Abene B-600 right angle attachment

[pianoman8t8]

Hi guys,
I think I have an opportunity to purchase one of these, but it appears my VHF-3 spindle face does not have the threaded face ring, while the attachment does have the threaded ring to pull it up to the spindle face. Is this a show-stopper, or can the spindle face ring (on the machine side) be turned/threaded to accept the B-600 threaded ring? Hopefully my question makes sense... Also, my VHF-3 does not have the quill head.

Could Part #3 in the head (Bracket Ring) be remade to include the threads that hold on the B-600 unit? It doesn't appear to be holding anything super critical like bearings, if I'm looking at the parts diagram correctly...

 

[ncjeeper]

I don't have an answer to your question, but I have a VHF-3 also so curious to the responses.

 

[chibbe]

Hi "Pianoman",

Many year ago I had an Abene VHF3 and I did just that!
Took off the spindle face ring and turned threads directly on the original one. And it worked fine. If I remember correctly I didnt even had to take the diameter down at all, I just turned the threads directly on original diameter.


Best regards
Henrik

 

[Demon69]

Ive an Abene with threads on the head if you need an OD check.

 

[Kirt]

If you are able to purchase it, please post pictures. Would love to have one for mine, but they seem to be very rare.

 

[pianoman8t8]

As a side note, if it checks out and functions well, what do you feel a fair price would be? I imagine this number could be a large range...

 

[Demon69]

As a side note, if it checks out and functions well, what do you feel a fair price would be? I imagine this number could be a large range...

Theres only one fair price for hens teeth, thats the price buyer and seller agree on.

GL

 

[pianoman8t8]

Very true...

 

[Thompsonguitars]

Hello Pianoman
It is correct that the plain nose ring is the same od. as the threaded ring . Though that may depend on the vintage of your machine.
The plain ring on my machine is pretty hard but with the right tool I'd say theading would be possible .
It would not be a big project to machine up a new one either .I bought a B600 head many moons ago directly from Abene .
They told me that they could scrounge all the parts off the store room shelf and so that's the way it came , a box of
parts . And that is how it remains to this day. I was planing to put it together this winter and still may get to it .
It came with the threaded nose ring but needs me to make a ring that will hold it concentric with the main spindle .
That ring feature is integral with the plain ring .
My box of parts cost me around about 250.00 . I think that a PM member had one for sale here about 10 years ago for 750 euro . Not sure .
Hope this helps you .
Ted

 

[pianoman8t8]

ThompsonGuitars, thanks for the info. Yeah I was thinking about the same price range roughly. Hard to tell, not currently under power. And haven't removed from mill yet. I'll need to make up a spanner tomorrow to unthread the ring.

 

[pianoman8t8]

Would you mind grabbing me the clamping ring OD and holes size for the spanner wrench?

 

[Thompsonguitars]

Would you mind grabbing me the clamping ring OD and holes size for the spanner wrench?

Pianoman
Clamping ring od = 5.861"
Hole size for spanner = .397"
The width of your spanner should be around 3/4"

 

[pianoman8t8]

On a totally unrelated note, anybody have any guess as to why the head hold-down stud is left hand thread? (The bolt that secures head to base when horizontal)

 

[Thompsonguitars]

On a totally unrelated note, anybody have any guess as to why the head hold-down stud is left hand thread? (The bolt that secures head to base when horizontal)

That's a good question .
PS The mouting ring spanner pin holes are .295 deep .

 

[pianoman8t8]

Thanks for the hole depth!

 

[pianoman8t8]

Left with attachment! I'll post pics later once I get home. Unfortunately Machine has been outside under a tarp for a month. Obv has some surface rust now, likely getting scraped on 1-2wks if nobody buys it.

 

[pianoman8t8]

It will definitely need cleaning, but I've been drooling over one of these for a while. Couldn't just let it go...

I plan to disassemble and clean in the near future, de-rust, etc... get all that grit and crud off. Then I need to pull the spindle face ring off and thread that. Hopefully someone buys that Abene (and Harig Super 618 right next to it), otherwise it's getting scrapped. (Just posted these to the For Sale section). Unfortunately I don't have room or time to grab them, clean them up in my shop, get under power and then sell, otherwise I probably would. Then I could likely end up with this angle attachment for near free. LOL

 

[Kirt]

Congrats on getting the attachment and thanks for posting pictures. Looks like it will clean up nicely.

 

[pianoman8t8]

I really wish I could save the machine it came from, both from continued weather exposure, and from the scrap yard, but I already have 9 machines in an 18x32ft shop... and 2 of those are cnc. Space is very limited as you can imagine lol!

 

[ncjeeper]

That head is neat.