AJAX MD-20 Mill

[UncouthJParticipant @uncouthj]

Hi folks. Seen an AJAX MD-20 up for sale, but found very little posted on any of the MD-20 variants. Just wonder if anyone has any thoughts on the MD-20, or on AJAX machines in general?

I find the fact that they no longer sell this, or any hobby scale, machine slightly concerning. Did they jump on the Chinese repackaging bandwagon and regret it??

Cheers. Jay.

[UncouthJParticipant @uncouthj]

Thoughts, pro’s, con’s?

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Hello.

Ajax dates back to pre world war 2. They have a reputation of providing good quality kit at reasonable prices. They are now Hampshire based. You could always contact them for details of the mill you have in mind to buy.

Andrew.

Edited By Andrew Tinsley on 16/08/2022 19:40:18

[UncouthJParticipant @uncouthj]

Looking for more of a user perspective tbh chap.

Thanks though.

J

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

The current Ajax Machine Tools is not the same operation as the one that imported the MD-20 – see this history

I would guess that the mill-drill was probably imported while they were in Bredbury & probably from the early '80s. The Bredbury operation was one of the early customers of my last employment – Ajax imported Spanish Lagun milling machines & at the time (pre-EU) it was very expensive for them to import complete CNC machines due to import tariffs, so they imported bare carcasses (finished mechnically, but no electrics) of Bridgeport sized turret mills & shipped them to our works. We then installed all the CNC kit, wired them up & Ajax sold them in competion with Bridgeport (same Heidenhain control systems). The large Lagun bed type CNC machines came over already fitted out – guess the margins were greater on those. I got to know the technical guys over there very well over the years we worked together. My recollection is that the relocation to Birmingham came about due to the Bredbury operation going into receivership, but I could be mis-remembering as it was a while ago now. I also seem to remember that was the point at which the small machines were discontinued.

Ajax at that time imported from several sources – some Spanish (Lagun), some Bulgarian (Mashstroy manual centre lathes) and some Taiwanese (Victor CNC lathes + the small machines). The X-Y table part of my current Emco FB2 clone came from Ajax Bredbury – I happened to be on site measuring up a Spanish lathe for a proposed auto loading robot for a sales enquiry & at the time they were having a stores clearout. Amongst the piles of unused Bulgarian taper turning attachments destined for the skip (all the machines came from the factory with a TT attachment fitted, but Ajax removed them to be sold as an optional extra – not many takers, it seemed ! ), was the obviously unused small mill base. I asked about it & found it was to be dumped as there was no head & column assembly (thought to have been used for a warranty claim). I was told that if I reversed my car around to the door, it could as easily be dumped in my boot as in the skip – it would have been rude to have refused !

I doubt that Ajaxes MD-20 would have been much different to anybody elses "20" sized mill-drill of the period – most likely Taiwanese made than mainland Chinese, brought in in quantity & sold quite inexpensively. The "20" machine will be equivalent to Warco's Minor, with a shorter quill travel (100mm rather than 130 on the larger "30" machines), a pillar drill style drill depth stop external to and on the LHS of the head casting a smaller table. IIRC the spindle taper could be either 3MT or R8, spindle speed change via two vee belts & an AC motor (single & 3 phase versions). There are those who bemoan the lack of radial location for the head on the column , meaning the head can rotate when it is raised or lowered, but many of these machines have been sold & used so that wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. Actually it wasn't, as I have a "Tru-Tool" RF30 version as well as the FB2 clone !

There are table power feed units available (Align being one known brand, though there seem to be clones of those now) with brackets designed to suit the table. A reasonably substantial "flat pack" sheet metal stand was also available.

While basic, these machines do have a lot more metal in them than equivalent capacity "modern" hobby mills – I can't recall the weight of the "20", but my "30" is near 300kg. And the basic squirrel cage motor doesn't have an expensive speed control board to go "pfffft" if you get too carried away.

If the machine meets your perceived requirements, is in reasonable condition (some of these machines seem to get terribly abused), you feel you can work around the lack of head alignment & the price is right I would suggest it is worth a look. If you out grow it, or it isn't right for you, it should sell without too much trouble.

Nigel B.

[UncouthJParticipant @uncouthj]

Thanks Nigel, great info as always, much appreciated.

J

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

If the mill looks cared for and not abused, it should be fine. We have a round column mill and a Tom Senior knee mill at the museum, and the only real advantage that the TS has for me in my old age is a higher bed which means less back strain.

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