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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    Canberra
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    805

    Default New to me Milling Machine - made in Poland

    Hi All,

    After years of wanting a milling machine I finally ended up with one suddenly, after stumbling accross a machine nearby. I had previously owned a big old Horizontal mill, but I didnt like working in that orientation. I sold that 5 years or more ago and have been plotting buying a vertical mill ever since. I had settled on an RF30 or similar and was looking for those second hand when I stumbled accross this machine 30 minutes from my house. It weighs 2350 kilos and I paid about thirty cents a kilo for it.

    It has 18 speeds between 65 and 1800 rpms, 800mm of x axis travel, about 180mm of y xis travel and probably about 250mm of travel in the knee. All axis have power feed, including rapid, and it all works. In addition the quill extends 80mm. The spindle has an NMTB40 taper. Because the machine is european I am pretty sure its all metric however I cant find any markings to confirm. I measured the quill and the graduations are a really odd size - like .11mm between divisions .

    The machine was built in 1964 according the oiling plate on the side. It has a 'made in poland' badge and 'Zaklady Przemyslowe 1 Maj' on it too, which according to google probably means 1 May Industries or similar (1 May being labor day). I dont think this is a brand, probably more a throwback to its communist origins.

    Id love to know how this machine, which was made in the height of the cold war, ended up in Australia. Id also love to know what it was making in Poland during that era...

    Now to make some chips - i need to buy some end mills but will post separately about that.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Australia east coast
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    71
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    Default

    Congratulations - that's a serious mill. Not sure how fast the spindle goes but I really doubt you'll ever lack for HP & rigidity. I hope there's not any excessive wear but generally those type of machines were made to work hard for a long time, so probably a lot of life left in it yet.

    PDW

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    South of Adelaide
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    1,225

    Default

    Good buy. Those Eastern block machines are pretty tough and reliable.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    Canberra
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    Default

    Thanks gents. I’ll try take measurements to determine wear as I get used to the machine. It all feels pretty good but that doesn’t mean much I spose

  5. #5
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    Jun 2011
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    Australia east coast
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 19brendan81 View Post
    Thanks gents. I’ll try take measurements to determine wear as I get used to the machine. It all feels pretty good but that doesn’t mean much I spose
    It looks like a variant of a K&T or Cincinnati vertical mill FWIW. Wouldn't be surprised if it was - the SovBloc copied a lot of Western designs.

    Poland made really nice stuff - generally heavier than strictly needed, but the extra mass is not a problem, it's a bonus IMO. As long as you can move the thing - I had to pass on a really lovely Tos cylindrical grinder once because the freight bill was going to kill me.

    PDW

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
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    6,439

    Default

    Hi Brendan,

    One hefty lump of goodness there. It looks to be a real workhorse.

    I wonder if the machine is basically metric but calibrated to correspond to imperial. ie 10th mm = 3.9" thou, so 0.11 would be 4" thou.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
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    4,779

    Default

    Congratulations Brendan.

    You must be pretty happy with yourself right now. Thats a seriously nice mill. Worth the wait IMHO.

    Looking forward to see more pics and info.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    Canberra
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    Default

    I wonder if the machine is basically metric but calibrated to correspond to imperial. ie 10th mm = 3.9" thou, so 0.11 would be 4" thou.

    hmmm, maybe it is imperial after all? I just assumed it was metric. Would be odd for an eastern bloc machine to be imperial though wouldn’t it?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
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    56
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    1,416

    Default

    Congratulations, very nice solid machine. As long as it has a small amount of wear there's many years of happiness there.
    A quality machine like that looked after will last a lifetime in a home shop and give accurate results every time that you can count on.
    Using Tapatalk

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
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    Default

    Hi Brendan,

    Quote Originally Posted by 19brendan81 View Post
    I wonder if the machine is basically metric but calibrated to correspond to imperial. ie 10th mm = 3.9" thou, so 0.11 would be 4" thou.

    hmmm, maybe it is imperial after all? I just assumed it was metric. Would be odd for an eastern bloc machine to be imperial though wouldn’t it?
    As PDW said, the Eastern block made copies of many Western machine tools, so it could be. And I've got it the wrong way round.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Mornington Peninsula
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 19brendan81 View Post
    Id also love to know what it was making in Poland during that era...
    Probably munitions/armaments or similar.

  12. #12
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    Apr 2008
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    Canberra
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    Default

    Maybe I should test it with a Geiger counter ...

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Australia east coast
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 19brendan81 View Post
    I wonder if the machine is basically metric but calibrated to correspond to imperial. ie 10th mm = 3.9" thou, so 0.11 would be 4" thou.

    hmmm, maybe it is imperial after all? I just assumed it was metric. Would be odd for an eastern bloc machine to be imperial though wouldn’t it?
    Depends on the target market it was sent to & end user specifications. I have a Tos tool & cutter grinder that's definitely inch screws. I had to make a replacement one so checked quite carefully before doing it.

    PDW

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands
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    208

    Default

    Is the lubrication label original? I am quite sure machines from that era would not be labelled in English if they weren't specifically meant for export!
    Peter

  15. #15
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    Apr 2008
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    Canberra
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    Default

    Not sure re how original it is... however can confirm that the lube chart has the year on it (1964) the model (Fyc-26) and a serial number too (20-11).

    it also has the weight on it as 2350. I was wonderIng if that might be pounds but the forklift driver reckoned it was probably kilos.

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