Looks like you're really into it. I had a hand crank one but found it pretty tedious to use so I didn't get much into it.

Later I got an 8' one with the power feed. It still needs a little work. I've passed on making columns before because I wasn't set up for it but that machine could be a money maker if you had people asking you to make them. There was a guy on LJs awhile back I think who had built a version like 30 or 40 feet long and had smaller similar tools as well. Other than putting the blanks together I think that was all the work he did and he had work coming in regularly. Brian Boggs said something like "it pays to specialize" and I don't think he's wrong.

 

I also had one, but yes, that hand-crank business is for the birds.

 

I was seriously looking to buy one several years ago. It's to bad they quit selling them. That company went to all CNC. I understand that they longer any support for those older models.

 

They do not. They do answer the phone and you can ask about this or that part though. They had at least some parts for awhile.

There is probably still a Yahoo group if you want stuff or would like to acquire a mill. I got my big one in need of a bit of work for $300 from a local seller who had used it in a cabinet shop and put some miles on it.

 

Yes, there is a Yahoo support group. I was a member and had some replacement gears made by one of the members, as mine was missing some when I bought it. It was going to take more money than I wanted to spend to get it completely operational- a bigger router and some really expensive bits, etc. I sold it and broke even which was good enough for me.

 

Magnate still sells some of the more specialized bits:

Router Bits For Ornamental Milling

woodworking tools and accessories: router bit, spiral bit, shaper cutter, bandsaw blade, circular saw, cold saw, planer knives, end mills, metal working

www.magnate.net

I've bought other hard to find bits from them, they sell a quality product and ship fast as I recall.

 

A real good friend might sell me his when he's gets broke down enough. Only problem is I'd have to drive up to Seattle for it. I'm pretty sure I'll pass on it as I'm closing in on 71. Could I get enough use of out it to justify buying it?

 

BurlyBob I think you answered your own question. I bought mine 25 years ago when I retired.
It came with lots of instructions and with a couple of disk and me watching the experts was what got me going and knowing what does did this and that.
Seems like most think the motor would do the thinking part, wrong for all a motor does is move the carriage up and down the rails just like the hand crank. Your brain has to do all the setting of things before you hit the motor switch.
Bob I would think you could get a manual and the videos from the company but the videos to me were the most helpful part of the machine. I use the turn table as much as any other part of the machine and it also has a handle to turn.
I do believe there are places that can make more copies from a video and chances that Legacy might still have copies.
Bob if the guy has all the instructions and the videos then there is no need for Legacy to
keep replacement parts. The router is the only thing I had to buy extra and it is the biggest r Porter Cable. This picture shows the end pieces that holds the wood if it is to be turned and it came with 4 of them and I ordered about 4 more later for I could take a piece I was working on and lay it back if I need to turn more pieces of wood and this will let me continue right where I stopped when I set it out.

 

Your brain has to do all the setting of things before you hit the motor switch.

Truer words were never said of any machine! Friend of mine is a professional machinist with a ton of CNC experience, and he can make stuff on a conventional machine that looks like CNC work - because he's used to thinking in CNC toolpaths. Machines just move the skill from the hands to the mind, skill is still required!

Legacy has moved on to CNC routers, and their youtube channel seems to reflect this. However, there are a lot of their old ornamental mill videos available on youtube from what seem to be independent channels. All the info one could want on these machines can be found on youtube.

Magnate still has a section of their website devoted to router bits for Legacy machines. I've used a lot of their products (flush trim and large ball cutters) and their bits are every bit as good as Amana or Whiteside.

 

I absolutely love my mill it's a 1000 model wonderful machine I've motorized the whole thing no hand cranking it's awesome.

 

I have yet to figure this machine out. It takes up a lot of space. I got this from a person who's husband had passed away. He had it partially set up when I got it. I was thinking of making a router sled from some of the parts and just using the rest for projects. To me I think with all the gearing, how do you know what gear combo will do what, without experimenting a lot. What am I missing?

 

Lots of vids on youtube for these machines. Legacy put out a lot of VHS stuff for them that is now on youtube. Not sure how much written documentation there is.

Gearing isn't to hard to figure out, it's just the ratio of teeth. If you have one shaft that moves the router 1" per revolution (or whatever, just an example) and it is also turning a spur gear with 12 teeth that is meshing with a replaceable gear with say 48 teeth that turns the spindle, you will get 4 turns of the spindle for each inch of lateral motion.

But to actually tell you how to use the machine, I would have to sit down and look at it for a while. Mine just sits in a corner because I don't use it often and have never used the rope turning feature. My ex was into rope turned furniture but I never got around to making any. Probably part of why she's my ex, right?