WTB: PM1200 Drill press - 60s/70s era

[Jason28]

Title says it all. I'm looking for a PM 1200 drill press from the 60s or 70s (older may work too). 3 phase is fine. Price range? I guess it depends on the tool.

[MichaelS]

I don't have one (any longer) but location will matter on this beast - the 1200 in particular is 500 lbs+ w/o the production table and goes up from there


Good luck, they are very nice tools!

Michael

[BloomingtonMike]

Where do you live? I will keep an eye out around here. Always watch Chicago CL for these. Alsom many of these in 3ph mabe be 460v so be advised you might need a transformer too.

Honestly, if it was me, i would just buy yourself a mill. Better collet options and vise/table options. Id take even a big (rf30 or rf45) mill drill over a 1200pm. Just a machine to consider.

[Jason28]

I'm in eastern Pennsylvania, basically on the New Jersey Border. I'd have to find one relatively local to me, unfortunately.

[EricU]

I agree with Mike, a mill-drill is a better machine and you can do a lot more with it for the same money.  The machinist at work got rid of all the drill presses for that reason.  I kinda miss the giant radial press occasionally. However, I do understand the desire for a drill press. I use searchtempest to try to find items like that on nearby craigslist sites, I would guess there are some available in your area

I think you're going to have to branch out on the acceptable models, searchtempest says no PM1200's anywhere on craigslist.

[Jason28]

Eric - I've opened up my search for other models since I've gone down the rabbit hole of vintage machines. And now that a number of people have suggested mills, the hole has gotten wider, if not deeper. Any suggestions on mills?

[BloomingtonMike]

Mills have different levels of fun. Typically by weight and table size and table motion. Here are some typical ones you might see and some not so typical. Mills can also many times have a DRO which is amazing or outfitted with computer controlled CNC that will blow you away.

First is the Sieg mini mills - benchtop and pretty small form factor. Typically $500-$1000 and 160lbs or so.


Next up is the 500lb benchtop milldrills like the G0704 comes to mind. They have a stand for it. It is a dovetail way setup and common in the small Stepper DIY CNC convert club. They have an R8 collet. New they are about $1250


Next is the Rongfu 30 lineup at about 1000lbs. The RF30 is a round column setup and the RF45 is a dovetail column setup. Also R8 collet. Used around $800-$1000.

My RF30



RF45


Then we go to the mills that are 2000lbs. these are your typical Bridgeport knee mill machines. Most are R8 collet. Look for one with a J head setup.



There is a class of 4500lb knee mills as well - typically in a 1050 table size and many are CNC by design. Very large for a knee mill.

This is my Metal 1050 CNC mill in my shop.




After that it is Vertical Machining center and pretty much all CNC. Typically 4-8000lbs.

[Jason28]

Well. I stand corrected. The rabbit hole hasn't been widened; mills are their own rabbit hole altogether - and deserve a hard look.