Looking for Puget Sound, WA, rebuilder.....

[10K Pete]

I've asked around here (Port Townsend area) but haven't found any leads on a guy/shop who
does machine tool rebuilding work. Specifically I'm looking for someone with a good size mill
who can dust off and straighten/square up the ways on my Benchmaster mill. It's not very big
but it's probably more that a standard Bridgeport should do to get it right.

Anyone know about someone??

Thanks,
Pete

 

[Wizard69]

Try this site. I'm on the other side of the country so I have no idea who does what and to what quality level.

Do realize that there is a lot to "cleaning up" a machine tool, if your shop isn't well equipped you may be better off having the entire set of ways and saddles professionally done.

 

[10K Pete]

Try this site. I'm on the other side of the country so I have no idea who does what and to what quality level.

Do realize that there is a lot to "cleaning up" a machine tool, if your shop isn't well equipped you may be better off having the entire set of ways and saddles professionally done.

Ummm, what site?

I don't want to do a total rebuild on the machine, just get some of the
tight spots out of the slides. I may have to just do it by hand. Just tore
it down yesterday and am cleaning 50 years of crud out of the corners.
Should be able to re-assemble to assess quantitatively how bad it is.
I hope it's not as bad as I think.

Pete

 

[Wizard69]

Ummm, what site?

How embarrassing, let's try again: http://machine-tools.regionaldirectory.us/washington.htm

I don't want to do a total rebuild on the machine, just get some of the
tight spots out of the slides.

I understand but I was just warning you that sometimes things get out of hand as you fix one thing you find something else that needs work. By the time you are done you have rebuilt the whole machine.

I may have to just do it by hand. Just tore
it down yesterday and am cleaning 50 years of crud out of the corners.

Doing it by hand is the traditional way but you do need the required straight edges and other required tools. Hand scraping the ways back in is often the smart approach.

Should be able to re-assemble to assess quantitatively how bad it is.
I hope it's not as bad as I think.

Pete

What do you think is wrong?

Often old machines have bellies worn into them where the saddles where mist often used. Depending upon how deep the wear is kinda determines if the ways should be ground or if hand scrapping is feasible. The other issues is that as you scrap a set of way in you need to keep them square to the associated surfaces. If the wear is really bad it might take a bit of effort to re-establish the orientation of the surfaces that should be at right angles.

One of my first jobs (a very very long time ago) was working with a machine tool rebuilding mechanic where we scrapped in a lot of machinery. It was very interesting to say the least but I left that sort of work a long time ago. Honestly I still had a lot to learn. Without the right tools it is nearly impossible to do a decent job of rebuilding a machine. This is why I suggest having the rebuilder do most of the work. You have to balance that expense against the expense of coming up with your own set of tools to do the job.

 

[10K Pete]

Wizard, that's a neat web site! I never seem to be able to find stuff on the
net..:wall:

Yeah, it seems like any time I get into fixing something it turns into a
project. Like working under the sink in an old house!! Touch one pipe
and 'ya might as well tear it out to the wall and start over.

I know this mill has 'bellies' in it, just haven't yet quantified them. Hope
to achieve this in the next few days. Then I will be able to come up with
a 'plan' that I can execute within my means.

If I'm really lucky it will be with what's reasonable for me to scrape in
with a few days work. I don't move as fast as I used to!

I have, or have access to, flats and straights that will let me get this thing
much closer than it is now. I hope! I helped to a couple of machines,
including a B'port, decades ago and , like you said, still have a lot to
learn. But I believe I can do it if I don't hurry.

Thanks,
Pete