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Difference between Van Norman 38 and 38MEA?

Gearclash

Aluminum
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
As the title says, what makes a Van Norman 38MEA different than a 38? Thanks!
 
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Not a whole lot. I have the 28/38 manual at home and will doublecheck, but there are some quite modest dimensional changes, and possible a minor change to the spindle speed selections. Really pretty much a tweak to the older model. I suspect that if you were hunting replacement parts (not that such things are available any longer), you might find the 38MEA used a few different parts than the 38.

I should add that even the differences between the 28 and 38 models can be a bit blurry at times, due to factory specials. I've got a 28A with the 38 table size, for example.
 
OK, here's what I get from the manual, which covers models 28, 28A, 28M, 28E, 38M, 38ME, 38MA, 38MEA (no "just plain" 38). The differences are primarily in Y axis travel and Z axis height. Base footprint on all the machines is the same: 32" wide by 52" deep. Height varies slightly, and obviously the bigger table #38 models have a larger operating envelope.

ModelTableSpindle HeightTable MinTable MaxHeadroom MinHeadroom Max
2813x5856.256.7518.75014.25
28A13x5860.256.7520.75018.5
28M13x5860.256.7518.75018.25
28E13x5866.256.7518.754.2524.25
38M14x6460.257.2519.25016.5
38MA14x6462.257.2521.250??17.5
38ME14x6466.257.2519.251.2522.5
38MEA14x6466.257.2521.250??19.5

Spindle Height is spindle centerline-to-floor in horizontal mode.

Table Min and Table Max are table centerline-to-column distance. The spindle centerline-to-column distance in vertical mode for all models is basically 0 to 22".

Headroom Min and Spindle Max are spindle face-to-table distance in vertical mode. For universal table models, these distances are 1.5" less.

As you might expect, there are different drawings for the knee for the "A" and "non-A" models, but even there most of the parts are in common across all the models.
 








 
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