Super Max Milling machine

Alan S · Oct 12, 2020

I know some won’t like discussing an Asian made mill but please help. I volunteer at a high school for about 3 weeks a year teaching students on a lathe. Now I found a super max milling machine for sale. In decent shape for under $500 that the school could buy. The power feed on the table and on the knee were stolen so there is no dials or handles. This mill is a Bridgeport clone. Will the dials from a Bridgeport fit on this mill?
Thanks Alan

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thermite · Oct 12, 2020

Alan S said:
I know some won’t like discussing an Asian made mill but please help. I volunteer at a high school for about 3 weeks a year teaching students on a lathe. Now I found a super max milling machine for sale. In decent shape for under $500 that the school could buy. The power feed on the table and on the knee were stolen so there is no dials or handles. This mill is a Bridgeport clone. Will the dials from a Bridgeport fit on this mill?
Thanks Alan

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Doesn't matter if they fit. Something surely can BE fitted. Not a show-stopper of any kind.

BirdPort clones - Taiwanese had plenty - were/are generally NOT "hobby grade" junk. Industrial machines, widely sold and used, rather.

Many were/are stouter than the BirdPorts themselves. 40-taper nostril instead of R8, greater mass, more HP not uncommon.

Regardless, even if handles and "balanced" feed cranks MAY be to metric sizes?

No fear!

World is FULL of third party and/or vendors to the OEM's of all MANNER of balanced-lever cranks and handwheels with various handle styles and also degree'd dials.

Adapting is not hard. Some have UNPIERCED hubs, so you can fit whatever you have the tools and skill to fit. Even with hand tools. Just slower.

The more costly challenge is finding decent power-feed hang-ons. Those, too, exist.

Job ONE is determining if your machine is built to Inch or Metric as to sizes and lead-rate of the traverse screws.

75sv1 · Oct 12, 2020

I have a Supermax mill. Originally, it was a CNC with Anilam controller. A lot of them were. They are a solid built mill. I'd check if it has the CNC ball lead screws. Blanking on the correct term. It came with manual handles, but no dials. I use a DRO. If the ways are in good shape, $500 is a steal. The castings will look beefier than they actually are. They pasted about 1/4 of green bondo type filler on them. Still, plenty stought.
The CNC ball lead screws are probably $2000 to retrofit. They come in handy, to do climb milling. And I think you will find some to many on this board do see certain off shore products as being good.

thermite · Oct 12, 2020

75sv1 said:
... many on this board do see certain off shore products as being good.

Or at least capable of earning an honest crust...

Our founder is realistic, just as industry with tough budgets has had to be realistic. Put it right into the "stickies":

Machinery Discussion Guidelines

Extract:

... Larger and/or higher quality Asian machines that might be used in manufacturing or job shop setting are ok to discuss.

75sv1 · Oct 12, 2020

thermite said:
Or at least capable of earning an honest crust...

Our founder is realistic, just as industry with tough budgets has had to be realistic. Put it right into the "stickies":

Machinery Discussion Guidelines

Extract:

Yes, I agree. We do not want nor need to be a Hobby board. The Supermax is at the Bridgeport level.

Alan S · Oct 12, 2020

The school doesn’t have much of a budget. I just want to get some dials on the mill so I can give the students an introduction on the mill.
I’m glad to hear that this mill is a fairly decent machine.
Thanks for the replies Alan.

swarfmeister · Oct 12, 2020

We have a 3 axis CNC Supermax bed mill. Parts should still be available. I'm not sure if this guy is still active or retired but [email protected] this guy was their old service lead and was tons of help getting us pointed in the right direction. Lore has it that the Supermax really came into it's own after Bridgeport went direct with their sales, and some of their better reps got together and approached Yeong Chin about making some improvements that the Bridgeport management wouldn't. I've run a couple and they are at least the equivalent in power and rigidity.

thermite · Oct 12, 2020

Alan S said:
The school doesn’t have much of a budget. I just want to get some dials on the mill so I can give the students an introduction on the mill.
I’m glad to hear that this mill is a fairly decent machine.
Thanks for the replies Alan.

Got a lathe? Purchase plain-Jane cast goods. Fit and finish them as a project.

Go through the math and find you surely have the smarts right in the school to DIY your dials and divide and mark them too.

Learning expands to meet the challenges available.

Alan S · Oct 12, 2020

The school has had a lathe for years but no one knew how to run it.
The first year I volunteered I had 2 classes with 12 students total last year there were 8 students in one class.

Bluejeep · Oct 13, 2020

They are a good solid mill, as for a power feed. the company that rhymes with cars has a reasonably priced one that I put on mine a year ago that works very well. Handles can be procured thru Mcmaster.

Alan S · Oct 13, 2020

Thanks to swarfmeister
I emailed the person you gave me. They do not handle the parts any more but they knew who did and I found all the parts I needed. Thanks Alan

9100 · Oct 14, 2020

I have a Promax mill, the successor to the Supermax. Aside from chintzy handles of the quill lock, etc.,it is hard to tell the difference from a Bridgeport. I did order it with a 30 taper spindle and made a metric drawbar so I can use both holders.

I was working in the trade when Bridgeport dumped their dealers. Machinists are not especially tolerant when their salesmen friends they have worked with for years suddenly are unemployed. Some of the dealers got together and had the Alliant made overseas.

Bill

Alan S · Oct 15, 2020

The mill was at the state surplus. I bought it today for $400. It’s in nice shape except for missing handles and dials. It’s going to be about $500 worth of parts.
Thanks Alan

partsproduction · Oct 15, 2020

My first full sized mill was SuperMax, as is the second which I still have. I later sold the first to make room for a CNC knee mill, and wish I had kept it.
Most BP parts will fit inside the head.

Bambi4010 · Nov 18, 2020

I purchased a 1983 Supermax YC-1 1/2 VA this summer and am rebuilding the spindle. Does anyone know if the BP lower bearing set fits? Our bearing vendor found bearings from the numbers on the set I removed, but I can't be sure they they have the precision length.

Thanks

Newman109 · Nov 19, 2020

My big 4VH Webb (Taiwan Built, 1987, 3.500 lbs.) was formerly CNC. It needed dials and hand wheels when I got it. I got the dials on eBay and the handles from McMaster-Carr to convert back to manual.

It also had ball screws on it and I left them on. They work well if you are careful to use the table locks when appropriate.Best of all, they have 0 play on the Y Axis and .007 on the X so what's not to like?

The larger, Taiwan-Built BP clones are every bit as "industrial" as a BP.

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