plan to buy a mill

[jaybird]

I am about to take the next big step for my shop.

I am going to buy a mill and I plan to buy a used Bridgeport or something similar there of.

I need to educate myself as to what to look for to determine the condition of the machine. What do I need to look at to determine if the machine is junk or a gem in the rough?

J

[Doug Smith]

You should watch the auction sites and find one you are interested in. Then find a person who worked for the company and get the info on the machine.
Last week, there was an auction selling two bridgeports. One was a piece of junk, the other had a brand new top end ($6000). They sold for the same price.
good luck.

Doug

[JCHannum]

There is excellent advice on buying a lathe or milling machine here: www.mermac.com

The article "In Praise of Clunkers" is also an interesting write up when considering purchase of a used machine. Much time is spent agonizing over the condition of a machine when, in fact, a lot of use is left in a "worn out" machine, and perfectly acceptable work can be done on them.

Dave Fricken is no longer selling machinery, but he had a lot of experience, and was one of the better dealers. It would be a good idea to print out the articles, as I do not know how long the web site will remain active.