Recommendations - hobby mills

[DennisCA]

Yes unfortunately, I can't see a way down there that's not hundreds of euros in travel expenses, too bad we don't have teleporters.

I am waiting for a reply atm. There a very cheap DDR deckel clone too, but it does not look as inviting, it has been welded even.
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s...x-720-fraese-fraesmaschine/975115452-84-19690

 

[slim_boy_fat]

it has been welded even.

And not very well, judging by the small photo. Wouldn't fill me with confidence, well not enough to save the difference in asking price.

 

[DennisCA]

Yeah spots of rust and such don't bother me, that usually cleans up well, welding on a precision machine makes me more worried. Though I am not sure if it touched any sliding surfaces, it's not a good sign.

 

[DennisCA]

Lowballed an offer for this machine, Deckel FP2 in sweden. Around 3100€ + 25% VAT is their asking price, I note they have been trying to sell it for a year. I sent them a mail earlier and they never replied, so I don't feel bad about lowballing them 30,000 Swedish krowns including VAT. Doubt they'll take it though, but can't hurt to try, not like they even responded earlier to my mail about more info on the machine....

http://www.se-datateknik.se/code/obj_sel.php?objID=247&lanID=1&catID=5

Also a Schaublin SV-12 there, overpriced IMO at ~2300€+VAT but I think that might be too limited a machine at any rate.

 

[DennisCA]

I'm a bit shocked now. Quick reply, and they said yes??????

 

[DennisCA]

Well if I am getting a Deckel then I need to start the effort of clearing space for the machine.... This is the place I keep my lathe in, from wall to wall it is 2300mm and the length of the room is perhaps 3500mmm, ceiling height is 2500mm. Not a big area, in inches it's 90x142' approximately. The idea is to put the machine against the wall opposite the lathe, as close to the door as I can put it.

I do not have the amount of space the manual I got claims machine should have, the room isn't wide enough! But that manual is for a later model FP2 with external motor (this is a 1st generation I have been told) so it would require some more space. But I do not have a choice at any rate.

The distance from the corner to the door frame is 720mm. Lower height of the shelves is 1600mm. Deckel FP2 height is 1410mm according to manual + some extra for the vertical head. But I plan to remove the lower row of shelves and the sheet goods.

The plastic hanging in front of everything is what keeps the woodworking and metalworking section apart.

Another "interesting" thing is how I will get it off the pallet. With my lathe I deconstructed the pallet with the lathe on it and then got rid of the pallet in pieces while using a jack to lower part of the lathe to the floor. But the lathe is only 400kg, this machine is 1000kg or more.
One of those two ton garage crane/ engine hosts might have been nice to have.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Congratulations on getting the mill, or at least, doing the deal.

Isn't it odd how a few keystrokes at your computer can create an entirely new set of concerns/plans for you

 

[DennisCA]

Indeed, I also got my hands on a manual in PDF format, though for a generation later than mine.

I was told mine is a 1st generation, the serial indicates it was made between 1958-59. The first generation has two advantages it seems, it has the motor internally placed so it takes up less space (real important) and has 100mm more X travel.

I was gonna paint the walls, what I could reach anyway, but I only had blue-grey exterior paint that the house is painted with, I don't think that would look good on the inside. Oh well I am not gonna shell out for more paint now.

 

[Hood]

I have an Arboga U2508 & it is an excellent machine, you have to remember that its a mill drill but it is surprisingly capable & accurate & very well made indeed. Only real downside is the motor is built in & its a two speed three phase job. I have heard that they wont run on phase converters for some reason. Its floor footprint is small & i would not be without mine.

I tested out a VFD on my Arboga drill to see if it would be good for tapping on (reverse required). The VFD ran great but due to the gearing it was not going to be suitable for what I wanted.

 

[DennisCA]

Another positive bit of info regarding this mill, since it has the long reach vertical head, I don't need to do any head changed to go between vertical and horizontal milling. Manual says just angle the vertical head 105 degrees so it's out of the way and the support arm for the horizontal arbor can be installed on the bottom of the long reach head.

 

[DennisCA]

3-phase is so nice to have, glad the people who designed our grid went that way (3ph to every house).

Got more images from the seller:

 

[DennisCA]

The mill has been sitting in the terminal in Vaasa since friday, next week we'll arrange a suitable delivery timetable. I am worrying all the time, seeing the mill tipping over in my head, I always imagine the worst possible outcomes...

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

The mill has been sitting in the terminal in Vaasa since friday, next week we'll arrange a suitable delivery timetable. I am worrying all the time, seeing the mill tipping over in my head, I always imagine the worst possible outcomes...

Nothing wrong with that, helps to think about the what ifs and prepares you for the worst case scenarios

 

[DennisCA]

Well the plan is to have a truck with a tail lift come and lower the mill and the pallet it's on down onto the concrete plate outside my workshop, then wheel it inside and through the shop to nearly it's final position. However the outdoor plate is lower than my shop floor and it's not even an in inclide between the two but a lip, so I've screwed a bunch of boards (leftover facade boards for the house) to a 12mm plywood sheet and laying that down on the outside plate givs a platform roughly the same height. I hope it will hold, tried to keep one board with between the boards (15cm or so), or maybe I should go out and screw more boards to the bottom...

Once I get it in place I can breathe out and tackle the next challenge of getting it off the pallet safely.

 

[Rig Pig]

Milling machines are notoriously top heavy, be very careful tipping it down a slope, it may be a good idea to rent a bit of scaffolding to go above the slope and give you a hold back point to let you lower it down the slope gently. Whatever you do don't put yourself below the machine, if it tips it will flatten you!

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Milling machines are notoriously top heavy, be very careful tipping it down a slope, it may be a good idea to rent a bit of scaffolding to go above the slope and give you a hold back point to let you lower it down the slope gently. Whatever you do don't put yourself below the machine, if it tips it will flatten you!

Yup my baby mill drill was bad enough.
Must find an engine crane.

 

[Carl Wilson]

Congratulations on acquiring the mill Dennis. Might I be permitted to add a note of caution?

When the truck comes with your mill, get the driver to attach it to the overhead rail system while he is moving it around in the back with a pallet truck.

When my new to me Harrison Mill arrived, the delivery driver tipped it on its side in the back of the truck. The driver wasn't hurt and no great harm was done to the machine, thankfully.

The machine, being very top heavy, went over when he tried to yank the pallet truck round with the front wheels at 90 degrees to the forks, thus forming a nearly perfect hinge.

The driver went back to the depot and they unloaded my machine with a forklift. Redelivery was with two people and went without a hitch.

When you work out how to get yours off the pallet, can you tell me the secret?! Mine is still on it's one. It makes it easy to move around while I'm doing restoration work.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Yup my baby mill drill was bad enough.
Must find an engine crane.

My toes are curling, just looking at that pic.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

My toes are curling, just looking at that pic.

This one was worse tbh.
Weighed about the same if not more
https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/today-i-acquired.50192/page-478#post-1187993

 

[DennisCA]

Milling machines are notoriously top heavy, be very careful tipping it down a slope, it may be a good idea to rent a bit of scaffolding to go above the slope and give you a hold back point to let you lower it down the slope gently. Whatever you do don't put yourself below the machine, if it tips it will flatten you!

There won't be any slopes! I've taken great care to avoid any and all slopes. And once it's time to get off the pallet, the best solution appears to be a gantry crane, built in place around the mill, then disassembled when it's done.