Mark
Maybe I need to come see you.  Used BP's in Texas start at $2500 worn slap out.  I have a smaller Index, but want a larger mill.

As for 3P--just build a phase converter or use VFD.  I bought a used VFD recently online for $100 for a 3 hp Bridgeport for a friend.  I have 2 phase converters running at a total cost of under $25 each.  I bought 21 3P motors at a farm auction for $20. and 18 of them ran without any modifications or repairs--3 to 25 HP.  Phase converters are east to do--I do use rotary converters as I have never been happy with static converters.
Bear

Live every day of your life like a three year old.  Get down in the dirt with it, roll in it and smile a lot.  Bear


--- "Mark Greer" <greerfam@raex.com> wrote:

From: "Mark Greer" <greerfam@raex.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 15:37:28 -0500
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at@lists.antique-tractor.com>
Subject: Re: [AT] Northern Tool Sale - Left Hand drills

Carl,
You ought to go auction shopping for a Bridgeport. Since last summer the
prices on them seem to have really fallen around here with many nice power
feed/DRO units selling in the $1200-$1800 range and many manual machines
around the $1k level. One of my buddies just got an Excello mill for $400
the week before Christmas and it is in nice shape with power feed. It is a 3
phase machine but that is very easy to remedy on the under 5hp machines with
an AC Tech VFD or a rotary phase converter for bigger motors or a whole
shop.
Mark

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "carl gogol" <cgogol@twcny.rr.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at@lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2005 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: [AT] Northern Tool Sale - Left Hand drills


> Well - guess that the big problem I have is that my $50 Northern China
> Harbor Hydraulic Freight 1/2" drill press would require a $100 switch!  It
> could be reversed as it has a J-?? taper chuck that for some reason
> frequently slips when trying to use a 1" drill (when I really think of it,
> even a 1/2" is getting fussy).  All kidding aside, it is the best drill
> press I have personally owned and don't know what I would do without it,
but
> it sure has limitations when working on man sized parts.
>
> I really need to upgrade in that area and the Chinese Mill Drill route
might
> be the way;  I would really like to have a machine that would drip down to
> about 100 RPM for some of the larger size drills I would use.  Around here
> there just aren't any $1,000 Bridgeport's that aren't scrap quality.
> Starting at $2,000 seems to be a price point where one can set it up, use
it
> reliably and make it worth buying a phase Converter.  So that's why the
$50
> unit remains my prime shop machine and a lot of work gets done at lunch
> using the company's Bridgeports.
> Carl Gogol
> Manlius, NY
> AC 170D
> (2) AC D-14, AC 914H
> Simplicity 3112 & 7116
> Kubota F-2400

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