Kent KTM 380 vertical mill

[keitholivier]

Hi

I just purchased a Kent KTM 380 vertical mill after a long search on
ebay (particularly for something near me).

I have not come up with much information on this mill online (no
scanned copies of user manuals and service information).

From what I gather, the spindle is the step pulley type, so a little
more time consuming to change speeds, but at the same time relatively
simple compared to the variable speed units.

Its a 9x42 unit, thus relatively large for a home shop, but I doubt I
will regret the extra size or weight after getting it moved in.

Are there any potential issues to watch for on this machine, besides
the normal wear and tear that one expects on something 26 years old ?

Where was the machine built and can one expect good quality castings
etc, compared to current Taiwanese & Chinese mills ?

Thanks
Keith

[keitholivier]

Wow. I was hoping someone out there would know this unit. It seems like Kent has been around for a long time, but maybe they imported and resold the knee mils ?

I did write to Kent via the "contact" page of the Kent USA website but I have had no response there either.....

Hopefully this is not an "orphan" machine...

Keith

[jayk80]

I am auctioning one of these mills next week. I do not have manuals or diagrams on this model.
Specs: 2HP 8-speed step head: 65, 115, 200, 285, 615, 1100, 1910, 2700 rpm. The spindle is R8 with 5" quill travel. Head tilts up and down 45 degrees, left to right 90 degrees. Ram travel is 23".
This machine is a Taiwanese Clausing-copy. It is a lot more rigid than the Bridgeport-copies. It was built back when Meehanite casting was standard for Taiwan imports. A very capable canidate for cnc retrofit.
These mills are 30 years old and will outlive any newer import like Jet, Birmingham, etc. Good machine!