IH Mill in NE Wisconsin

[leeschaumberg]

Hello every one. I want to buy a new IH mill and initialy it will have DRO , Power Feed , 3450 RPM motor , and VFD. After a while I will convert it to CNC.
Does any one have an IH mill that I can see and get owner comments? I am retired and very well versed in all things electrical. I am very prompt , capable , and honest.
Not wanting to drive a zillion miles if you are willing please tell me.
Lee

[ProGunOne]

I'm getting ready to order a manual mill with factory motor, DRO and power feed from Gene in the next week or so. I don't know much about them other than what I've researched on the net. I'm in a suburb of Chicago. I see you are in Eagle River?

[SMW Precision]

Originally Posted by ProGunOne I'm getting ready to order a manual mill with factory motor, DRO and power feed from Gene in the next week or so. I don't know much about them other than what I've researched on the net. I'm in a suburb of Chicago. I see you are in Eagle River?

I am more than willing to answer any DRO questions or powerfeed ones for that matter. Gene and I have a pleasant surprise coming by the time you receive your mill packages.
To give you an idea what a difference that DRO package makes. On a stock machine I was spending 45% of my time machining and 55% in layout and positioning to achieve a +/- 0.020" result on average. Today with the same DRO system you will get, I spend 95% of my time machining with an accuracy result +/- 0.001" or better. Along with a great many milling procedures that were never easy or practical on a stock manual machine even with specialized jigs or fixtures.

[ProGunOne]

Thanks Ken, I appreciate the offer. Paul.

[leeschaumberg]

ProGunOne - Thanks for the Kind offer
Yes I live 2.5 miles from Eagle River,Wi. If you come up here and need some woulda coulda shoulda advice please ask.
Lee

[tai42]

I just received my IH mill with the 3 axis DRO (column scale) and power feed last week. It was a very plesent supprise to find the DRO was preinstalled! I wasn't expecting (especially for the great deal I got by pre-ordering it) that they would take the time to open up the mill, install the DRO, and recrate it. Unfortunatly I'm still waiting for the electrician to install my 220 line so I can hook it up to power. (I did plug in the DRO and play with that though. Very nice!) I'm ouside of Los Angeles, so that doesn't help you location wise, but I did take a bunch of pictures as I was uncrating it and if you're interested I will post them.

[MrWild]

Originally Posted by SMW Precision On a stock machine I was spending 45% of my time machining and 55% in layout and positioning to achieve a +/- 0.020" result on average. Today with the same DRO system you will get, I spend 95% of my time machining with an accuracy result +/- 0.001" or better.

What kind of backlash gives such a poor result? The lead screw quality and fit should give one to one (1-1) movement to graduation with repeatability. DROs aren't for fixing sloppy mechanics, but for giving accuaracy and speed. Surely you jest when you say +/-.020. That's .040 TIR. They do better accuaracy with a chunk of steel in a vise with a file. If you aren't jesting, I'd run with a trail of smoke.

[leeschaumberg]

tai42
So you got a new IH mill with DRO and powerfeed. This should make a very nice mill. When your electrian gets the power to it you can have fun. The folks at Industrial Hobbies sure are nice aren't they (Gene and Youngins). Keep it clean and well oiled and it will last forever.
Lee

[SMW Precision]

Originally Posted by MrWild What kind of backlash gives such a poor result? The lead screw quality and fit should give one to one (1-1) movement to graduation with repeatability. DROs aren't for fixing sloppy mechanics, but for giving accuaracy and speed. Surely you jest when you say +/-.020. That's .040 TIR. They do better accuaracy with a chunk of steel in a vise with a file. If you aren't jesting, I'd run with a trail of smoke.

Average leadscrew backlash in direction reversal on most of most machines ranges between 3 to 6 thousands. Error in a straightline is one thing; doing multiple and compound moves is another. Error is added to error and the end result is less than one would wish!

[leeschaumberg]

Ken
By the way I never said Thank You so Thank You now! I am still looking for that elf that will mill all night for no pay. The elf must be acurate to 1 tenth.
Lee