Aftermarket mill heads

Discussion on all milling machines vertical & horizontal, including but not limited to Bridgeports, Hardinge, South Bend, Clausing, Van Norman, including imports.

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spro
Posts: 8016
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:04 pm
Location: mid atlantic

Aftermarket mill heads

Post by spro »

The market for equivalent J heads has already happened. There are smaller heads for 3-in-one machines. Mill-Drill heads are too ungainly. The interest and search of vertical heads to accompany serious horizontal mills continues. I know that the horizontal has been obsolete for so long that people know it isn't. It is a tremendous platform for a universal type vertical head. Some of them we know and others we do not see. Does anyone know of a quality milling head that can be adapted to round ram and Vee ram machines other than the ones mentioned here?
spro
Posts: 8016
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:04 pm
Location: mid atlantic

Re: Aftermarket mill heads

Post by spro »

I didn't want to accept what is staring me in the face yet all these components are never going to be again.
History?-- I'll give you your industrial history right up ... That already happened too.
SteveM
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Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:18 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Aftermarket mill heads

Post by SteveM »

The Bridgeport is going to be your best bet because there are so many out there. There are also lots of spare parts. Just try finding a quill downfeed handle for a K&T or Sajo milling head.

Anything else is going to have its price driven up by the people that need that particular head. A Rusnock is probably going to cost more than a Bridgeport, and it's nowhere near as capable.

You can always adapt the mill portion of the 3-in-1 machine, if you need something small.

Steve
spro
Posts: 8016
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:04 pm
Location: mid atlantic

Re: Aftermarket mill heads

Post by spro »

Well Steve, You're pretty knowledgeable about these things so maybe the heads alone could be ordered. I haven't searched in a while but when I did, they were pricey. This is for general information to anyone who wants to consider a new vertical/universal head. Does some company sell these separately like Rong- Fu or Grizzly. I know the Bridgeport M and R have a certain "niche" but they haven't been produced for a long time.
Is some equivalent of MT #2 or R-8 available and actually sold and do they have adapters to fit various OverArms? It seems there would even be a market for turret mills of #30 and more to swing a smaller head to and the same attachments capable as before.
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