Clausing 8520---Worth It?

[Bully]

There is a gent selling a very nice condition 8520. He has an adapter for ER32 collets so I don't have to chase down MT2 collets. I believe he has a set of MT2 as well. It comes with a small vise as well.
He's asking 2K.
Worth it? Or save for a PM? The PM is not much more, biggest benefit is that I don't have to jump now, I can wait a bit.
Thoughts?

I will use this for light rifle receiver work, cutting out barrel channels and bedding, and some 1911 stuff. All hobby, not an FFL.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

JMO, but at that price, I'd hold out for a Bridgeport.

 

[Bully]

JMO, but at that price, I'd hold out for a Bridgeport.

As much as I'd like a Bridgeport, it's a long shot. The Clausing (and other bench mills) are moveable. By me. The B-Port... not so much.
In my neck of the woods, B-Port are regularly over 3K. I'm in NJ. Not known for having cheap anything.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

As much as I'd like a Bridgeport, it's a long shot. The Clausing (and other bench mills) are moveable. By me. The B-Port... not so much.
In my neck of the woods, B-Port are regularly over 3K. I'm in NJ. Not known for having cheap anything.

I move my bridgeports by myself all the time. I have skates if its not going far and my engine hoist will pick it up and move it like a small block chevy

 

[carlsbad]

I don't see a link...the chinese ER32 collet adapters can have horrible runout...good ones are expensive.

 

[pfiori]

I had one of those. It is a good machine for what it is and is fine for most gunsmithing work except stock work. The table does not really have enough X axis travel to do an inlet and barrel channel in one setup. 2MT collets and tooling are pretty common, the biggest problem with them is you are limited to a maximum of 1/2" shank tooling.

 

[PatMiles]

Had an 8520 when I started playing with 1911/2011. Very light, slow cuts or it started rumbling badly. Sold it and bought a Bridgeport. Night and day difference obviously. I move it by rolling it on pipes...carefully. Did I say they are top heavy.

 

[spitfire_er]

I had one I sold about a year ago for $2500 with basically what you say that one has. I'll echo the stock work would need to be done in two steps unless you are doing an xp100.

Mine was fairly stout for its size. As long as the gibs are properly tensioned, you should be able to take some decent cuts. I did extractor cuts in barrels, ar barrels, drilling/tapping. It's a decent machine for its size as long as it's not worn out or beat up.