Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: RongFu clone

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Dardanup W.A.
    Age
    72
    Posts
    331

    Default RongFu clone

    I just got hold of a TruTool version of the RongFu-30 mill.
    It came with what I am sure is a drilling table, but how it attaches to the machine is not like anything I have ever seen. I have a feeling that there is a part missing?

    Mill accessory 2.jpg Mill accessory 3.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Townsville, Tropical Nth Qld.
    Posts
    225

    Default

    The photos indicate you have a faceplate for a metal lathe, the 3 pins are a quick change system. Somewhere recently there was a table to tell which one you have.
    Rgds,
    Crocy.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands
    Posts
    208

    Default

    As Old Croc said, it appears to be a d1-3 or d1-4 camlock quick change for lathe chucks an face plates etc.
    I have a d1-4 on my lathe and think it is a marvelous system. I have never seen one used on a mill, so I think it is an unmatching bonus.

    Peter

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Dardanup W.A.
    Age
    72
    Posts
    331

    Default

    The paint on the back of it matches perfectly the colour of the mill, which is original as there is a factory supplied small can of touch up paint in the mill cabinet.
    That makes me think it belongs to the mill. The other thing is that the few faceplates I have seen did not have tee nut slots, just through slots.
    That said, I haven't seen a huge number of backplates. The one I have is not tee nut slotted, and it has more slots, from memory 6. It also has grooves around the face like a chuck, whereas this thing is plain flat.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Dardanup W.A.
    Age
    72
    Posts
    331

    Default

    It does seem to be a d1-4 mount faceplate, despite the vast majority being 6 or 8 slot, and through slots being far more prevalent.
    I eventually found one similar https://tormach.com/6in-face-plate-d...unt-34106.html
    It is for sale if anyone is interested.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Laidley, SE Qld
    Posts
    1,038

    Default

    That could be useful for transferring a job back and forth between mill table and lathe, assuming you had a D1-4 socket on each tool.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Australia east coast
    Age
    71
    Posts
    2,713

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ptrott View Post
    The paint on the back of it matches perfectly the colour of the mill, which is original as there is a factory supplied small can of touch up paint in the mill cabinet.
    That makes me think it belongs to the mill. The other thing is that the few faceplates I have seen did not have tee nut slots, just through slots.
    That said, I haven't seen a huge number of backplates. The one I have is not tee nut slotted, and it has more slots, from memory 6. It also has grooves around the face like a chuck, whereas this thing is plain flat.
    I really doubt it belongs to the mill - that's a lathe face plate.

    You overlook the obvious explanation for the colour match - a previous owner did it, not the factory.

    I have made T slotted face plates like that myself so that alone isn't really relevant. I still have a pattern for one kicking about the place.

    As a mill accessory it has only 2 potential uses - first to transfer work from a lathe to a rotary table equipped with a matching spindle nose, or to a horizontal mill spindle so as to use it as a big swing T type lathe. Neither are common uses with Rong Fu type mills, to put it very politely...

    PDW

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Dardanup W.A.
    Age
    72
    Posts
    331

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by PDW View Post
    I really doubt it belongs to the mill - that's a lathe face plate.

    PDW
    Yep, as I said in my last post, it seems to be a faceplate, albeit a bit of an odd one.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Tungkillo, South Australia
    Age
    87
    Posts
    74

    Default

    Definitely a D1-3 or a D1-4 Lathe chuck Camlock backplate. My lathe has the D1-3 Camlock system.
    Last edited by cfranks; 28th Sep 2020 at 11:52 AM. Reason: Got my info wrong!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    6,541

    Default

    Phil, what is the diameter of the pins? That seems to be the only way of telling reliably.
    D1-3 = 14.2mm
    D1-4 = 15.8mm
    D1-6 = 22.2mm

    Michael

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Toorloo Arm, VIC
    Age
    39
    Posts
    1,270

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael G View Post
    Phil, what is the diameter of the pins? That seems to be the only way of telling reliably.
    D1-3 = 14.2mm
    D1-4 = 15.8mm
    D1-6 = 22.2mm

    Michael
    As far as I knew, D1-5 and D1-6 both have six pins, so it'll be either D1-3 or D1-4? Assuming you just missed deleting the D1-6 measurement, or is there an oddball to watch out for?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    ACT
    Posts
    667

    Default

    Michael - you saying that the dimension of the D1-'X' type mounts vary between manufacturers?

    Lathe Spindle Nose Mounting Systems

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    6,541

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Zsteve View Post
    Michael - you saying that the dimension of the D1-'X' type mounts vary between manufacturers?
    No, the pin diameter (H on your link) varies according to size. A D1-3 and D1-4 look similar but won't fit, hence checking the pin diameter.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jekyll and Hyde View Post
    As far as I knew, D1-5 and D1-6 both have six pins, so it'll be either D1-3 or D1-4? Assuming you just missed deleting the D1-6 measurement, or is there an oddball to watch out for?
    I would agree with you but I can recall seeing a D1-6 with 3 pins - why I don't know. I included it in there more for general reference. I think it likely that it is a D1-3 or a D1-4, but with bits of different machines included in job lots you are never sure about provenance.

    (My lathe takes a D1-3. I nearly unwittingly bought a D1-4 from ebay once. This check saved me)

    Michael

Similar Threads

  1. South Bend clone
    By nadroj in forum THE HERCUS AREA
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 23rd Jun 2015, 02:43 AM
  2. Is this a clone of something else ?
    By steamingbill in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 18th Nov 2013, 09:52 PM
  3. rongfu 6x4 bandsaw fix
    By tanii51 in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 21st Oct 2013, 06:11 PM
  4. Prvomajska AL-100 Deckel Clone
    By Toggy in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 16th Mar 2013, 08:31 PM
  5. Another Australian S.B. clone?
    By brittleheart in forum THE HERCUS AREA
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 28th Feb 2010, 12:50 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •