Knee Mill Rebuilder in Bay Area, CA

[Shooter7]

I need contact info and recommendations for rebuilders in the Bay Area, CA.

I am purchasing a used Lagun FTV 4, mid 80's vintage, 4 HP, NT40. It is in very good shape. Starting at the column. Measurements with a 50 millionths indicator:

• The column ways look to have minimal wear. This is common. The original cosmetic frosting pattern is still visible even in the middle (up and down). When I raise the knee from bottom to top, and check the tramming at various points...the knee does not angle off at all. Work required here is minimal if any. It is probably within as new tolerance here...but should be disassembled to be cleaned.
• The ways on the top of the knee are worn. I clamped the knee, and table to saddle tight...left the knee to saddle loose. With gibs tight, there is no play when the table is all the way forward...and all the way back. With the table in the middle...I can twist the table about .0015". The wear on the knee top way is pretty even. It is basically 'valleyed' in the middle...which is common because the chips can get in here. This fit needs to be reworked.
• The table to sadle fit is really good...even though this gets most of the use. From one end to the other...there is no variance. I had to double check this 2x. I could move the table about .0003" when the table was in the middle. With the table all the way left...all the way right...I could move it .0004"....so the ways are essentially the same all the way across. This is good, because this means than the distance between the yoke centers will not change.
• Spindle runout on the 40 taper ID is about .0001"-.00015"
• I put the quill down about 4"...and could deflect it about .002" by pushing with all my weight. Not sure if this is wear in the fit...or if I was just bending the quill. I do not have enough experience with conventional quills to know what is normal here.
• This mill has a gearbox in the knee...and a power feed for knee, table, and cross slides. I will probably eliminate the connection between the gear box and the coss and table feeds...since they will have servos after retrofit. New ball screws will be easier without integrating to the power feed gearbox.
• I will be retrofitting with a Fagor 8055 or similar.
• I want to restore to factory tolerances before I retrofit.
• I will have the rebuilder install the ball screws.
• I will not have handles and belts. No need to do that. With a good control like an 8055...and a jog pendant...it will be easier to CNC than ever use manual again.
• Z axis will be on quill.

The two rebuilders I have heard of in the Bay Area are:

• MK Machinery in Santa Clara, CA (Merek)
• Worrels (sp?) in Berkely/Oakland

Anyone have their phone numbers and contact info?

Any experience with these rebuilders?

Any others you would recommend?

Thanks in advance.

[Shooter7]

Also...for a mill this size...what components would you recommend....

This is a big mill. 11" x 58" table, and 1200# table capacity. It weighs 4000#+

Ball screws? Nook Industries? Others? 1" x .2? 1.25" x .2?

Elrod Machine for a new more rigid Yoke and Z-Axis Kit?

The Fagor 8055 turnkey kit uses Glentek servos and drives. I have heard BAD things. I don't want to use the Fagor high end drives and Servos...as that will cost a bloody fortune. No need for that performance (zero following error, etc) on a conventional CNC mill.

What would be a good middle of the road servo/drive combo. Baldor? I am thinking of sticking with Brushless DC to keep the cost down.

For the X and Y travel...I probably need a pretty good sized motor. 1.2-1.5 HP....? Z axis on quill could be less as there are no inertial issues on the quill.

I could do all the math on the table weight, accelerations..cutting forces...but it is easier just to get advice from those who already know.

Also, with servos mounted direct to ball screws (no pulleys)...will I have a problem getting the right RPM rating on the servos? With .2 pitch...3000 RPM would result in a 600 ipm rapid. That seems kind of fast. I doubt 1.5 HP servos could actually get that big table moving that fast.... Are there any Servos in that HP range that are rated for less RPM?

Again, thanks in advance for your suggestions....

[Cartierusm]

I'm in the Bay Area too. I've heard of a company in San Carlos but can't remember look up posts by HimyKabible he mentions in his BP Clone CNC Conversion about it. For scraping my ways and suck they wanted $3500. If you're looking at a kit to convert and need the ways scraped it would be cheaper just to buy a used CNC.

I would replace the stock screws with the same size. Mine were 1 1/4" I wouldn't go any smaller.

[Shooter7]

I'm in the Bay Area too. I've heard of a company in San Carlos but can't remember look up posts by HimyKabible he mentions in his BP Clone CNC Conversion about it. For scraping my ways and suck they wanted $3500. If you're looking at a kit to convert and need the ways scraped it would be cheaper just to buy a used CNC.

I would replace the stock screws with the same size. Mine were 1 1/4" I wouldn't go any smaller.

A new Lagun FTV4...manual machine...is $38K. For less than 8, I will have an as new machine. Pretty sure you can't beat that...even with the retrofit costs.

[ad_bfl]

There is a shop in San Carlos who can help, the name was mentioned on either on this board or practical machinist.

I did a quick look in my bookmarks and had no luck, but I remember they had a website, if I find anything I will post in this thread.

Good luck

[Cartierusm]

True but there are used knee mills out there on craigslist.