Jet mill - any good?

[jbjke]

Jet mill - are the old ones worth buying?

Found a 1981 jet mill with a vise mounted and some collets for around $1,500

I'm going to look at it over my lunch hour and wondered if anyone on here has had good or bad points with them compared to a Bridgeport?






Price good or too high?

Thanks for any quick replies



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jbjke]

Found locally - asking price is $1,500

Sound reasonable or to high?





Any comments or feedback appreciated - thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Griff93]

Jet stuff is ok. It depends on how much it's been used as to how good it will be at milling. I'd say for a hobby machine $1500 for a mill that size if it's in working condition would be hard to beat.

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Re: Jet mill - are the old ones worth buying?

I have a Bridgeport currently. Just because they are the namesake doesn't make them any better than a clone. I am actually looking for a clone that is in better shape then mine. I would say a basic older mill in decent shape would probably go for around $1000 in my area. Thats basic without a DRO or powerfeed on the x. The one you show appears to have an power feed but no DRO. I personally would hold out for one with a DRO and a power feed and spend maybe $2500. The one pictured if it doesn't have much wear is maybe over priced by a couple hundred.

 

[mike in tucson]

If you can access the machine, take a dial indicator and measure the screw backlash in both X and Y. A few thou is OK. If the machine is under power, run the spindle speed up and down while listening for noisy bearings. Generally, the spindle is somewhat noisy with no side load but really bad bearing sounds indicate wear. Look at the ways....is the scraping worn off? No digital readouts will require you to go back to reading the verniers. Not a bad buy if you don't need precision.....better than a Mattel toy mill

 

[jbjke]

Re: Jet mill - are the old ones worth buying?

Comes with enco vise




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jbjke]

Re: Jet mill - are the old ones worth buying?

And a noisy powerfeed




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[grommit]

Check the power requirements.
Is it three phase?

 

[matt_i]

Quickest test would be backlash but don't need to setup an indicator, just check free play in the X- and y- handles by turning them back and forth. A half turn of backlash is very well worn out. A brand new one is around .010-.015", so you should probably be there in the middle, .100" is getting on the side of bad. Also, as mentioned, the flaking (crescent half moon deep scrapes) being worn off the ways is an indicator of wear.

The absolute best test is under power, take an R8 collet and a sharp endmill and a piece of steel, a shop vac, and do some test cuts to decide if it fits your liking.

In general, I'd say $1500 is a very decent price for a turret mill in good working order.

So you buy it, what's next?...you have to move it Also need to think that one thru carefully.

One thing to think of is that doesn't look like a nearly exact Bridgeport knockoff (in general terms, there are multiple suppliers for good aftermarket parts for a Bpt knockoff). Not sure what Jet parts are available nowadays for that generation of mill. That looks like an 80-85 vintage if you asked me for a fast guess. It might be worthwhile to do a small amount of digging there.

 

[sanddan]

Re: Jet mill - are the old ones worth buying?

Not the usual power feed for that size mill. Does it include the crank handle for that end?

 

[Kevin54]

Re: Jet mill - are the old ones worth buying?

You'd be better off asking this in the Fabrication Forum

 

[pepi]

A short while back bought a mill, and was on the fence, new or used. I live in GA the biggest industry was picking cotton, so little in the way of selection to start with. Then add in the fact the state exist in the past, where every piece of junk is vintage, really makes for some slim pickings.

Bottom line went new, ends up as the right decision for myself. Gives a novice mechanist, me a smooth path to tooling and what fits and works with the mill.

IMO, buying used equipment is a huge gamble, why? Reading different forums that cater to all kinds of, tools or machines. There seems to always be an under current, that has two distinct desires. One of course a way to acquire a professional or high end piece, and at a low ball price.

The fault I see with that theory is, the novice or pro for that matter. Never will know the history of the equipment, abuse or the human rigging that was done to said equipment.

Anyone working at any job site must or has to have seen what others do to or with things they are not paying for... Even some that pay the freight will push equipment or machine with a total lack commons sense .

So as to a good deal, maybe there is one, considering two factors. How long it takes the new owner to get the machine running. Second the real final price of the machine after refurbish or clean up.

Power feeds make noise, they just do.

 

[jbjke]

Re: Jet mill - are the old ones worth buying?

Sorry was trying to get a reasonable drill press with variable speed for the garage / shop. Picked the wrong place to post I guess because I haven't started a new post before. I ended up getting it with a set of brand new collets. Paid a lot less then asking price so now for the cleanup.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[EdT]

Well, you always get lots of opinions on these forums so here's another. The lead screw wear is not of too much concern if you add DRO to the machine which is a great idea even if the machine is brand new. There will generally be some slack and you always have to keep track of it which is a PITA. If the ways are worn, some relief can usually be had by tightening up the gibs. That's why they are adjustable. I have an ancient, clapped out Bridgeport that is probably older than I am and I manage to crank out a lot of perfectly acceptable work. Most of us are not making parts for the space program. So, would I love to have a brand new machine? You bet, but I can get satisfactory results with what I have and apply the financial resources towards other equipment that expands my capabilities. AFA the price, that's not a killer deal, but it's not too bad either. If the machine is 3Ph, be sure you have a way to deal with that. If you have 240 1Ph, a VFD is a viable way to go and may bring some other benefits as well. On some machines it's easy to swap out the motor and on some it's nearly impossible. Once you have the mill, you will need another bucket of cash to get a minimal amount of tooling so you can do something with it. Also, be sure it is an R-8 spindle. Most likely it is, but other formats can be limiting.

 

[matt_i]

Well, you always get lots of opinions on these forums so here's another. The lead screw wear is not of too much concern if you add DRO to the machine which is a great idea even if the machine is brand new.

Agreed with your analysis but plan ahead for the additional costs. DRO = $1000 plus, VFD is probably in the $300 range for a 2-3hp version. That said, very few people make parts "with the dials" these days. I certainly don't.

 

[justanengineer]

Not too much, way too much IMHO. Youre well into decent Bridgeport or other nicer mill territory at $1500 in a good year, imports are significantly less. Realistically, US manufacturing is well into its second year of being in the toilet with most every non-govt funded industry being way down. Machinery prices reflect that, if you read any of the machinist boards there are many reports of ridiculously low 2008-or-lower prices every few weeks. In a good year if that machine was like-new I'd give ~$750 tops bc it might be worth $1k-1200. This year I'd be aiming $500 to resell for maybe $700.

 

[mike in tucson]

I sold a friend one of our Bridgeports for his garage. We rented a forklift and took it to his house. We poured a bucket of water on the garage floor and the two of us pushed the mill into place. Water dried and we put rubber isolators under each corner. Biggest challenge was to get the thing in the garage without hitting the forklift mast on the header over the door. Get a web sling to wrap under the ram and over the forks. Of course, he had to get a phase converter to run the 3 phase motor. Forklift cost $50 to rent.

 

[EdT]

The OP hasn't listed a location and location affects the price of machinery a lot. Up in the rust belt stuff is going for almost scrap prices. In other areas that were not/are not heavily industrialized machinery is more expensive since the demand is high relative to the supply. Also there is going to be some spread between the guy buying stuff to flip and a guy buying something to use. AFA no-one using dials anymore; I agree, for any one who is trying to make a living at it CNC is the answer. For the casual hobby guy, old fart like me, or anyone where the time to make one part is not too big a deal dials still work fine. Also, a "pure" CNC machine cannot be used manually which means you have to program the machine just to punch a hole in something or take off an edge.

 

[Shott8283]

Not too much, way too much IMHO. Youre well into decent Bridgeport or other nicer mill territory at $1500 in a good year, imports are significantly less. Realistically, US manufacturing is well into its second year of being in the toilet with most every non-govt funded industry being way down. Machinery prices reflect that, if you read any of the machinist boards there are many reports of ridiculously low 2008-or-lower prices every few weeks. In a good year if that machine was like-new I'd give ~$750 tops bc it might be worth $1k-1200. This year I'd be aiming $500 to resell for maybe $700.

what boards are you speaking of. b/c in my local (not far from you) they are still demanding a premium for used piles of junk apparently cast in solid gold.

 

[plow]

Looks alot like my BP knockoff (Induma). The guy I bought it from had a fork lift to load it. Got it home and had to hire a wrecker to get it off the trailer. After that, a 35 HP Kubota tractor to shove it in the garage where I wanted it.

 

[jbjke]

Re: Jet mill - are the old ones worth buying?

I got it for a grand and could have probably done better but after getting there I saw a piranha p50 ironworker I really wanted but he's wanting to hang on to it yet. If I low balled so much he wouldn't have entertained an offer on that. I've been looking for a 50 ton iron worker for awhile as I cut a lot of stainless for a living and this was clean and close. He's slowly closing shop and going to think about the offer over the weekend and needs the money.

Lifting will be no problem with a skidloader or tractor. Right now I used a forklift and its home will be at work for awhile until I can clean the junk out of the garage. I've skated a world war 2 drill press in and out of my garage before with stainless round bars. Setup a phase converter and borrowed a 3 phase motor from my dads farm. I've moved lots of machinery in my former days being in maint. I've gleaned a lot of wisdom from older wiser guys than I - another reason I enjoy this forum.

As far as the mill goes, I will use it for building rough fixtures and no high tolerance stuff. A good Wilton VS drill press runs a pretty good chunk of change around here in the Midwest if you can find them and I need a t-slot table and bigger vise. I already have some tooling but always could use more as the job creates a need and will profit from it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Monkey Milk]

I think you did real good, just like around here mills go for big bucks.

 

[bucktruck]

Looks like you got a great deal on a decent BP clone. And don't worry, backlash means very little once you learn how to use that thing. Sure, DROs are nice to have, but they aren't necessary.

Enjoy.

 

[Adam.C]

My question isnt condition but where you get parts. That's why guys go for Bridgies. You can still get parts, and there's tons of info about service.