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Favorite Mills

andoman

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Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
236
Location
midwest
If you go look at it, just make sure its got enough leg barrel travel for the type of conditions where you spend the majority of time cutting along the tracks. Depending on how old it is you might wish to modify the sensors a little.

Yeah the leg travel and stability was a concern for what we're going to do with it, especially with the three wheel design.
 

milling_drum

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
725
Location
out west lately
Occupation
asphalt mill operator (ret)
Since you aren't in a high production situation on a regular basis that might be a good machine for the price.

What kind of drum? You mentioned at times there are things buried that get hit.
 

andoman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
236
Location
midwest
Since you aren't in a high production situation on a regular basis that might be a good machine for the price.

What kind of drum? You mentioned at times there are things buried that get hit.

Well it's got somewhere around 3500 hrs on it and they want 40k so it's in the right ball park. The drum is a 30" drum and I'm waiting to get some more info on the holders but I'm assuming they're weld on. As for hitting things it hasn't been a regular thing, maybe once to twice a year but you never know, this could be a bad year.
 

milling_drum

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
725
Location
out west lately
Occupation
asphalt mill operator (ret)
I've run a few rubber tire machines. Biggest drawback I had with all of them was traction. On and off the trailer, and getting lined up to cut, when you need to steer if they are worn down it SUCKS!

That price is good for a utility cut machine. You guys are most likely all good welders and needn't worry stuff you hit or may hit.
 

bean

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
131
Location
Canada
Rubber tires are horrible for any kind of gravel shoulder work if your thinking of doing any of that.
 

andoman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
236
Location
midwest
Rubber tires are horrible for any kind of gravel shoulder work if your thinking of doing any of that.

All the work I would use this machine for would be on asphalt 100% of the time working on railroad approaches and transition milling for parking lot overlays. We had been leaning toward a 40" Zanetis RoadHog mounted on a backhoe or loader but then that ties up a backhoe or loader. I've got to go look at this thing and see if it's stability is good enough on three wheels (it looks like it has the 3rd leg mounted in the center of the side of the unit, which may not work out) to do what I need it to do.
 

milling_drum

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
725
Location
out west lately
Occupation
asphalt mill operator (ret)
Have too agree with Bean completely.

At Miller in Atlanta they had a custom leg barrel with a track on it it instead of the wheel. AND that same machine rumble stripped.
 

andoman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
236
Location
midwest
I'm looking at a used W1200F with about 3800 hrs on it, what should I be looking for as warning signs of abuse. The machine comes with the 2, 3, 4 combo cutter, full conveyor, and stub conveyor (they had some strange job they had to load into loader buckets on.

Thanks,

Ando
 

Turtle

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2010
Messages
24
Location
Florida
Occupation
president of Turtle Southeast, Inc.
Our biggest issue with the 1200 was electrical problems. It seemed to have continual issues with switches and relays as it got past 2000 hrs. Also check the track tension, we had issues with those as well. Keep in mind that any replacement parts will be pricey so check out the mill closely.
 

andoman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
236
Location
midwest
Our biggest issue with the 1200 was electrical problems. It seemed to have continual issues with switches and relays as it got past 2000 hrs. Also check the track tension, we had issues with those as well. Keep in mind that any replacement parts will be pricey so check out the mill closely.


It had a new engine (replaced at 3000 hrs) and it's a bit of a good deal, less than 100k for the unit. How do you guys like your RX-400? If the economy was a little better we wanted to get a new 400.
 

Heavy Highway

Active Member
Joined
May 20, 2010
Messages
27
Location
Texas
I just took over as fleet manager so I inherited what we have and for the most part, my old man made the purchasing desicions....so we've got:
3 Roadtec's (50, 60, and 70)
4 CMI reclaimers (2 500's and 2 650's)
and I guess the old Bomag is permanently parked

Its hard to say, other than we feel like we've had good luck with them but really have nothing to compare them too.

Down here, TxDot had been on a cement stabilization kick and with the water hook up and a couple tankers, those CMI's would chew up a serious amount of roadway in a short amount of time but those type of projects have dried up and we may entertain the idea of downsizing that part of the fleet. /shrug.
 

andoman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
236
Location
midwest
I'll dig up an oldie, does anyone have any good/bad/otherwise experience with marini/bomag MP 1300's? We've been looking at one for a while now and they seem like a good size for the commercial work we've been doing the past few years.
 

milling_drum

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
725
Location
out west lately
Occupation
asphalt mill operator (ret)
In the pictures I just saw of that particular machine it looks like a knockoff (but allot smaller) of the CMI PR525 models. Full size frame but an off set drum under it. The main issue with these smaller mills in this configuration of course is that sometimes you have to use the exposed edge of the drum against an edge you have to be sure of, you cannot use the side thats offset inside the frame unless the operator has an extremely good sight line and can hold it straight or right on that edge. That can cost allot of time setting up trucks and turning around etc etc...If you can maintain the same direction and the left side of the drum isn't needed for a serious edge it would most likely be a decent machine.

I had heard they come with Kenna metal drums. Of course the wear items I suspect might be pricey, track pads, conveyor rubber, rollers, switches. The Dynapac I was running last year was a parts nightmare which is one reason why PP&S and Turtle got rid of the ones they had. Seems that the traditional mill manufacturer make a better quality machine overall.
 

dduffy1981

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
13
Location
south dakota
hello

i am looking at a 1979 cmi tr225 milling machine. i plan is to use it a gravel pit. i was wondering if u guys think it will work? just grind it up off the surface right into trucks.. whats ur thoughts
 

bean

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
131
Location
Canada
You may want to look at Gomaco trimmers aswell, Not sure what kind of gravel pit you have but I don't imagine they like larger stones.
 

dduffy1981

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
13
Location
south dakota
our gravel here is magnesia. its hard enough u have to rip it out of the ground but once u get it broke free u can break it up by just running the cat over it.
 

milling_drum

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
725
Location
out west lately
Occupation
asphalt mill operator (ret)
The amount of teeth on the cutter will be what makes that older mill work aright or not, you might like to keep as many holders with good teeth in them as you can and make sure you can run ample amounts of water and it should work ok. I've heard of older mills like that one being used in applications like that.
 
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