Is this mill worth anything?

[redmobiusv]

Hello all. Just joined the forum. Iv been reading through the forums for a couple months though in intrest in building my own cnc router table. Anyway Im hoping someone here can help me decide if I should rescue this mill or not..

I went to the metal scrap yard today to get some SS sheet and while I was there I saw a mill that resembles this one:

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~warnerd/i...es/Page800.htm

But, the one I found does not have the mill head/motor attachment on it. Theres just a big shaft that has a round flange on the end of it where the motor/head would bolt to. The x and y tables seem to move freely. The handle that rotates the "main head" is broken so I couldn't check that one. There is alot of surface rust on the tables but no pitting that I could see. It looks like they can be cleaned or polished? maybe? The main base looks to be in far shape. The paint is flaking off and has minor rust. It was obviously repainted at one time because it has two shades of gray. Who ever had it updated it by adding cnc linear actuators. The wires are cut at the actuator and it doesn't have any of the computer parts.

I don't know much about these types of mills so it hard for me to know what all is missing or what it would take to restore it. Or even if its worth it? The door on the side of the base has a place for the model number however I could not get any numbers to show up because of rust and was scared to scrap it with metal because Im not sure if the number was etched or punched but I did get this us patent number off the door. U.S. patent 2275291.

Im a wood guy and build custom cabinets and furniture. Thats why I want a cnc router. Iv been l trying to find an antique machine to restore for a couple years but their hard to find. Of course Iv been looking for wood machinery but a metal mill could come in handy in the shop too.

So heres the price. The scrap yard wants .25 cents a pound. Iv been looking online and it seems to be about 2200 lbs complete. Im guessing the head weighs 200-300 lbs?

Is it worth 500 dollars?
What should I expect to spend for restore?
Is there anything that this machine could do to help me in my furniture business as far as milling wood?
Or should it be kept as a metal mill?

As a side note. When I search online for a machine that looks like this one I seem to find a big spread in price from 1,500 to 9,500. Why? Just because they look the same is it posible they arn't the same. Another words how can I make sure Im comparing apples to apples?

Any advice, comments, questions are very welcome. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Keaton

[Karl_T]

You should be able to find a complete (no parts missing) CNC mill with a dead control for $500 if you look. All those missing parts will be hard to find and very expensive.

Karl

[redmobiusv]

I did some more research online to try and learn more of what this monster could be worth while restoring. I learned where the serial number is and got it.

bh-19688. according to what Iv found online it seems to be a 1954 round ram.

Karl. Thanks for your replay. Do you know much about these machines? Is this a valuable vintage machine or just another BP roundram thats a dime a dozen?

I was already concerned about what your where saying with buying parts to fix it. Seems like the major cost would be finding a new head for it. I have no idea what that could cost. I was kinda thinking of somehow mounting a heavy duty drill press head on one side and a mortiser on the other. I noticed today that the clevis part of the ram is starting to crack so thats usless. Or maybe repairable.

I guess it just breaks my heart to see old machines going to scrap to be melted when they are a big part of our past-time. I have some respect for these older machines just like most of us here I assume. I guess what Im trying to say is if its worthwhile and this is a prize mill then I'll see if I can go rescue it. Otherwise Im gonna move on. I just hate to see something of value to someone else go to waste. Anyone know of a machine restoration shop that might be interested in it?

I might be able to work out something in trade for it. I have access to some scrape metal and maybe could trade its weight with scrape.

[mactec54]

The head was the most valuable part & it is gone, they were not a very good mill new,
there are better Bridgeport mills than that to get for the money of the scrap one

[TOTALLYRC]

Just to give you a for instance,
I have a J-head Bridgeport that is complete and includes collets, vise, DRO, Drill chuck and a VFD. I can't seem to get $1k. I would take $850 just to get it out of the yard. It has a noise in the head only when in low gear.

I have a spare head and could work out a deal if interested.

I think that your best bet is to pass on the round ram machine.

I picked up my BTC-1 which is a Bridgeport rigid ram style machine with a 24 position tool changer. It was running up to the day I purchased it. The owner took of the Heidenhien controller and I picked it up for around $1.5k including shipping.

Mike

[redmobiusv]

Just to give you a for instance,
I have a J-head Bridgeport that is complete and includes collets, vise, DRO, Drill chuck and a VFD. I can't seem to get $1k. I would take $850 just to get it out of the yard.

Mike

If I wasn't looking for a specific machine already I would be interested. That seems like a good deal compaired to what I found on my research. Wonder why your having a hard time selling it?

Thanks for everyones help. You told me excactly what I was looking for. I guess you never know sometimes. Iv seen things in a metal scrap yards that make you wonder. So when I saw that mill I just had to find out if it would be worth anything to me or anyone else. Too bad it wasn't a old Oliver Jointer or something. That would make my day.

Thanks again.

On a side note. If by chance there is someone that didn't get a chance to read this thread sooner and would be interested in this machine. Its located in a scrap yard in Conroe Tx. It will probably be off to the melting pot within the month or so I would imagine. Good luck.