Thread: Cincinatti milling machine

Well done David
Must be pretty big to have a 50 taper, any pics yet? I done have the problem of not having 3 phase so I'll leave the vfd info to the guys that have them. I'm glad you got an olg American machine, it will be much nicer to use than a Chinese one, and it will be way more solid.

Conversion of a 3 phase machine to a single phase machine depends on what the power rating of the motor is. As a general rule, if the motor power is over about 2kw (= 2 2/3 Hp), conversion is not going to be as easy as you are starting to run into the limits of what can be supplied from a common single phase outlet.

Michael

A machine like that could have a 20hp motor... Then you have the feed motor if it is fitted with one which would be multiple hp as well....

I could not see it being an easy or cheap conversion...

You would need to make or buy a rotary phase converter which would give you three phase 240v power.( It would take an enormous single phase circuit to power it)

You would then have to step up the output to 415v with a three phase transformer of sufficient heft to handle the huge load. Perhaps sourced from an industrial wrecker.

When you get into three phase loads like on a big Cinci mill you are best served by having three phase installed by the power company unless you have a ready source of components to make a converter as I described.

Greg

To me it seems that you have a really really REALLY good excuse to get 3 phase power put on

I suppose you could drive it with a suitable petrol or diesel engine with a governor ?

You would have to do this if you lived out in the sticks and didn't have a suitable generator.

The mill is huge and I cann't power from the single phase it's a shame nice machine he only wants $2000 ono just keep looking

Originally Posted by woodfast

The mill is huge and I cann't power from the single phase it's a shame nice machine he only wants $2000 ono just keep looking

Unless it's totally loaded with tooling that's way overpriced anyway. Not that they weren't good machines in their day, they certainly were. Just, what are you going to use it for?

If you don't have work that requires a machine of that size/power, it's worth scrap value. If it's worn, definitely scrap value.

I wouldn't have one and I could just plug it in & run it.

PDW

If you were not on the other side of the known universe i would offer a trade, you buy me the cinci and you could have my HM50......of course if it was in working order. I like em big!

I might be able to get my grubby little fingers on another Macson lathe, the owner reckons it weigh's 4 ton.

Do I need it ? nup

Do I want it ? yep

hmmmm...................logistic's ????

Hi all and yes my NT50 has a 10 kw motor...
thanks Tony

$2K is an OK price for one if it is in Ok condition. Assuming it is a number 3 or 4, good X and Y travel, plenty of rigidity, feed on all axis.
Will machine a 6 cyl head which Bridgeport sized machines lack the X travel to do. While it might be a bit cumbersome to do a modelmaking job on. it is a good size for general fabrication work.

NT50 tooling is common and not too expensive, the postage is the killer.

The downsides, low spindle speed, needs 3 phase, A mate has one, I have considered swapping a Bridgeport style machine for it with associated tooling.

The choice of single phase mills or any other machine is very limited consider installing 3 phase sometime or buy an old genset. Rotary phase converters are more a US thing which suits their 240V delta 3 phase supply option with the single phase input become one leg of the 3 phase delta. Not so easy with our 415V star power OTOH it is relatively easy to get 3 phase power in most locations unlike in the US.

G'day Ewan just to give you some idea the size of the mill the table is 385 x1585 she is a big one
it a shame it is pretty good condition just to big you would get it for about $1200 as he wants it gone. David

Originally Posted by Crossfeed

The choice of single phase mills or any other machine is very limited consider installing 3 phase sometime or buy an old genset. Rotary phase converters are more a US thing which suits their 240V delta 3 phase supply option with the single phase input become one leg of the 3 phase delta. Not so easy with our 415V star power OTOH it is relatively easy to get 3 phase power in most locations unlike in the US.

Unless you have access to 'two phase' 480 volt as found in many Australian rural areas. It is heaps easier to step down from 480 volts to 415 volts with the appropriate transformer than it is to step up 240 volts to 415 volts.

Even so, buying a big RPC is expensive. If you are electrically savvy you can build one, but if you don't know, it can be a good way to kill yourself.

Getting 3 phase connected or buying a genny is a good option and is not as difficult as it sounds.

Does it look something like this one?