My Latest Purchase, A Kunming Universal Milling Machine

[Wendelspanswick]

I thought I would add my latest acquisition to the growing list of mills on here, it's a 1980's Chinese made Kunming Universal Mill.

I was a bit dubious about buying a Chinese made mill but I am pleasantly surprised, it has a good quality finish, minimal backlash and runs sweet as a nut.

The mill has power feed to all axis and has 8 spindle speeds and 8 feed speeds all through gearboxes so no belts to change.
The vertical head tilts and has a quill feed so it can be used as a drill press as well.
It came with a 2 axis tilting table that bolts on in place of the original table, about 40 S20x2 collets and chuck, 4 horizontal spindles, a suds pump and even has the original manual in passable English.
The design is a copy of the German made Deckel so no awards for originality.
Table is 750mm long so it makes for a compact mill but it weighs over a ton with the additional table.
The only down side is that the current chuck system has a maximum capacity of 18mm so if I want to use cutters with a larger shank size I will have to either buy some 4 Morse Taper end mill holders or buy a ER40 chuck system.

 

[Pete.]

I like it! I'd swap my Herbert for that in a moment.

You'd better replace that missing pane behind it so it don't fill up with snow come winter

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I like it! I'd swap my Herbert for that in a moment.

You'd better replace that missing pane behind it so it don't fill up with snow come winter

"People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" or use extra long pry bars!

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Hah that's nowt a sheep went through the window in my workshop... Mill looks nice, you going to do it up or use as is?

Dan

 

[wyn]

That looks a fair old thing.
Does the whole overarm move back and fore to give you travel in that direction, as it doesn't look as though the table does?

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

We have a horizontal chinese mill. there seems to be something in the metals used to make it that make the coolant go off in less than 24hrs.

One thing I've noticed with outs is that the dials aren't accurate at all. You wind on say 0.1 and it will take a cut of more like .2, We only use it for a few specific jobs now though where it will stay set for a while.

 

[the snooper]

Hah that's nowt a sheep went through the window in my workshop...

Dan

screw the wellies down next time

 

[Wendelspanswick]

That looks a fair old thing.
Does the whole overarm move back and fore to give you travel in that direction, as it doesn't look as though the table does?

The table powers left and right and up and down, the whole top of the mill powers fore and aft to give you the third axis. The difference between the Deckel and mine is that the vertical head mounts on the the end of the horizontal shaft on mine whereas the the vertical head on the Deckel sits above the horizontal.
Overall though I think the Deckel is a a smaller machine as mine is 250kg heavier.

I am going to use the mill to have a go at making a set of louvre or louver tooling so I can form the bonnet panels for my Special. I could do with a rotary table but they are fetching a fortune on eBlag!
I will most probably make a fixture to rotate the workpiece through 90deg with a bearing salvaged out of a Stairlift to enable me to radius the corners.

 

[brewdexta]

I could do with a rotary table but they are fetching a fortune on eBlag!

I've got a monster rotary table needing a home. Far too big for my needs, not used it and it has a bit of surface rust but if your interested PM me. and I'll dig out some pictures on Friday. Not sure if it needs any fettling as I cannot lift it without the engine hoist - and that's with 2 Weetabix and a 3 shredded wheat

Cheers
Andy

 

[MrFluffy]

I like that, and while everyone blanket says "chinese mills are rubbish" even the chinese have some good stuff they make for home market stuff. Perhaps this is one of those rather than a more general chinese mill.

What we see in general as "chinese rubbish" is actually the cheapest nastiest stuff the budget importers can find, the chinese themselves are capable of building decent kit, but the bulk budget importers choose solely on price to maximise their profits in a race to the bottom, so we end up seeing the nastiest dross for sale by and large, hence the reputation.