologies if there is no doubt..

[Matthew DynesParticipant @matthewdynes73479]

Posted by DiogenesII on 28/08/2020 21:49:57:

Posted by Matthew Dynes on 28/08/2020 19:26:02:

Another question.

So the thread on my drawbar is m10. Per the manual my mill is mt3.

Every collet set I look at is mt2 m10 or mt3 m12.

Am I right in thinking that I have some weird combo of mt3 m10 thread drawbar??? So confused.

Matthew, I do beg your pardon, but I have to ask whether you are absolutely sure it is M10 and couldn't possibly be the 3/8 Whitworth as indicated in the specification (from Nicholas) given above? The dimensions are, superficially at least, similar.

3/8 Whit is a common "Imperial" option for 3MT spindle tooling, so finding stuff that fits might become a little easier.

Sincere apologies if there is no doubt..

I am wrong, I tried an M10 nut to no avail. I read the spec again myself and it could be 7/16

[Matthew DynesParticipant @matthewdynes73479]

Posted by ChrisH on 28/08/2020 19:58:02:

Mathew, glad the link was good. I have had the 'Economy' mill/dill for about 10 years, forget when exactly I got it, and it has served me well during that time.

I have made a few alterations over the years, fitted a DRO to all axis, 3 ph motor and inverter, changed the belt drive to poly vee and fitted power feed to the x axis, and see no reason to change it for what I do, certainly could not justify the expense of changing especially as I got it for only £600 from Warco as they were selling the last few (imperial machines) they had in stock off cheap. SWMBO thought I was mad when it arrived, but it offers a lot of mill for the money and certainly more than I would otherwise have been able to afford at the time.

So enjoy it, realise it has limitations as all tools do, the main one here being loosing tool registration when raising or lowering the head but even that can be worked around.

Chris

Wow, good to know there is lots I can add to it! For all I plan on doing with it I am sure it will suffice for now.

Turns out the one I have is imperial too, I noticed on the handwheel the increments is .001"

[DiogenesIIParticipant @diogenesii]

If you can count the threads-per-inch, 3/8 Whit should be 16, 7/16 Unf will have 20..

The 7/16 Unf will look noticeably "fine" compared with M10, whilst Whit will look to be about the same pitch.

Might be worth seeing if your spindle bore will accept a piece of 12mm bar, and use treaded rod & a nut to make one – it'll be fine, strength-wise – and perhaps offer a greater range of tooling/suppliers.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Matthew, if it's 3MT it will more likely to be 3/8 whit, 7/16 UNF is for an R8 spindle. DiogenesII is correct, threaded rod will be fine if it will fit down. Don't throw the 3/8 one away as there are many arbores that you may want to use that have 3/8 threads.

Regards Nick.

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Just a word to the wise. The Name plate has been removed at some time, and replaced with odd screws. I wonder what was going on behind the plate ? It may just have been someone trying to fit a DRO or finer measurement system for the quill – or something else. I have a much older ECONOMY mill – (Ex schools) which is far more basic than the one shown, the top cover is held on with over centre clamps, there aren't any stops for the longitudinal travel and there are less speed ratios to select and no reverse (Although the motor is reversible).

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Drawbar diameter is relatively unimportant as long as it will go down the hole. One could use a smaller drawbar, with a 12mm arbor, by reducing the thread size in the arbor. Loctite a bolt in the arbor, re-drill and tap the thread. Job done.

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

Matthew,

To address your query earlier in the thread, the world is your lobster, really. An internet search will throw up a multitude of results for a source of ER collet chucks. They vary from acceptable quality (for a starter chuck) to outrageously expensive for super accurate, professional quality goods. Delivery times vary as well, depending, mostly, on how much you are prepared to pay versus waiting for delivery. Any of the site's advertisers on the righthand side will happily supply you with one. Don't forget you'll need the collets as well. It all adds to the cost. There are often bargains to be had if you shop around. I've been more than satisfied with the chucks that I've bought from sources from both near and far. Hope the 12mm studding fits your spindle!

John

 

 

and wide

Edited By John Hinkley on 29/08/2020 11:19:41

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