3-phase machine tools...

[Rob Bell]

A little off topic, but had the email below forwarded to me by my wife...

As part of a future accommodation project, we are clearing part of the Estates Engineering Workshop and the following pieces of heavy workshop equipment are no longer required, many of which have not been used for years:

• 1 No. pillar drill (3 phase)
• 1 No. power hack saw (3 phase)
• 1 No. horizontal/vertical milling machine (3 phase)
• 1 No. boxer/shaper (3 phase)
• 1 No. boxer lathe (3 phase)

If you are interested in one or more of the above, please inspect (arrangements through Graham Huggett x76854) and submit a bid in a sealed envelope to Trevor Marsh in procurement by 15th August. You will be expected to arrange removal and transportation.

If no bids are received, the equipment will be disposed of.

Oh how I wish I had the space to accommodate that lot! Mind you, even if I had the space, I'd probably spend the next 30 years trying to figure out how to use it all properly! (I don't think I've ever seen a horizontal/vertical milling machine before, but it sounds uber cool!) I might see whether I have space for one of these machines (ideally the lathe, but that probably takes the most space) - but the next question is how to get 3-phase power. You used to be able to have this routed into your domestic dwelling - is that still the case? BTW if anyone is interested in obtaining one of the above, I am happy to forward contact details. And no, I don't have any financial interest to declare

[Geoff.F]

They sound like Production Tooling that a DIYer may find useful on the odd occasion (once every five years).
Electricity used to go to the Box as 3 Phase with single phase to the house. This may still be the case however the cost of upgrading will cost you a fleet of MGs. The alternative of replacing the motor/s with single phase would also be prohibitive and then may exceed the power feed to your garage.
The only item that I have is a bench mounted pillar drill that is frequently used.
We have the alternative of a Car Restorer who refurbishes Mini engines and has an excellent machine shop.
A cost effective way may be to do all the washing up and ask for a combined lathe & milling machine for Christmas at about £1K but then you would need lessons on how to use it.
I learnt how to use those machines and more some 50 years ago.
Geoff F.

[Plezier]

That's a "Universal" Milling machine which used to be quite common in the Engineering shops in the UK especially the smaller shops that did all sorts of jobs. Big places would use dedicated Vertical and Horizontal mills. There is a vertical head which bolts tot eh column of the mill for vertical work. One would need something like a "Clarkson" collect chuck to hold the end mills and slot drills as well as fly cutters etc vertically. "Clarkson collet chuck were never cheap.

The 3 phase supply is easy today one just uses a converter. Years back these were hard to come by. One source was garage ramps as many were 3 phase and a lot of garages didn't have 3 phase supply. In fact we have a Westinghouse 3 phase converter that came off a ramp from a village garage that was being pulled down in Kent. Dad spotted in on the wall and approached the work men about it.

As for learning tier use well one could always approach the local college, I suppose they still do shop classes?, another option is of course magazines and getting to know another enthusiast who would pass on their knowledge.

I would avoid the cheap new lathes out of China and the Far East as quality is rather hit and miss. What does get costly is the tooling to run the machines which a lot of people don't think about and things such as basic tool sharpening like twist drills and turning tools of HSS (High Seed Steel). The bench mounted off-hand grinder is the machinists friend.

[Rob Bell]

The last time I used tools like this was when I was studying for my 'O' levels... and the fact that these were GCE not GCSE exams probably is sufficient to reveal how long ago THAT was... I suspect to use many of these tools correctly will require an engineering apprenticeship?

I'll see how much modern 3-phase converters cost... and I'll drop the guy an email to figure out how large these pieces are (they probably weigh a ton each as well )

[Plezier]

Unless the mill is huger then i doubt it will weigh a ton. Out Victoria U2 mill came without the vertical head and weighs no weight near a ton and if I recall that has a 48" table. Now the 18" stroke shaper is another matter. it seems that weights about 1 1/2 tons according to the chap who delivered it from the auction. BTW Rob I was too old for an apprenticeship, born at the wrong time of year, Dad also never did one and was a real wizard on the machines. I can only dream about being half as good as he was.

[Dell]

The only 3 phase component would be the motor so you could just replace with a single phase one of the same horsepower simples Most general purpose machine tools have for many years been sold with both options anyway.

[Rich in Vancouver]

We decommissioned a high school seven years ago. There was a milling machine the size of two Volkswagen Beetles stacked one on top of the other.
Over the years scrappers have broken into the school and stolen everything of value including all of the plumbing pipes, the panic bars off the doors and the electrical wiring. The only thing lift is the mill, even though any removable parts are now gone. It will likely stay until the building is demolished around it.
BTW: It's 3 phase!

[Rob Bell]

Hmm, single phase to three phase inverters from Machine Mart are between £300-400...

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/range ... erters-sol

I might have to go and have a look and see what they look like... probably isn't practical, but I can dream!