enco knee mill rebuild - worth it?

[Asymetric]

I work in a machine shop that had a fire a few years ago. The manual mill was an ENCO bridgeport clone. It got hot enough that some of the plastic bits like the display for the DRO got soft and deformed. The insurance company cut us a check for a new one, so this mill got placed out back on a pallet. The tarp covering it blew off around a year and a half ago and it has been sitting in the elements since then. The spindle was still smooth when i hauled it outside, but cant be moved by hand now. The screws still move, tho i havent spun them more then a few degrees because the Y axis one is missing a cover and is rusty. I diddnt want to run that rust through the nut. Theres a few other small pieces missing that were robbed for the one we use now, but nothing big. The quill lock handle, the X axis jib lock handles.

Everything without paint has a coating of rust. The 2 horse motor still worked when it went outside.

I asked the boss how much he would sell it for and he told me "scrap value" So i imagine i can have it for a hundred bucks. Knowing that a new one can be had for around $3500 (which i dont/wont have), would this endeavor be worth the effort?

I have lots of time and elbow grease available, but not alot of money. A thousand bucks from my tax return.

[judleroy]

Sounds like a good start at 100 bucks. I imagine if you take it apart and derust, clean, and regrease everything you can probably get a good machine for your time and effort.
Go for it!
Judleroy

[RalcoBe]

Fire and heat makes that the oil and grease goes away, then the firemen, the weather, thiefs... I think it can't be worse.

But if you can have it for 100 bucks? Don't hesitate if you have plenty of hobby time.

.

[Fegenbush]

It's probably worth about $100 in cast iron. So, even if it's not serviceable at all, you're not out anything. I'm sure that there are parts on it that are quite usable for other projects or parting out, if you're interested in doing that.

[Asymetric]

Well im sure it will need new bearings for the spindle that as far as i can tell will run around $300 The small handles and such i can make at work. The only rebuild kits i can find are for an actual bridgeport spindle. Probably need some belts and bushings in the head also. The whole thing needs to stay under a thousand bucks.

As far as the rust, do i just get a gallon of WD40 and a box of scotchbrite pads? I have a friend that works in a shop with a surface grinder big enough to touch up the table, so i can have that done for a couple beers on friday.