Re: Rong Fu RF-45 versus Birmingham YRF-45

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "sinecyan" <sinecyan@y...>
wrote:

> Hello All,
>
> I'm new to this group, and of course have questions. How does the
> Rong Fu rf-45 compare to the Birmingham YRF-45? The reason I ask is
> because I recently ordered the Rong Fu, but I received the

Birmingham

> clone by mistake. I am preparing to send it back, but thought that

I

> would ask you guys for some advice first.
>
> I have read much about the Rong fu, but had never even heard of the
> Birmingham mill-drill version. Is the Rong Fu superior in quality

and

> rigidity to the Birmingham, or are there no significant

difference?

> How much SHOULD the YRF-45 cost new? Also, the Birmingham is
> apparently made in Taiwan - is this correct?
>
> One obvious difference is that the Birmingham comes with a morse
> taper (3 or 4MT, not sure exactly which) while the Rong Fu is R8.
> This seems to be a big hassle, since it seems that morse taper

tools

> are less common and therefore more expensive than R8. Does anybody
> know where I could get a female R8 spindle part that I could use to
> replace the morse spindle that is currently installed in the head

of

> this milldrill? Or, is replacing this part a real pain to do? I

have

> not had luck locating a Birmingham replacement parts website.
>
> The plan is to convert this mill to cnc, so if any of you reading
> this have done so already, please drop me a line if you have a

moment

> to share some of your successes and mistakes with me.
>
> Thank you!

I too bought a mill/drill to convert to cnc and in the process
realised that I also needed a Lathe.
I do not know about the differences on the machines you discribe
but on the morse taper there is something to point out.
I generaly prefer the R8 but after getting my lathe wich has
Morse taper for spindle and tailstock I was thinking it may have
been benefical to get the Morse tapered Mill/Drill.
1) You could interchange Tooling with both.
2) The Morse tapers are a little shorter then the R8 wich helps
when having to change tools in tight places.
Well just some thought to throw into the aquations there are
certainly other considerations too.
Good Luck