PLEASE IDENTIFY THIS - AttN Machinist’s

[xjjeepman]

Ok, time to play the "What is this tool/piece game". This was in a Lista work bench i purchased from a transfer case mfg local to me. It looks to be some sort of dial setup type piece of machinary to maybe a lathe or drill?? Any ideas? Its very well built and VERY HEAVY. I dont have any use for it is it - is it worth anything? TIA

 

[Davefr]

Looks like a rotary index table for precision machining (ex: cutting gears). I'll be glad to take it off your hands!!

 

[lilredex]

Tilting, X-Y, rotary table. Probably best suited to mill use.

 

[Hephaestus29]

It's quite rusty & no machinist likes rust, but i'd be interested in it at the right price. I'll send you an email for the specs.

 

[real_psyence]

Yep, tilting cross slide rotary table. I've often seen the ones with the rotary on top as mostly used on drill presses, as the bottom X-Y becomes redundant with the mill's axes, but the tilt is new to me. Pretty sweet little thing.

 

[xjjeepman]

Any idea on how much its worth? Its only slight surface rust that will clean right off.

 

[xjjeepman]

The diameter of the table is 8 inches. and it weighs about 40lbs.

 

[fomocoforrester]

The first three pictures show it upside down - notice how the lead screws would be exposed.

When set up for cuts at an angle to a mills x and y axis - there may be no redundant axis.

 

[A_Pmech]

That's a cheap tilting cross-slide rotary table. Probably a Palmgren or Palmgren clone.

If it's a Palmgren, new list price is about $900:

http://www.emachinetool.com/accesso...onCatID=Cross Slide Tables&OptionFamilyID=292

 

[xjjeepman]

That's a cheap tilting cross-slide rotary table. Probably a Palmgren or Palmgren clone.

If it's a Palmgren, new list price is about $900:

http://www.emachinetool.com/accesso...onCatID=Cross Slide Tables&OptionFamilyID=292

How cheap? How do i find out what brand it is??

 

[RCStocker]

It will clean up nice. It did not look all that bad.
You can mount a 3 or 4 jaw chuck on it or fasten parts to it on a plate. It is missing the chuck that came with it. Nice find.

 

[A_Pmech]

How cheap? How do i find out what brand it is??

Palmgren stuff has always been bottom of the barrel. You might get away doing some very light milling drilling on it, but it's not very well designed or built. I'm 90% sure it's a Palmgren. See the listing on Interplant Sales about halfway down the page on the left and note the little water slide decal above the X-axis handwheel:

http://www.interplantsales.com/240.html

 

[xjjeepman]

Palmgren stuff has always been bottom of the barrel. You might get away doing some very light milling drilling on it, but it's not very well designed or built. I'm 90% sure it's a Palmgren. See the listing on Interplant Sales about halfway down the page on the left and note the little water slide decal above the X-axis handwheel:

http://www.interplantsales.com/240.html

Yeap- i believe youre right. This looks identical to that listing, just no decal. But still seems well built and heavy. Not sure what they mean by P.O.R for the pricing though. thx for the info.

Anyone want to make an offer on this?? Id say its around $900 new. Let me know.

 

[Kevin54]

It's a cross slide rotary table. Cleaned up you may get $150-$200 out of it. There are some home machinist that could use it. They had better know their math though.

 

[xjjeepman]

yeap, you were dead on, i confirmed it. I found the stamped name on it:

I also found what looks tp be the exact same table on eBay;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Palmgren-8-rotary-table-crosslide-xy-and-tilt-angle-/220800939098?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3368c2f45a

 

[Zrexxer]

Not sure what they mean by P.O.R for the pricing though. thx for the info.

P.O.R. = "Price on Request."

 

[xjjeepman]

It's a cross slide rotary table. Cleaned up you may get $150-$200 out of it. There are some home machinist that could use it. They had better know their math though.

Same exact one on ebay is asking $850 with holes drilled into top. While im not saying its worth that much but id assume it be worth more than $150..

 

[xjjeepman]

P.O.R. = "Price on Request."

thanks, my brain is not working today

 

[balane]

It sounds about right to me.

In it's current condition ~$150 is a fair price for it.

If it were cleaned up then ~$225

You can always find things listed which are over-priced. But it won't ever sell and you'll see it recycled week after week until they get the picture. Check completed auctions for Palmgren Cross Slide to see what they actually sell for.

 

[Richard D]

Palmgren stuff has always been bottom of the barrel.http://www.interplantsales.com/240.html

Really? Bottom of the barrel period, even next to China stuff, or just when compared to other U.S.A. brands? Their stuff is always way more expensive in the catalogs than the China alternative.

 

[A_Pmech]

yeap, you were dead on, i confirmed it.

Cool! I kinda figured that's what it was. It's probably not worth that much but it might be handy to have around if you have a use for it.

Really? Bottom of the barrel period, even next to China stuff, or just when compared to other U.S.A. brands? Their stuff is always way more expensive in the catalogs than the China alternative.

Yeah, pretty much bottom of the barrel period. Their products have always been low-tier and are now made in China. Why they're more expensive I have no idea!

To provide perspective, this is my 12" John Ramming / Advance cross-slide rotary table which was the standard of the tool and die trade prior to CNC. It cost about as much as a nice new car back in 1975 and it weighs about 375 lbs. It's guaranteed to better than 15 arc seconds, which is about .0004" on the circumference of a 12" diameter circle:

Compare the size and quality of the cross slide ways to those of the Palmgren:

With the advent of CNC cross slide rotary tables became largely obsolete. You can buy very nice examples today for under $1,000 if you're patient. Why anybody would buy a Palmgren instead of a nice used Advance / John Ramming for the same money is beyond my comprehension.

 

[xjjeepman]

What would be the best way to clean this one up? I dont want to scratch it up in the process.

 

[xjjeepman]

Btw, 375Lbs! wow thats pretty beefy!

 

[Johnny chaos]

Xjjeepman. Not to de-rail the thread but I see your from upstate NY and you said this came from a transfer case manufacturer....Magna? Did you go to their auction? I really wanted to go but had to work.

 

[xjjeepman]

yeap- auction was pretty good if you stayed till the end. A lot of good deals... its a shame though

 

[A_Pmech]

What would be the best way to clean this one up? I dont want to scratch it up in the process.

A quick once-over with a rag and some light oil will remove most of the fuzz rust. I probably wouldn't go to any more trouble than that.

If you do go to the trouble I'd disassemble it and either soft media blast it or scotch brite it in the gunk tank.

 

[justanengineer]

yeap- auction was pretty good if you stayed till the end. A lot of good deals... its a shame though

Is that the same plant near Syracuse theyve been auctioning since ~2007? I was under the impression someone had bought/reopened that one in another industry. I got an invite to the first auction a few years back thanks to my old man, but they had a rigging/removal fee for everything, even small stuff so I didnt buy anything.

I think at some point those Palmgrens were reasonably priced as they are rather common. I would be happy to get a C-note for one bc I could get a decent plain 8" rotab for $150-200 pretty easily. Scarily enough, I think the only time Ive ever seen one of those Palmgrens actually being used was in a wood shop for drilling.

 

[xjjeepman]

Yeap, same plant. Closing it down and shipping most of production to Mexico.. some to Michigan.

 

[Dustball]

Same exact one on ebay is asking $850 with holes drilled into top. While im not saying its worth that much but id assume it be worth more than $150..

If you look at the offers made on that auction, you'll see that it's been on eBay for at least a year and a half. It's not selling at $850.

 

[xjjeepman]

If you look at the offers made on that auction, you'll see that it's been on eBay for at least a year and a half. It's not selling at $850.

True, but if you look at the other completed auctions for a Palgrem 8" table you will see most were around 200-300 but none of these were tilting like the one I have so i still think its worth $300 or more. I'll let eBay decide with a no reserve auction after I clean it up. Thx

 

[bad_idea]

report back after you sell it. I am curious what it goes for.

 

[xjjeepman]

Cleaned her up and through it on ebay. Wish me luck.. And thanks for all the input!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290809362759

 

[xjjeepman]

Another question:How do i check the backlash measurements for each axis? I need the measurements for someone interested in it.

 

[A_Pmech]

Turn the axis handwheel forward to an arbitrary number, say "0". Set the gib lock for that axis. Now turn the handwheel backwards until you can feel the screw take up the nut. Note the difference between "0" and the number the dial is now resting on. That's the amount of backlash in the axis lead screw system.

 

[xjjeepman]

Turn the axis handwheel forward to an arbitrary number, say "0". Set the gib lock for that axis. Now turn the handwheel backwards until you can feel the screw take up the nut. Note the difference between "0" and the number the dial is now resting on. That's the amount of backlash in the axis lead screw system.

Thx- can you explain this as a Compound Rotary Table for Idiots book would?
Such as, what is the gib lock? Which one is the axis handwheel? There are 3 handwheels. Thx again i really appreciate it!

 

[383 240z]

All of them are axis handles, you will need to do this 3 times. once for the left to right axis, once for the front to back axis, and once for the rotation. The gib lock is however you lock the axis your measuring. usually a thumbscrew or a lock bolt type set-up. Keith

 

[larry_g]

I don't see a gib lock on your tool. Backlash is the amount of freeplay that you have in the screws. On each axis or handwheel move the table till the handwheel reads 0. then turn in the opposite direction and when you feel the table start to move or the screw tighten like it is going to move then read the scale on the dial. The lost motion is free play and could be in the .015" to .050" range as read on the dial. Each mark is .001".

lg
no neat sig line

 

[xjjeepman]

Thanks again guys

 

[kazlx]

I sold that exact same table, except a 10", for $250.

 

[xjjeepman]

I sold that exact same table, except a 10", for $250.

Cool, mine is on eBay so well see how it does. Currently @ $227