junk cast iron

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Just my opinion but if it's sitting out in a yard covered with rust and no head, it's quite likely that the head was the only worthwhile part on it so the rest was 'retired'.
That or the head needed more work the the other guy thought it was worth & junked it with plans to get back to the rest or find another head? A decent straight edge & a few minutes could tell a tale pretty early about the table, the rest is repairable, gibs & nuts are cheap. If you're not trying to make a living with it or make parts for NASA once you get to know it's quirks it'll more than likely be as accurate an Asian square column & lots more rigid. Just my opinions, I hate to see old iron get scraped.
 
Think outside the box. The table would make a great clamping table or welding table. It's flat, has tee slots and is heavy. I'd snap it up for a $100.
 
Quote "if you do some cleanup & check the thing out it's possible with a replacement head you could have a very usable mill for a couple grand. "

Yes, you can buy replacement heads for Bridgeport mills {not made by them} for about $2500.00 and that table does not look too bad..
 
I can bid on a mill stand, refer to photo please, whichis basically useless, however, I am am wondering if I could cut chunks off this and use it for cast iron engine parts, particularly if it would be possible to machine cylinders or any other parts from this? There are also some parts that can be used on this, the table, the jack, the two screws. At the present bid (1$) it could be worth getting and taking to the scrap yard and simply selling it immediately. I would rather cut off chunks for engine parts tho'. If one were to buy this, how would one cut it up? Acetyline torch would not cut it would it? (I don't have one anyway). I have a plasma cutter, that should cut it at least in half an inch, maybe more. How about a cutter/grinder? would that be economical? time consuming? I have never cut cast with a grinder/cutter.
You would be far better off going to your local auto parts store, and asking them for used cast iron brake rotors. They are easier to break down for casting, very cheap or free, and small enough to transport in your car trunk, or (like me) in a motorcycle saddlebag. The local "AUTO-ZONE" store a mile from my house has forklift pallets loaded with them, and will let me take all I can carry. I discovered them when I was dropping off oil for recycling, and noticed the pallets loaded with brake discs. They are all made from very nice cast iron.

A story about a big thing, and good intentions. I have a very nice Onsrud Broken Arm Router, that has 2 arms that unfold out to 15 feet. It was an ultraprecise machine, that has NO PLAY at all, when the arms are fully extended. When new, it probably cost $80,000, in 1965. Todays price would probably be $900,000. It was used to fabricate large aircraft parts out of aluminum, following a master pattern. With CNC machines, these routers have no function today. I bought it for $100 when the Learjet factory I worked at declared it redundant and sold it, and a lot of other equipment, off. Their tradition was always to offer to employees first, which was very nice of them. None of the employees wanted it, and I bought it at the public auction sale, after there were no bids at all for it, and they said it would be cut up for scrap. I hated to see such a find machine destroyed, so I bought it. The policy now (with new ownership) is to bring in an outside industrial liquidator firm, and employees don't even get a chance. .In any case, it cost me $300 to transport it to my backyard, where it has sat ever since. (It was moved by ASR Transport in Tucson. (They are the same people who move the "RENO" the oldest privately owned steam locomotive in the U.S. which is used in about every western film ever made, and the men there joked that it spends more time on a semi truck being driven up and down the I-10 freeway for movement to filming locations than it ever spent on the rails) the owner of which was attending the auction to offer his services as a transport company to auction buyers., and who happened to be standing next to me and overheard my comment about it being too nice a machine to be destroyed, and said he would give me a cheap price on moving it, since I was just a worker, and it was local. I thought it would be good for boatbuilding or making large furniture. Now I want to get rid of it, and the fuel to take it down to be scrapped will barely be covered by the price paid for it as scrap, with the labor of loading it not included. I figure if I back my pickup truck up to it, and unbolt one part at a time, the truck can carry it in several trips to the local scrapyard. It is probably somewhere around 6000 lbs weight at a minimum, probably more. By the time I get rid of it, I will be sorry I ever bothered trying to save it. I am going to make one last attempt to sell it, and then I am done with it. The moral is, don't buy big things unless you have a real plan for them.
 
+1 for the workbench or welding table!

It's worth buying for that purpose alone!

Or rip the table and top head section off, add a timber slab to the knee, and turn it into a really cool adjustable outdoor bar/benchtable!

So many uses!
 
A solid piece of cast iron like this one is in my experience best used as anchorweight. Throw it in the water on your favourite anchor spot, attach a good chain and buoy and you are all set. Obsolete eight cilinder truck diesel engines are also popular for this purpose.
 
A solid piece of cast iron like this one is in my experience best used as anchorweight. Throw it in the water on your favourite anchor spot, attach a good chain and buoy and you are all set. Obsolete eight cilinder truck diesel engines are also popular for this purpose.
What a wonderful setting for one's hot and cold running billabongs:mad:
Of course for those unable to travel from Europe, they could get a couple of gondolas and-- breed them.
 
Thanx guys for all the great ideas and advice. I was thimking that the table, indeed, would make a nice--something, maybe a cheap, not so accurate "flat" which can bolt things down as someone said. Also, I thimk the screws are worth something alone. The jack section too. However, the reason it was built for is the best reason to have it but unlikely to be used for that. Today I am going out to inspect it a little more as well as examine some other things more closely at that auction. BTW that American Tool Works lathe had not been above 1$ until today. The price is now 79$. I will bid on it on Friday but not til then and only if the bidd is below my top price.
 
I can bid on a mill stand, refer to photo please, which is basically useless, however, I am am wondering if I could cut chunks off this and use it for cast iron engine parts, particularly if it would be possible to machine cylinders or any other parts from this? There are also some parts that can be used on this, the table, the jack, the two screws. At the present bid (1$) it could be worth getting and taking to the scrap yard and simply selling it immediately. I would rather cut off chunks for engine parts tho'. If one were to buy this, how would one cut it up? Acetyline torch would not cut it would it? (I don't have one anyway). I have a plasma cutter, that should cut it at least in half an inch, maybe more. How about a cutter/grinder? would that be economical? time consuming? I have never cut cast with a grinder/cutter.
Cutting ci with a cutting torch is a mess, grinding is ok but very laborious, i wish i had that B Port here as i have the rest of the parts to reinstate that mill. As it stands there weighs in around 840 kg, The average thickness of the casting is around 20 mm. and is excellent material.;) good luck though.
 
Cutting ci with a cutting torch is a mess, grinding is ok but very laborious, i wish i had that B Port here as i have the rest of the parts to reinstate that mill. As it stands there weighs in around 840 kg, The average thickness of the casting is around 20 mm. and is excellent material.;) good luck though.
It's still very cheap and I thimk I will bid on it to use as a table and maybe, if I can find a low priced head, I will use it for a mill. The American lathe is past my bid--two months ago, I would have given 400$ for it, but now it is at 110$ and I thimk it is just a waste of time as I am getting a Grizzly in January. Yeah, It would cost far too much to send the mill stand to SA.
 
Just an odd thought - to help you amidst the confused mix of ideas here?
We all need 3 things:
  • Company (talking to others - even on the website - counts a lot!)
  • Occupation - a distraction from sitting watching the clock - or worse, daytime telly! - and this comes in 2 forms:- occupying the body (many do exercise - not me!) and occupying the mind: e.g. I do design calculations and discuss things on this website...
  • Reward: That's money - when working for a living - or the satisfaction of a finished, and working, "something".
So with all the options above - sell it as scrap/ cut off lumps and sell the rest/ clean it up and add a milling head - Then decide what to do next.... just write down (only takes a minute or less) your priorities... 1, 2 & 3 against this possible project of reward, occupation and company. Then decide how much you really think you want to commit - in time, $ and calendar days.
This may order your brain to make the best decision for you. (NOT US!).
This sometimes works for me, but often I say "Stuff it! - I'm just going to do it because...!"

Enjoy! This life is not a rehearsal, or dress rehearsal, but the real performance - night after night. So go out there and live it! - And ignore critics who do now't but criticise!
K2.
 
Just an odd thought - to help you amidst the confused mix of ideas here?
We all need 3 things:
  • Company (talking to others - even on the website - counts a lot!)
  • Occupation - a distraction from sitting watching the clock - or worse, daytime telly! - and this comes in 2 forms:- occupying the body (many do exercise - not me!) and occupying the mind: e.g. I do design calculations and discuss things on this website...
  • Reward: That's money - when working for a living - or the satisfaction of a finished, and working, "something".
So with all the options above - sell it as scrap/ cut off lumps and sell the rest/ clean it up and add a milling head - Then decide what to do next.... just write down (only takes a minute or less) your priorities... 1, 2 & 3 against this possible project of reward, occupation and company. Then decide how much you really think you want to commit - in time, $ and calendar days.
This may order your brain to make the best decision for you. (NOT US!).
This sometimes works for me, but often I say "Stuff it! - I'm just going to do it because...!"

Enjoy! This life is not a rehearsal, or dress rehearsal, but the real performance - night after night. So go out there and live it! - And ignore critics who do now't but criticise!
K2.
thanx, Steam, I was really after you to make my descisions for me. The boat anchor is now at 6$ and will probably go a bit higher when I start bidding on Friday (Ends Saturday at 9:00AM). I have decided to make a solid table which can be used for clamping work pieces if I get it for really cheap. Later can add a head if I can find a cheapo.

BTW, to day was Beethoven's 250th birthday. On the 21st will occur the closest conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn untill another 30 or 40 years. Unfortunately, it is too cloudy (a rare thing where I live) to be able to see it. I showed my kids the conjunction yesterday asw it was clear and I hope it will be clear in 5 days.
 
Hi Richard. I felt there were a few opinions "for" and "against" each option, and we don't know your particular circumstances for moving - and working on such a project. - So with that in mind you will make your final decision. But, I suspect, influenced by the advice from others here. For me, I would use my hard-earned cash to buy a different piece of scrap cast iron that was of a known thickness and quality to suit what I wanted to make. I have spent too much time in my life making-do with "free rubbish" - that eventually saves me nothing - so now in the latter third of my life just spending the kid's inheritance having what I worked the middle third of my life to pay for. But that's my situation and decision, not yours.
I doubt if that influences your decision, but there it is...
I can offer other advice, like put all the notes in hard cash on the table: decide how much of what you really want that will buy, take off the amount of "cost" you'll pay the auctioneer, delivery man, etc. and only if the balance of cash is then towards placing a bid on the "scrap" should you place a bid. And then only up to the top of the reduced pile of cash value. Seeing all that money makes me think twice. It's just like the "Apprentices rule" - "Think twice, check Thrice, cut once".

"Happy bidding"! - Do tell if you win the auction?
K2
 
Hi Richard. I felt there were a few opinions "for" and "against" each option, and we don't know your particular circumstances for moving - and working on such a project. - So with that in mind you will make your final decision. But, I suspect, influenced by the advice from others here. For me, I would use my hard-earned cash to buy a different piece of scrap cast iron that was of a known thickness and quality to suit what I wanted to make. I have spent too much time in my life making-do with "free rubbish" - that eventually saves me nothing - so now in the latter third of my life just spending the kid's inheritance having what I worked the middle third of my life to pay for. But that's my situation and decision, not yours.
I doubt if that influences your decision, but there it is...
I can offer other advice, like put all the notes in hard cash on the table: decide how much of what you really want that will buy, take off the amount of "cost" you'll pay the auctioneer, delivery man, etc. and only if the balance of cash is then towards placing a bid on the "scrap" should you place a bid. And then only up to the top of the reduced pile of cash value. Seeing all that money makes me think twice. It's just like the "Apprentices rule" - "Think twice, check Thrice, cut once".

"Happy bidding"! - Do tell if you win the auction?
K2
Thank you. Believe me, I am not going to pay very much and I can transport it myself. My worst problem is getting it off the truck but that will be quite possible. Oh, wait, I have a worse problem right here right now-- a horny pussy rubbing her butt in my face. She's a nice cat but a real pain walking on the keyboard and all that. Well, I'm a gonna have a cig just to get a break from her.
 
I have to agree with others here, it MIGHT be worth fixing up! This especially if you have any interest and tooling associated with machine tool rebuilding.

As for Castiron and breaking it down, you can have success in a number of ways as castiorn will crack easily. A large sledge hammer will bust up casiron of thinner sections. Another avenue is to get a fork lift, raise the mill up a few feet and drop it on a granite rock (taking safety precautions of course. As others have said you can do much with general cutting tools, a sawzall for example will zip through anything thing that isn't hardened.
 
I didn
I have to agree with others here, it MIGHT be worth fixing up! This especially if you have any interest and tooling associated with machine tool rebuilding.

As for Castiron and breaking it down, you can have success in a number of ways as castiorn will crack easily. A large sledge hammer will bust up casiron of thinner sections. Another avenue is to get a fork lift, raise the mill up a few feet and drop it on a granite rock (taking safety precautions of course. As others have said you can do much with general cutting tools, a sawzall for example will zip through anything thing that isn't hardened.
I didn't end up bidding on it. It went for 150$. I would have given them 400$ at one time but I was happy to see it go for so little. I didn't have room for it nor did I want all the hassle of loading/unloading, moving in into my garage, lack of room, etc.
 

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