# Harbor Freight "Central Machinery Mill"



## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Hello Folks,


I have been running my Harbor Freight mill hard for going on two years now. I generally only mill South Texas Mesquite logs, and some Black Walnut on occasion. It's served me well, and paid for itself 50 times over easily. Mesquite is very hardwood, and dulls blades fast, changing from 10 degree blades to 7 degree blades made a huge difference in blade life. Little tip for those milling hardwoods. In all that time I have only replaced blades and one guide bearing.


However, I have just had my first major part failure. The lift crank for the cutting housing stripped. There is a Brass nut in the crank mechanism that stripped more specificly. Anybody know of this failure, and where to get that Brass fitting?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Have you called Harbor Freight? If they don't sell the parts then you will probably have to have a machinist fabricate the part you need.


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

Good luck getting parts from HF.. They don't generally sell parts, but the manufacturer might if you speak Chinese.. Steve is probably right and you'll have to go the machinist route..HF will want to sell you a whole new mill..


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Hmmm, yeah I talked to them. They recon 10 weeks to get the part in from China. They may as well not have answered the phone. I believe it's a standard brass fitting. I hate going into the city, but I recon that's the only quick cure at this point.


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Are there any of these folks running these Central Machinery Mills on this site?


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

Funny..time was when nobody would have ever even considered ordering parts from China. Amazing how times have changed.. I've ordered tiny little items from China and received them in about a week..It absolutely floors me that can even occur.. Somehow I still picture that shut off nation with a billion people starving when I was a kid and now its an economic powerhouse..


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

You got that right bud, and if we don't watch it. They are going to hand us our collective A-- in a sack in the next decade. But my man Trumps on it! If the DC criminals will get out of his way.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*When you post a question include a photo*

We have no clue what part you are referring to. If there is a "work around" we will need a photo. You don't want to wait for 10 weeks, so figure out what else might work in it's place. Ebay has lots of Acme threaded nuts and rods:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/12mm-T12x8-...hash=item4b0e539281:m:mpU3uZpGxhr8y-UGjiDD2zg

What part is it?
https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/62000-62999/62366.pdf


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Indeed, I might do that later, when it's back in my possession. For the moment my partner has it at his place. Meanwhile I'll see if it's located in this manual you posted.


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

No such luck, the brass fitting is internal to the crank mechanism, and not shown in the parts diagram.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*brass "fitting" .... ?*



Cowboy18 said:


> No such luck, the brass fitting is internal to the crank mechanism, and not shown in the parts diagram.


Check out part no. 28 in the PDF. ...round nut M14 X 1.5 
It would not be integral with the part no. 34 external tube. It would have to be assembled somehow.

Check out page 8 in the PDF. It shows how the external tube has a pulley that extends when you crank the handle and tightens on the cable to raise or lower the carriage. Page 11 is also of interest. It's possible the "round nut" is brazed into the end of the tube, but unlikely. It may be held in with a roll pin... I donno?

Take that tube off the machine and bring it to a machine shop. They will tell you in a heart beat what to do and may fix it while you wait.


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## Catpower (Jan 11, 2016)

Cowboy18 said:


> Indeed, I might do that later, when it's back in my possession. For the moment my partner has it at his place. Meanwhile I'll see if it's located in this manual you posted.



Go to Grizzly Industrial and see it they sell a machine that looks like yours. There is a good chance they do and if so order the part from Grizzly, it is a shot in the dark but it has worked for me several times.A lot of the machinery is built in the same factory and just relabeled

But I think the machinery is also built to different standards of quality, and one other tip, don't call Grizzly and ask them, they get rather testy about using their parts on competitive machines


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Me again Folks,
I'm just alittle ashamed of some of the stuff I said early in this blog.
1# "Tyler", a female parts rep for Harbor Freight "1-800-444-3353. Told me this morning it would take ten weeks to get the parts if ordered. "BUT", she would see if any spares could be located in the warehouse. I took that as code for, you'll never hear from me again. Wow!, could not have been more wrong. Not only did this competent young lady locate my very needed parts. When she did contact me, they were already being processed for shipment for free, and provided under warranty, at no cost to me.
I got to say that floored my cynical Ol'butt! 
What an outstanding young women!
Oh....and I didn't buy the extended warranty, which really got me where I live. 
Well that's feathers and all ya'll!
My little 2k mill has made me an embarrassing amount of money for it's cost. I could easily have bought a Woodmizer or two. Which was the plan in the beginning. Bottom line, until I kill this one I just don't see the need.


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Just afew examples of what this little Mill has provided.


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Thank you to all that offered they're advice. Much appreciated, I hope to become contributing member as time permits.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Cowboy18, that's some beautiful work!!!! glad you found your part(s). You have a good eye for sawing, glad to see you also build. what drying process(s) are you using??? Got a website to see more???

I saw for both to sale and also to build with. I'd like to see more of your work and sawing/lumber. Love those live edges. The cross is awesome....how about a close-up of it...appears to be spalted on my computer.


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## Larry42 (Jan 10, 2014)

Nice work!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Cowboy18 said:


> Are there any of these folks running these Central Machinery Mills on this site?


Take your pick. Some of the folks might still be here. http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f26/harbor-freight-tools-band-mill-7801/


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Hey Tim, 


Thanks for the feedback brother, always nice to hear from ones that know what they're looking at.


Most of my work involves inlay with Apoxy and Hardener mixed with a multitude of Pearl Ex pigments.
I prepare my wood for that process in advance of Air drying and fire curing. Bye shaping, sanding and cleaning crevices.
Then I secure them to a post to dry in 104 degree Texas sun until they're moisture level is reduced to a working level.
Since Mesquite wood is full of worms and other bugs, I end the process with fire curing over hot coals for 10 hours, or until
the honey like sap has hardened and crystalized. It makes for very hard wood.


My gal talks about putting me on the webb, but my stuff sells as fast as I can make it. So why the heck do I need the webb?
In anycase I'll post afew more things here for ya to look at.


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Here's a couple more.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

WOW!!!! Fire cured ...never thought of that BUT I have sawn logs that were in fires...totally beautiful wood that way, it seers something in that just awesome.

Beautiful !!!! The tailgate :thumbsup::thumbsup: The 2nd pic down, the worm holes have so much character!!! I thoroughly enjoyed the cross project , got more details on it...like was it a commission or trying something new, off the cuff idea??? It looks great. What's the wood and finish (I see most of your is mesquite, just checking).

Great to see another sawyer with "eye".


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

I love working with Mesquite, no two pieces look alike. It's imperfections both add too it's character and beauty. It's hard on my Mill, my equipment and me. But it's worth it.
Those whom enjoy making straight, square perfect projects, would most likely hate working with it. I strive to make what I call wood art. That happens to be solid and functional. I make a decent living, but I'll never get rich from it. I can't mass produce it, and have had no luck teaching anyone what I have learned. Partly because I live out in the sticks. And partly because finding a young person with the focus and attention span necessary has not gone well in the past.


I use different finishes according to the function of the piece. But for my show pieces, I only use Helmsman, Spar Urethane, Clear Gloss, applied with a spunge at full strength. After the second coat has dried for 24 hrs, I go over it completely with my 7" sander and 320 grit. Blow it, wipe it down with mineral spirits. Then apply the last coat with complete strokes from one side to the other. Use a new spunge with every coat, and you won't get ridges or as many of them.


Then leave it alone for 72hrs.


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## Anywhy30 (Dec 2, 2011)

Great stuff


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## MJD (Oct 8, 2016)

Thanks for posting. Do you think mesquite would make a good end-grain cutting board? I recently scored a free log and I really need a chopping block counter. Do you use Apoxy and Hardener mixed with a multitude of Pearl Ex pigments to fill gaps in the wood, or do you also use it to fill pores as well?


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## Gary Glesener (Jan 3, 2020)

Answering the question on the original post.


I think this will solve it: 
Acme Threaded Mount Nut, 3/4 – 8, LH, Bronze
Part Number: 90243 Price: $38.20/ea.
https://www.roton.com/product/acme-bronze-threaded-mount-nut-left-90243/

(Note: I have not tried it yet, but I am going to order it)


It can also be found at McMaster-Carr: https://www.mcmaster.com/95072a352.



I know this is a fairly old thread, but it seems like nobody found the solution to the original post except for the reply describing how to rebuild the mechanism all together. My lift crank failed today, and I noticed it uses a helical insert in the brass round mount nut. This helical insert is the weakest link from what I can tell. A solid brass nut would be stronger. 



I've pulled out the rod, and the brass nut now. I measured the diameters and counted all the threads, and it appears that the nut I listed above is a good match. If anyone else has gotten this far, or has found a replacement nut from another vendor, please let me know. I'm going to order it now.


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## Gary Glesener (Jan 3, 2020)

Well, I bought the threaded nut, and it does not fit the rod. It fits the threads of the square tubing though. I think the threaded rod is actually metric (M20 with a 3mm pitch). I couldn't find anything that fit. 



So now I've purchased the threaded rod that fits this new nut. I'll have to cut it down and turn part of it on lathe (or just grind it down to fit the handle). 



Here's the link to the threaded rod: https://www.mcmaster.com/98935a451


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Hey, Cowboy .....*



Cowboy18 said:


> Me again Folks,
> I'm just alittle ashamed of some of the stuff I said early in this blog.
> 1# "Tyler", a female parts rep for Harbor Freight "1-800-444-3353. Told me this morning it would take ten weeks to get the parts if ordered. "BUT", she would see if any spares could be located in the warehouse. I took that as code for, you'll never hear from me again. Wow!, could not have been more wrong. Not only did this competent young lady locate my very needed parts. When she did contact me, they were already being processed for shipment for free, and provided under warranty, at no cost to me.
> I got to say that floored my cynical Ol'butt!
> ...


 @*Cowboy18* 

Did you get that part the nice lady said she would ship to you free?
We have other folks with the same issue here asking. Come back and let us know what happened and if you ever found out what the Acme thread specs were.... thanks, :vs_cool:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*So, you replaced everything with 3/4" X 8 ......*



Gary Glesener said:


> Well, I bought the threaded nut, and it does not fit the rod. It fits the threads of the square tubing though. I think the threaded rod is actually metric (M20 with a 3mm pitch). I couldn't find anything that fit.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



@*Gary Glesener*
How about some photos of your "fix" on this? My guess is that it was originally a Metric rod and nut and you've replaced it with 3/4" X 8 SAE? What's this helix gizmo you are refering to? Photos would really help! 


Here's the PDF on the sawmil, see pages 14 and 15.
Round nut M14 X 1.5 ?
https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/62000-62999/62366.pdf


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## Gary Glesener (Jan 3, 2020)

@*woodnthings* 

I just received the rod today, and opened the box about an hour ago, so I've not done anything with regards to installing it. Maybe this weekend. I'll post pictures then. 

Yes, the new rod is a "Carbon Steel Acme Lead Screw Left Hand, 3/4"-8 Thread Size, 3 Feet Long" I ordered from McMaster-Carr. (see https://www.mcmaster.com/98935a451) 



The new brass nut is a "Precision Acme Externally Threaded Nut Left Hand, 360 Brass, 3/4"-8 Thread Size." (see https://www.mcmaster.com/95072a352). The external threads must be very close to the hole on the mill, or happens to be an imperial (non-metric) thread on the mill. 


I took some better measurements on the original rod, which I believe is called a "Guide Screw" since it goes in the "Guide Screw Base" (see #33 on page 14 on the HF manual). My calipers say it is a 20mm diameter with either a 2.5mm or 3mm pitch. I've not been been able to find one that is left handed online yet. 

Here is an example of the Helical insert I was referring to: https://www.mcmaster.com/91732a681. Don't buy this one because it is a right handed thread and not ACME. Plus, it takes a special tool to set the new one.


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## mjadams61 (Jan 1, 2016)

I been thinking of a mill myself but I have a small shop. May I see a picture of yours and model?


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