E-Bay mill power feed???

[radkins]

Anyone use one of these or have any other experience with them?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-STOCK-ALSGS-APF-500-Horizontal-110V-power-feed-milling-free-shipping/183444037690?epid=895855636&hash=item2ab61de03a:g:3CAAAOSwCGhbo3lk

The price makes me kinda doubtful about how well it would work but my VERY old Servo X-axis unit smoked it's circuit board (LOTS of smoke! ) so I need a replacement, I was skeptical of the cheapo DRO too but that one has and is working out quite well so I thought just "maybe" this thing might also? I would like to hear from anyone who actually owns one of these things or maybe knows of someone else who has used one, for the price I don't expect a lot but then it doesn't need to operate 8 to 10 hours a day or even everyday for that matter.

BRW, this is for a 42" BP J head clone

[oxford]

I would probably give it a try. It looks pretty similar to all the other import power feed units out there.

[dalee100]

Hi,

Can't vouch for this exact vendor, but I've used cheap, cheerful, Chinese powerfeeds a time or two. They worked fine for me. One did randomly pop a fuse now and then, never did figure that out.

Electric power feeds are pretty simple at their heart, a universal motor, PWM, fuse, and three way switch. Not much to go wrong. Then it's just a matter of how to hang it on your mill. I built a couple from from scratch for my mill. One with a salvaged cordless 12V HF drill motor. I replaced it with a $20 12V wiper motor because the drill motor was a bit herky-jerky in reverse. The wiper motor runs smooth.

[wierdscience]

I've got a mill at work with a Chinese power feed from CDCO.It's been on the machine for about 5 years seeing daily use with no issues.However,the supplied brass gear was rough and noisey when first installed no matter how I shimmed the gear.I ended up dabbing some lapping compound on the teeh and letting it wear in to a point where it was acceptable.

It also does not have good speed regulation at the lower end of it's range where it's needed most.The limit switch and it's wiring is the textbook example of cheap,it works,but it's not coolant tite and the springs pop out of the plastic cover on a regular basis.I would not buy one again.

However on the same mill I have a Taiwanese built Align brand feed.It's very much better than the other one.Has good speed regulation across the range and the quaility of the mechanical side is much better than the Chinese one.I would go so far as to say that it's almost as good as the Servo feeds I have on our other mill.

https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/align-x-axis-power-feed/

No affiliation,just well satisified with the power feed.

Did you try Calmetrics for Servo parts?

https://calmetrics.stores.yahoo.net/insulatorbrush.html

I also did hack an obsolete Servo power feed with a KB electronics DC speed control board off Ebay once.

[plunger]

Looks the part.But am I reading right? Try not to use too long to avoid product fever?

[radkins]

It also does not have good speed regulation at the lower end of it's range where it's needed most

That was really my most important concern, even more so than reliability.

I also did hack an obsolete Servo power feed with a KB electronics DC speed control board off Ebay once.

I had considered that too maybe and still might, but yes I had checked with that outfit and even on E-Bay for a circuit board but what's offered don't even resemble what's inside mine so I assume it is an obsolete unit. It's really old but has done fine for several years now, worked smoothly and quietly until recently when I turned it on and smoke from inside the case was all I got. I disassembled it in hopes it was just a burned cord or something simple but that ancient looking circuit board was clearly burned out beyond reasonable repair.

[ncjeeper]

I just bought the same thing for my mill. My Servo X drive is about done also. I haven't had a chance to install it yet.

[gellfex]

I've had a similar one on mine for many years, no problems, even when I forget to loosen the gib locks!

[garyhlucas]

Servo is still in business, might be worth a call.

[elf]

If it doesn't work on the mill, use it on the barbecue

[Danl]

It has an explanation on gearing:

• "The gear ratio between transmission plastic gear and motor shaft gear is not a whole number. (e.g. 107T for plastic transmission gear and 6T for motor shaft gear 107 is not divisible by 6, 107 % 6 = 17.8333333333...)The two gears will not mesh and wear at the same spot, this not only increases durability and longevity but even reduces noise over time."
  Makes sense, I guess.
  Dan

[radkins]

It has an explanation on gearing:

• "The gear ratio between transmission plastic gear and motor shaft gear is not a whole number. (e.g. 107T for plastic transmission gear and 6T for motor shaft gear 107 is not divisible by 6, 107 % 6 = 17.8333333333...)The two gears will not mesh and wear at the same spot, this not only increases durability and longevity but even reduces noise over time."
  Makes sense, I guess.
  Dan

I read that but all I got out of it at first was a "What the hell are they talking about?" moment! After thinking about it a bit I realized what they meant and it does indeed make sense, that however is something I hadn't considered about gear tooth wear in the past so I suppose I even learned something.

[RB211]

I'd buy it but need to come up with an adapter for my Bridgeport as it uses the older style mechanical power feed. Don't feel like buying a separate VFD just to use it, nor want to deal with table sag because it is so heavy.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

[mattthemuppet]

I have one of those on my grizzly 6x26. Works fine in my limited experience, though I needed to fix it before using it when I got the mill as one of the wires inside had its insulation worn through and was shorting against the case. After that it's been trouble free. Haven't had any issues with speed at any part of the speed range, but I'm not taking big cuts.

[chipmaker4130]

Lots of plastic there that is good-quality brass or aluminum on the better units (Align-Taiwan, etc.). I've been abusing an Align X-feed for well over 15 years and it still works good as new. Besides that, genuine parts are readily available for Align stuff, even one as old as mine.