What to look for when buying a milling machine?

rusdee · Jul 31, 2021

Hi all,

Im planning on buying this small milling machine. Im would not consider my self as a machinist but more towards carpentry and small fabrication.

My use:
For wood and brass/aluminum fabrication.

Any help on what to look for when buying this machine is highly appreciated. And in the picture whats the clamped item on the bed?

Thank you!

memphisjed · Jul 31, 2021

I think it looks cool. Machinist say look at ways and stuff, on a machine (any machine really) that size and condition I say dance pull and shake every part - if it wiggles or is loose then you question it. If it is a bent cover there is a few dollars off, if the ram (quill) or table is rattling walk away. still a cool looking machine.

eKretz · Jul 31, 2021

The item on the table is a 5C collet chuck/fixture. Might be an indexer, can't tell. Not a brand or variant I'm familiar with.

Ralph_P · Jul 31, 2021

eKretz said:
The item on the table is a 5C collet chuck/fixture. Might be an indexer, can't tell. Not a brand or variant I'm familiar with.

How can you tell it's 5C?

Piek · Jul 31, 2021

What kind of spindle does it have? Worth checking to see if toolholders, collets etc. are easily available.

rusdee · Jul 31, 2021

What do you call this type of milling machines?
How to change speeds in a machine like this? Pully?
Whats the nut on top of the head? drawbar?
Should the spindle be a MT2?

memphisjed · Jul 31, 2021

It doesn't look like a Morse taper; the nut indicates a draw bar. It looks like an old industrial single operation machine, everything is stout for the table size and motor housing. It would be fun to have as a drill press or something, but depending on price (should be less than 1 usd per pound) you might want to get one that is under power and with an hour of quick how to and a few tools (under power usually increases value).
1 usd is todays steel price new, .20 is what the scrap yards are getting from the mill - so somewhere between the two.

rusdee · Jul 31, 2021

memphisjed said:
It doesn't look like a Morse taper; the nut indicates a draw bar. It looks like an old industrial single operation machine, everything is stout for the table size and motor housing. It would be fun to have as a drill press or something, but depending on price (should be less than 1 usd per pound) you might want to get one that is under power and with an hour of quick how to and a few tools (under power usually increases value).
1 usd is todays steel price new, .20 is what the scrap yards are getting from the mill - so somewhere between the two.

Thanks for the info. I do have a drill press, just wanted to get a mill to do some fabrications. As precision metal work is not my primary focus didn't want to invest $$$. With all do respect may I know why did you say that "It would be fun to have as a drill press or something"? Don't you think this any good for x and y milling?

dian · Jul 31, 2021

it seem to have tapered gibs. if so, try how loose x and y are in different positions, either by trying to move/twist the table or better by adjusting the gib until it drags. usually it will be worn out in the middle of travel and if you adjust it tight you cant move it to the ends. if its loose its no good and you might end up adjusting the gib(s) back and forth when using the machine.

i dont see how this could serve as a drill press as it seems to have no quill.

JST · Jul 31, 2021

For a mill, table size is a big deal, as is the "travel", how far you can move the table before it hits something or runs off the feed screw.

So is the number of t-slots.... you want three. A lot of small mills have one, and you will not like that.

And having a "quill", a movable part that carries the spindle, like a drill press has.

The table travel is approximately the total table length less the width of the "saddle" that it slides in. You usually can go a little farther but.....

So....

That mill has what appears to be a tiny table, although it has three t-slots.

Useful table travel appears to be about half the table total length, maybe a little more.

It does not appear to have any form of quill, so all drilling or setting of cut depth must be done by raising or lowering the table. Perfectly possible, but a pain.

For "fabrications", it looks very small. It may be a decent machine, but appears to be made to work on things that fit within a 6" or 7" cube.

Your decision, but it looks small and limited, although it may be very solid.

crazygoat · Jul 31, 2021

You haven't mentioned the price. That would be a very big deal in the worth of it. If someone gave it to me, I would have think twice about hauling it off.

I believe you will be very disappointed in what you could do with it.

crossthread · Jul 31, 2021

Rusdee....to answer your question, yes, you could do X and Y milling with it. As long as your projects are small enough to fit the envelope of the smallish table size then it is absolutely usable for milling. As to condition, I wouldn't have a clue but as others have said, you need to push and pull on things and see what kind of slop there is. Slop could be taken up with the jibs hopefully. This would not make a good drill press because of the lack of a quill but you said you had a drill press so that is not an issue. I started out sixty years ago with a milling attachment for my lathe and yes it will mill. I cut my share of keyways and whatnot with it until I got a real mill. What you have there is a magnitude of order better then a milling attachment. I am just guessing, but if I were looking at this I would offer 3 to 4 hundred for it if everything works on it. It is limited in scope but if you need to cut a keyway, mill the top off something or just want to put a flat on a shaft, then this would work for you.

memphisjed · Jul 31, 2021

I said drill press because it spins sharp objects and looks stout. I windowed shopped for years to get my mill - I am blacksmith by training and fabricator/operator for a living now. Why would I want it? it looks really cool, a tiny bit of art left in the industrial design when it was made. I was told by a wise man to be skeptical of any machine with the plug cut off- that one might have been hard wired in its previous home, but....
Window shopping is fun when you find a cool looking machine like that, even when you talk yourself out of getting it.

eKretz · Jul 31, 2021

Ralph_P said:
How can you tell it's 5C?

I can't definitively, and I should have added a "probably" in there. But it looks like 5C to me just eyeballing the nose and relative size of the machine.

rusdee · Jul 31, 2021

Thanks a lot for all the info. To be honest this was very informative. Will post an updated after checking the machine. I think the bed has a 13inch (X) mil capacity. Btw i have attached some pics with some writing.
Btw the asking price for this is $500-$600 Trying to negotiate & was told this is around 300kg-400kg. And the other thing is no one really likes to import mini mills quite obvious after points mentioned any serious machinist would prefer a larger versions.

Im no pro machinist in any means but I got a old Japanese drill press and took everything thing apart and learned a lot! So if it works within my needs and price is right will take it as a project.

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Btw not sure how many of you have seen wood milling machines.
They are quite giants.

Thanks again!

michiganbuck · Jul 31, 2021

That looks like a decent machine, and 500/600 is not bad for a mill..But It does not seem to have a quill, and they are very handy..

and the plug is off you can put one on and try the motor.

And do you need to fab up a knee handle?

Most mills have a table lock so you can snug up chatter and make a directional change, I don't see any there.

If the likes of a Bridgeport could be had for about 1000 I would go the extra bucks for the BP.

QT Piek [is Worth checking to see if tool holders, collets etc. are easily available.] That can be Important. if that is a drill chuck in the spindle they are just Ok for wood and perhaps aluminum, but not so good for steel.

If you are set on it I would offer $350 "Cash" and see where that goes. Have the money in your pocket.

Bill D · Jul 31, 2021

Is the motor single or three phase, do you have three phase? It may be a normal motor easy to find a replacement or a weird long shaft special order like most USA made milling machines.
It most likely may be a MT2, MT3 or r8 spindle nose with a drawbar. That is a odd spindle nose chuck? maybe a ER collet holder is installed into the original taper?
Bill D

Bill D · Jul 31, 2021

Do you read the nameplate as msuzuki or M. Suzuki.
Bill D

on edit: I think there is some relation between suziki and mitsubishi machine tools. Of course they are both common names in Japan so they may not be related to this maker at all.

Paint color looks the same to me here:
Used Suzuki Milling Machines for sale | Machinio

Bill D · Jul 31, 2021

This item implies Suzuki is now known as Yuasa, a good brand still made today
Bill D

For Sale: Yuasa Tokyo Suzuki 723-100R Lathe Cutting Tool Holder, 00-R

rusdee · Aug 1, 2021

Didn't go to check it because the asking price is 700 USD excluding travel cost. Didnt want to gamble really don't know anything about milling machine. Wanted to make parts like this. Better invest on a CNC?

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What to look for when buying a milling machine?

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