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Decent deal on a Modern milling machine
- Thread starter John Conroy
- Start date
Chipper5783
Super User
Sure seem to be a lot of machines available (feast or famine).
I would suspect that because of covid and the economy there will be some very good machines and deals coming out for the next while. I have been to a couple of machine shops and bought up surplus tooling for some very good prices. They aren't busy so they have the time to sort through the stuff they aren't using and disposing of it. Bought about 40 HSS name brand end mills of various sizes and a 2 inch Kennametal face mill for 100. All with very little use or new.
Tom Fitzpatrick
Active Member
Everett, Could I ask what you paid for your BP clone and where was it located? Thanks.
Tom Fitzpatrick
Active Member
There certainly are a lot on the BidSpotter website (actual Bridgeports), but unfortunately most of these are the US.
Are you looking for one Tom? Although not really a Bridgeport clone this Tos looks good and is a reasonable price. These are well regarded and it looks like this may be a model FNK25A. The A model has built in Power feed and rapids on all 3 axis. If I was looking for a mill I'd check it out.
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-busin...n/tos-fnk25-manual-milling-machine/1545934593
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-busin...n/tos-fnk25-manual-milling-machine/1545934593
Tom Fitzpatrick
Active Member
Thanks very much John for finding this one. A little too far out of my price range.
Tom Fitzpatrick
Active Member
That's good to know. So they are out there. Patience right?
I got my Ferro brand Bport clone in February 2015. I paid $2500. That may seem like a great deal but it needed a,lot of work.
It needed a complete tear down to clean out decades of chips and gunk as wel as a new lead screw and nuts for the Y axis and nuts on the X.
That work got it to a mechanically satisfactory state but since it has a 3 phase motor I needed a VFD.
I have since added way covers.
Then a 6 inch riser block.
It already had a X axis power feed and I had added Z and Y axis power feeds as well.
So 5 years later I'm into this mill for over 5K. If you can find a really nice machine for 5-6K it might be better than a 2.5K beater like I bought.
It needed a complete tear down to clean out decades of chips and gunk as wel as a new lead screw and nuts for the Y axis and nuts on the X.
That work got it to a mechanically satisfactory state but since it has a 3 phase motor I needed a VFD.
I have since added way covers.
Then a 6 inch riser block.
It already had a X axis power feed and I had added Z and Y axis power feeds as well.
So 5 years later I'm into this mill for over 5K. If you can find a really nice machine for 5-6K it might be better than a 2.5K beater like I bought.
Tom Fitzpatrick
Active Member
Thank you, that’s good to know. Is yours an off shore make & were parts available?
It's a typical Taiwanese Bridgeport clone made in 1989. Most parts are pretty universal to Asian knee mills. I was able to buy nuts for the X axis on eBay that only needed minor mods to fit. Similar to these. The ad says bridgeport but they are really for Bport clones as they are 32mm 5TPI.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-Set-Milli...eed-Nut-X-Y-Axis-For-Bridgeport-/324240285498
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-Set-Milli...eed-Nut-X-Y-Axis-For-Bridgeport-/324240285498
Chipper5783
Super User
I sounds like John ("Old guy") got a decent deal on his Ferro mill. I think sometimes we fuss too much over the price. Buying old used machines is sort of like getting a lottery ticket (just much better odds) - perhaps it will be great and perhaps not. Also if it is near by, fits with one's own timing and various non-commercial factors - then for the individual doing the purchase it may well be worth the price but it would not be worth it for someone else. By the time John got to the end he had a good machine for a decent price. Certainly there are the stories of machines that just need a little cleaning / servicing and they are awesome. I have been fortunate to land a couple of those - "pretty well stole it" deals.
An important aspect is what it gets used for. Probably my best "deal" was my first lathe, an Enterprise 15x60 that paid $9,500 with nothing for tooling and another $600 to move it (as lathes go, it really is nothing special). That was a lot of cash in 1983. What made it a really good deal is that I have used that machine a lot over the last 37 years (still the go to machine), I'm sure I have spent more than the purchase price tooling it up. I've no regrets, the machine has been zero trouble and a learned a ton - basically it led me into a lifelong interest.
On the flip side I got a great Huron mill, "just needed a little TLC" - cheap, only $500 (which included delivery). I have since spend 200-300 hours disassembling, cleaning, making small parts - I'm still in the midst of it and it feels endless (I'm now at the point of test running and finding more small issues). Of course the time is chalked up education and entertainment. The output (making stuff, even when it isn't for profit - none of my machines make me any money) compared to what I've put into it (mostly time, some money), that Enterprise lathe was certainly the better deal.
I really enjoy hearing people's rebuild stories. I've fixed up a number of machines (never right to the last nut and bolt, and then painting), but I have never put the effort into documenting so much detail. My "hat is off" to guys like John that persevere through such a effort. By comparison I may be the type that would get about half way through and run out of interest - so it was good to see him carry it right through.
An important aspect is what it gets used for. Probably my best "deal" was my first lathe, an Enterprise 15x60 that paid $9,500 with nothing for tooling and another $600 to move it (as lathes go, it really is nothing special). That was a lot of cash in 1983. What made it a really good deal is that I have used that machine a lot over the last 37 years (still the go to machine), I'm sure I have spent more than the purchase price tooling it up. I've no regrets, the machine has been zero trouble and a learned a ton - basically it led me into a lifelong interest.
On the flip side I got a great Huron mill, "just needed a little TLC" - cheap, only $500 (which included delivery). I have since spend 200-300 hours disassembling, cleaning, making small parts - I'm still in the midst of it and it feels endless (I'm now at the point of test running and finding more small issues). Of course the time is chalked up education and entertainment. The output (making stuff, even when it isn't for profit - none of my machines make me any money) compared to what I've put into it (mostly time, some money), that Enterprise lathe was certainly the better deal.
I really enjoy hearing people's rebuild stories. I've fixed up a number of machines (never right to the last nut and bolt, and then painting), but I have never put the effort into documenting so much detail. My "hat is off" to guys like John that persevere through such a effort. By comparison I may be the type that would get about half way through and run out of interest - so it was good to see him carry it right through.
You're right Chipper5783. I never felt like I paid too much for my mill. If I waited for a perfect machine for a great price I probably wouldn't have a mill. I enjoyed the rebuild and upgrade process and now I know every part of it has been checked. It now has pretty much every feature I wanted when I decided to sell my PM832 mill and get this 10 X 50 machine.
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
@John Conroy That's a nice mill now that you've got it all going! I agree completely with your message about buying better if you buy used. Once in a while you get a super deal used, but you have to be prepared to walk if there are any 'red flags' at all. it is too easy fo fall in love with the machine and ignore red and yellow flags.
Buying new offshore equipment has some similar problems... If you want all the problems to go away, and a warranty, you pay the full price and go to a reputable vendor like Modern Thomas Skinner or Precision Matthews.. Otherwise, even new machines can be hit and miss. In both cases it pays to stay away from the bottom price deals unless you are in the know or have a competent survey done.
Buying new offshore equipment has some similar problems... If you want all the problems to go away, and a warranty, you pay the full price and go to a reputable vendor like Modern Thomas Skinner or Precision Matthews.. Otherwise, even new machines can be hit and miss. In both cases it pays to stay away from the bottom price deals unless you are in the know or have a competent survey done.