My new to me Milling Machine...well it is a 35 years old Warco A2F

[zzr1200]

I've been looking for a while now, but the normal problems to far away or just to much money.

Spotted this mill on Fleabay, viewed it twice, function test run it and I was the only bidder, so yesterday I collected it.

It stands 6ft 3ins tall with the head at 90 degrees to the table but it will go through a door way 5ft tall by rotating the head 90+ degrees, also I had to remove the table as the door was only 3ft wide, fun and games but loaded it and come home.


Had a look in the cold light of day, as far as I can see so far the slide ways are in good shape with no play, the X axis nut is worn, so I suspect the Y and Z nuts are the same. Once I've sorted the man cave during the week, I'll start on cleaning and fettling it.

They still make the basic machine in various disguises so I may still be able to buy some spares, but have dropped the powered table feed fitted to this model for those little bolt on feed units.

 

[julianthegypsy]

Nice looking piece of kit!

 

[Pete.]

Nice, in a 90-degrees-out kind of way

Ways look good, oiling groove not showing any sign of wear. If you're going to oil-flake the table make sure you only do the underside ways of the table not the top ones.

 

[Wedg1e]

Tidy
Useful speed range although I'd have liked to see a few more options sub-1000 rpm.

 

[ronan]

I wish i had the space for a full sized milling machine. Hope it works out well for you.

 

[Spark plug]

Like like its quite a nice in between size, what taper dose the spindle use?

 

[roofman]

looks a nice machine..good catch

 

[ronan]

Tidy
Useful speed range although I'd have liked to see a few more options sub-1000 rpm.

Maybe an inverter could help there.

 

[zzr1200]

Like like its quite a nice in between size, what taper dose the spindle use?

R8 taper.

Maybe an inverter could help there.

The problem is its a 2 speed main motor and another separate motor for the powered table feed, so it would require either 2 (240 to 415 volt) inverters or a 250 to 415 volt Transwave converter.

 

[Paulbarrett]

Nice machine

 

[Wedg1e]

The problem is its a 2 speed main motor and another separate motor for the powered table feed, so it would require either 2 (240 to 415 volt) inverters or a 250 to 415 volt Transwave converter.

You could always fit an intermediate 5-step pulley which will double your options... need some sort of adjustable bracketry of course, but piece of cake for a man of your talents

 

[zzr1200]

You could always fit an intermediate 5-step pulley which will double your options... need some sort of adjustable bracketry of course, but piece of cake for a man of your talents

It would be a hard modification considering the head units design.

I have been involved with trying to repair modified machines/vehicles before and have modified a few vehicles myself, but I've always found that trying to repair other peoples modification/bodge ups are a real pain in the ****, mainly because there's no record of the parts used. I've always kept a list of any non-standard parts used, the part number/oem vehicle model, I've used and if any modification was done to the part itself. These lists are always been pasted on with the vehicle to any new owner.

In one of Doubleboost's You Tube Video's regarding his mill of this family/type, he suggests that the lead-screw nuts maybe made out of brass as opposed to bronze, so they will be re-machined in bronze, I see this as an improvement, but within the mills standard parts spec so to speak.

There's backlash in my mills X axis so I presume the Y/Z axis's will be the same, new nuts to be fitted/made.

My motto these days is "If it works, don't try to modify it", years ago I owned Land Rovers (some highly modified V8's) to get me about and tow trailers, now being older and stiffer and requiring a bit more comfort, I now own a Range Range as personal transport, and I now appreciate being able to order parts of the shelf.

I also now prefer to buy the proper tool for the job.

Although I still like to build a Lo-cost for fun...one day...

 

[Pete.]

Aah but why have you bought a milling machine, is not to produce non standard parts?

 

[zzr1200]

Aah but why have you bought a milling machine, is not to produce non standard parts?

I can see your argument and I may have just shot myself in the foot, but if someone else wants non-standard parts made who am I to argue with them...

I make a fair few special tools to help me with my job at times, pullers, bearing/bush installation tools, crushed tube straighteners and the like which is why the mill will be useful to me.

 

[Pete.]

I use mine to make non-standard stuff all the time. Last night I made a set of tools to help some lad with little mechanical skills helicoil the spark plug hole on his Kawasaki with the engine still in the bike and the plug thread 150mm down inside the well. Even included a way to retain the tang when it's snapped off so it doesn't fall in the engine.

 

[Wallace]

John, what about making the X/Y axis nuts with Delrin as Pete suggested in a previous post?

PS Have you bought the grey paint yet?

 

[zzr1200]

John, what about making the X/Y axis nuts with Delrin as Pete suggested in a previous post?

PS Have you bought the grey paint yet?

I don't think Delin would be strong enough over time to hold the knee and table weight.

I have purchased a 500 mm x 50 mm Round Bronze Bar Stock from the Bay of Evil, stalwart_hmlc will hopefully pick up the item, then I will collect it from him. Which should be more than enough and allow me to make the three nuts.

As for the grey paint looking at the machine in natural daylight it may be just a case of de-grease and touch up in Warco green, I do have to buy some more paint for the Harrison L6 so maybe the Warco A2F may morph into a Myford A2F coloured clone........

 

[Pete.]

I don't think it's fair to judge the Y axis and knee nuts on the condition of the x-axis nut. It's natural for work to be set up so that most of the movement is in X, so it stands to reason that it will wear the fastest.

 

[zzr1200]

I don't think it's fair to judge the Y axis and knee nuts on the condition of the x-axis nut. It's natural for work to be set up so that most of the movement is in X, so it stands to reason that it will wear the fastest.

I"ll agree with you Pete on the amount of wear ratio, but it is a 35 year old machine, if I expect to replace all three nuts and only need one that's a bonus in my book...

 

[Wallace]

I don't think Delrin would be strong enough over time to hold the knee and table weight.

As for the grey paint looking at the machine in natural daylight it may be just a case of de-grease and touch up in Warco green, I do have to buy some more paint for the Harrison L6 so maybe the Warco A2F may morph into a Myford A2F coloured clone........

I was thinking of just the X & Y axis in Delrin, guaranteed that buying 500mm of bronze to do all three you will only need one!

I'll engrave you any nameplate you want so long as it does not say Warco.