New toy...

[Justin B.]

Yesterday I conned the kid into going to Harbor Freight with me, well, don't really have to con too much on that!    BUT, while we were there I bought a fairly stout mill/drill machine and told him he was elected to help me get it into my shop.  Needless to say the fun was just beginning...

To make a long story short due to obstructions I could not back up to my shop, but I was able to get to within about 20 feet - of fairly rough lawn...  With the help of a couple of sheets of plywood, my engine crane, and a moving dolly, we kind of leap-frogged the monstrosity (all 700 lbs of it) into the shop.  I had to take down a couple of the partitions in my "paint booth" and by the time we built something for it to sit on and finally got it sitting where it belonged it was about 6:00 PM - we went to Harbor Freight about 9:00 AM...

I went to work cleaning the preservative grease off and oiling things up properly, plugged it in, threw the switch, and the FREAKING MOTOR IS DOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Now I get to deal with Harbor Freight's infamous technical non-support department tomorrow.  I'd almost rather discuss the obvious merits of the second amendment with Sarah Brady...

But, it'll be fun once it is fixed!

[Ed Miller]

You know, Justin, most of the time I think Oregon has too many people already.  But when I see some of the stuff you do (and toys you have!) I realize there is room for another family.  C'mon out!  If needed you can store stuff like that in my 1200 square foot shop.  But you have to show me how to work it....   That may take up the rest of your life.  

Oh yeah, my local HF has been easy to deal with so far, though I haven't had anything big go wrong like that.  I bet the individual store managers have lots of discretion on returns and stuff.

 

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I'd say they had best send a tech out to diagnose and repair!

[Jon_P]

ok now your getting on my nerves   that is the machine i want to get first and then a lathe from them. i need a shop first. someday! someday! i have lots to get ready first. so what are you going to make first?

[Justin B.]

With "endless" possibilities it's hard to decide!  Probably some brackets for the mill to hang some dial indicators from.

[MrRiden]

If I remember correctly the motor on these mills cab be optioned to run on 110 or 220. My father in law bought one some years back and had the same problem. It's possible that you may have to perform some additional setup. But... in the meantime I'm going to go look for my drafting pencils.
Rich

[Justin B.]

Rich, I was originally hoping that it had been mis-wired so I verified it with the enclosed wiring diagram and it seemed to match up with the 110VAC mode.  The control box on the motor also had diagrams on how to wire it up for whatever voltage and direction of rotation so I just wired a cord up to it directly and the same thing!

I spoke with their support this afternoon (store manager called me and passed along a number as he only got as far with them as them asking how many amp circuit it was on) and they will be shipping me a new motor, AS SOON AS THEY GET OFF BACKORDER!!!!!!!!  Abu (at least that's who the guy sounded like if you know your Simpson's characters) told me it would be 6-8 weeks, I think at that point I swore or something and he quickly came back and said (probably a lie) 20 days...  I'm gonna talk with the store manager again and see if he'll swap me the motor, or at least let me borrow, off the display model as he admitted it had been there longer than he had been...

[Ed Miller]

I love the Simpsons.  About the only show on TV I watch, except for a couple of Saturday night public radio.

If I had one of those, I wouldn't need a drill press, right?

[Jon_P]

side note: the simpsons is the longest running sitcom ever!

yep if you had that you wouldnt need a drill press.

[Justin B.]

Speaking of drill press, I may check the motor shaft and swap it over to the mill while I am WAITING 6-8 WEEKS   for my replacement motor, because, y'all have pointed out I don't need the drill press any more.  I think the actual physical mountings are the same and I thing the drill press has a 1.5 HP motor which is what some models of this particular mill come with.  Hmmm...

[suraklyn]

Speaking of drill press, I may check the motor shaft and swap it over to the mill while I am WAITING 6-8 WEEKS   for my replacement motor, because, y'all have pointed out I don't need the drill press any more.  I think the actual physical mountings are the same and I thing the drill press has a 1.5 HP motor which is what some models of this particular mill come with.  Hmmm...

You don't need the drill press anymore?  Sounds like it's time for me to move it into my garage.  

[Justin B.]

Hey, what are you doing in here, you're an Oilhead!  We may have to negotiate...

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

This would be "The Son"?  

[Justin B.]

Yes, that would be our gracious host

[msbuck]

 Hey, suraklyn!  and THANKS! for being our gracious host.