BLJ In-Situ Solutions Flange Facing Machines Onsite Flange Machining

Flange Facing Machines

Flange Facing Machines (12)

Flange Facing Machines (12)

Flange Facing Machines (2)

Flange Facing Machines (2)

Flange Facing Machines (1)

Flange Facing Machines (1)

Flange Facing Machines (3)

Flange Facing Machines (3)

Flange Facing Machines (11)

Flange Facing Machines (11)

Flange Facing Machines (10)

Flange Facing Machines (10)

Flange Facing Machines (9)

Flange Facing Machines (9)

Flange Facing Machines (8)

Flange Facing Machines (8)

Flange Facing Machines (7)

Flange Facing Machines (7)

Flange Facing Machines (6)

Flange Facing Machines (6)

Flange Facing Machines (5)

Flange Facing Machines (5)

Product Description

Flange facing is the process of machining the contact surfaces of flanges to create smooth and flat mating surfaces. It removes corrosion, scoring, pitting and distortion from the flange face so the joint seals correctly once it is bolted back together. A flange facing machine is the portable tool that does that work with the flange still in place.

Taking your field equipment to the machine shop is not always feasible. This is why BLJ In-situ Solutions offers its range of on-site machining services. Our air driven portable flange facing machines handle flange sizes from 0 to 1.8 metres in diameter and carry out machine shop operations without removing the plant item, consistently achieving tolerances and finishes once thought to be achievable only in an engineering workshop.

We bring the workshop to you and work in-situ, saving time and money. Whatever the work environment or situation, BLJ In-situ Solutions can offer a machining solution to meet your required application.

Flange Facing Machines Available for Hire

Our flange facing equipment fleet covers flange sizes from 0 inches through to 72 inches. Each machine is supplied with the tooling and equipment required to set up and operate.

Machine Facing range Mounting Data sheet
MM200e Flange Facer 0″ to 8″ (0 to 203mm) Internal mount MM200e specs (PDF)
MM300e Flange Facer 0″ to 12″ (0 to 305mm) Internal mount MM300e specs (PDF)
FF1200 Flange Facer 0″ to 12″ (0 to 305mm) External (OD) mount FF1200 specs (PDF)
203B-FF Flange Facer 1.5″ to 12″ (38 to 305mm) Internal mount 203B-FF specs (PDF)
MM610i Flange Facer 2″ to 24″ (50 to 610mm) Internal mount MM610i specs (PDF)
AX321 Flange Facer 3″ to 21″ (76 to 533mm) External (OD) mount AX321 specs (PDF)
MM860i Flange Facer 6″ to 34″ (152 to 864mm) Internal mount MM860i specs (PDF)
MM1000i Flange Facer 6″ to 40″ (152 to 1016mm) Internal mount MM1000i specs (PDF)
MM1500i Flange Facer 12″ to 60″ (305 to 1524mm) Internal mount MM1500i specs (PDF)
AX1445 Flange Facer 14″ to 45″ (356 to 1143mm) External (OD) mount AX1445 specs (PDF)
SX2872 Flange Facer 28″ to 72″ (711 to 1829mm) External (OD) mount SX2872 specs (PDF)

Internal Mount and External Mount Machines

Flange facing machines mount one of two ways, and the right choice depends on what the flange is attached to and how much room there is around it.

  • Internal mount machines clamp inside the pipe bore and machine outwards. They suit standard pipe flanges where the bore is accessible and clear, and they keep the machine’s footprint tight in congested pipework.
  • External mount machines clamp to the outside diameter or bolt to the flange face itself. They suit large diameter flanges, valve bodies, heat exchanger and vessel faces, and any situation where the bore is obstructed or the component is not a through pipe.

Where a job is not clear cut, our technicians will confirm the mounting arrangement before mobilising so the correct machine arrives on site the first time.

What Our Flange Facing Machines Are Used For

  • Re-machining raised face (RF) and flat face (FF) flanges to restore a serviceable sealing surface
  • Cutting and re-cutting ring type joint (RTJ) grooves to specification
  • Removing corrosion, pitting, scoring and gasket damage from flange faces
  • Correcting flange distortion and out of flatness identified during a flange flatness survey
  • Machining heat exchanger, vessel, valve and pump faces in place
  • Restoring sealing surfaces during a shutdown so the plant achieves a leak-free startup

Flange facing is usually one part of a wider scope. It sits alongside flange joint management and controlled bolting and bolt tensioning, because a correctly machined face still needs accurate bolt load to seal. Our approach to the full scope is set out on our flange maintenance and flange joint integrity page.

Hire the Machine, or Hire the Machine and the Technician

You can hire a flange facing machine from our fleet and run it with your own people, or we can supply the machine with a BLJ technician who carries out the work. Many clients use the second option during a shutdown, when the window is tight and the joint has to seal first time.

What is included with a hire: the machine, the mounting hardware and the standard tooling required to set up and operate it, all maintained and tested before it leaves our workshop. Every item in the fleet is registered in our equipment management system so we can confirm availability and location at any time.

What you need to provide: the air supply to drive the machine, safe access to the flange, and confirmation that the system is isolated and the joint is clear for work. Our team will talk this through with you before delivery so nothing holds the job up on the day.

Machines are dispatched from our workshops in Brisbane and Gladstone, Queensland, and we mobilise to sites across Australia including Brisbane and Lytton, Gladstone, Chinchilla, Karratha, Perth, Darwin, Newcastle and the Hunter Valley and Sydney. The full range is on our on-site machining equipment hire page.

Flange Facing Machine FAQs

What does flange facing mean?

Flange facing means machining the sealing surface of a flange back to a flat, smooth and correctly finished condition. Over time a flange face is damaged by corrosion, gasket bonding, scoring and heat distortion, and once the surface is out of specification the joint will not seal reliably no matter how it is bolted. Flange facing restores that surface so the gasket seats properly.

What is a flange facing machine?

A flange facing machine is a portable machine tool that clamps to a flange, either inside the bore or on the outside diameter, and rotates a cutting tool across the flange face. It performs the same work as a lathe in an engineering workshop, but it is taken to the component rather than the component being taken to it. BLJ In-situ Solutions holds a hire fleet covering 0 to 72 inches.

What are the different types of flange faces?

The three most common in industrial pipework are raised face (RF), where the gasket seats on a raised portion of the flange; flat face (FF), where the full face is machined flat and the gasket covers the whole surface; and ring type joint (RTJ), where a metal ring sits in a machined groove and is used on higher pressure and higher temperature duty. Each has a different specified surface finish, and our machines cut all three.

What size flange can BLJ machine on site?

Our fleet covers 0 inches to 72 inches, which is 0 to approximately 1.8 metres in diameter. Smaller flanges are handled by our internal mount machines such as the MM200e and MM300e, while large diameter work such as vessel and exchanger faces is handled by external mount machines including the AX1445 and SX2872.

Can I hire a flange facing machine without a technician?

Yes. Flange facing machines are available for dry hire with the tooling required to set up and operate them. If your team is not set up to run the machine, or the joint is critical and the shutdown window is tight, we can supply a BLJ technician with the machine instead.

How long does on-site flange facing take?

It depends on the diameter, the finish specified and how much material has to come off, but the more useful comparison is against the alternative. Removing a flange or component and sending it to a workshop adds disassembly, transport, machining, return transport and reassembly. Machining it in place removes all of that, which is why in-situ flange facing is usually the faster and more cost-effective option.

Where does BLJ provide flange facing machines and services?

BLJ In-situ Solutions operates from workshops in Brisbane and Gladstone, Queensland, and mobilises nationally. We regularly work across Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory, including remote and regional sites, for clients in energy, LNG, oil and gas, utilities, petrochemical, mining, construction and infrastructure.

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BLJ In-Situ Solutions Pipe Cutting Weld Prep Machines Onsite Machining Equipment Hire

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep Machines

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep (5)

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep (5)

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep (2)

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep (2)

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep (3)

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep (3)

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep (1)

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep (1)

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep (4)

Pipe Cutting & Weld Prep (4)

Product Description

Pipe cutting and weld prep machines, also known as split frame clamshells, cut and bevel pipe in place without heat, flame or sparks. They clamp around the pipe, rotate a cutting tool around it and machine a square cut and a weld ready bevel in the same pass. BLJ In-situ Solutions holds a hire fleet covering 4 inch to 60 inch diameter pipe.

Because the cut is mechanical rather than thermal, there is no heat affected zone. The pipe is not distorted, the material properties either side of the cut are unchanged, and the work can be carried out in atmospheres where an open flame would not be permitted. That is why cold cutting is standard practice on live plant, in hazardous areas and on any line where the weld has to pass inspection first time.

How Split Frame Clamshell Machines Work

The frame is split, so it opens and closes around pipe that is already installed. There is no need to break the line apart to get the machine on. Once clamped, the tool bits feed automatically into the work piece with each rotation of the clamshell, which produces a consistent and precise finish rather than one that depends on operator feel.

These are portable pipe lathes. They simultaneously sever and bevel inline pipe, and they can form an angle bevel as they cut, so a single set up delivers a cut face that is ready for weld preparation. A swivel counter boring head attachment is also available for hire where the internal diameter needs to be machined to suit the weld procedure.

Pipe Cutting and Weld Prep Machine Hire

  • Pipe diameter range: 4 inch to 60 inch (approximately 100mm to 1,525mm)
  • Drive: air driven, suitable for hazardous area work where electrical tools are restricted
  • Machine type: split frame clamshell, mounts on in-line pipe without dismantling the run
  • Operations: severing, bevelling, simultaneous sever and bevel, counter boring with the optional swivel head
  • Supplied with: the tooling and equipment required to set up and operate

The range covers small bore pipework right through to large diameter vessels, so a single supplier can handle a mixed scope across a plant.

What These Machines Are Used For

  • Cutting out and replacing a section of corroded, eroded or damaged pipe
  • Preparing weld ends on new pipework tie-ins during construction and plant modification
  • Cold cutting on live or recently isolated lines where hot work permits are difficult or refused
  • Cutting in hazardous and classified areas where flame cutting is not an option
  • Removing valves, spools and fittings without disturbing the surrounding pipework
  • Decommissioning and cutting up redundant plant and pipework
  • Machining weld preparations to a specified angle and root face during a shutdown

Pipe cutting is often one element of a larger scope. It runs alongside our on-site machining services and is frequently mobilised as part of a shutdown or turnaround, where a tie-in has to be cut, prepped, welded and returned to service inside a fixed window. Where the same outage also involves flange work, our flange joint management and controlled bolting teams work the scope together.

Hire the Machine, or Hire the Machine and the Technician

You can hire a pipe cutting and weld prep machine and run it with your own crew, or we can supply the machine with a BLJ technician who carries out the cut. Clients often take the second option when the bevel has to meet a specific weld procedure, or when the line is live and the job carries no margin for a second attempt.

What you need to provide: the air supply, safe access around the full circumference of the pipe, and confirmation that the line is isolated, drained and safe to cut. Clearance around the pipe matters more than people expect, because the clamshell rotates around the outside of it. Our team will check this with you before delivery.

Machines are dispatched from our workshops in Brisbane and Gladstone, Queensland, and we mobilise to sites across Australia including Brisbane and Lytton, Gladstone, Karratha, Perth, Newcastle and the Hunter Valley and Sydney. The rest of the fleet is on our on-site machining equipment hire page.

Pipe Cutting and Weld Prep FAQs

What is cold cutting?

Cold cutting is cutting metal without heat, flame or sparks. Instead of burning through the material, a mechanical cutting tool removes it. This avoids a heat affected zone, so the material either side of the cut keeps its original properties and the pipe does not distort. It also removes the ignition risk, which is what makes it suitable for work on live plant and in hazardous areas.

What is a split frame clamshell machine?

A split frame clamshell is a portable pipe lathe whose frame splits in two so it can be fitted around pipe that is already installed. Once closed and clamped, the frame rotates around the pipe carrying the cutting tools with it. It is the standard machine for cutting and bevelling in-line pipe without dismantling the run.

What is the correct bevel angle for a pipe?

For a standard single V butt weld preparation the included angle is commonly 37.5 degrees, though the correct figure for any given job comes from the applicable weld procedure specification rather than a general rule. Wall thickness, material and the welding process all affect the preparation required. Our machines cut to the angle and root face your procedure calls for.

What size pipe can BLJ cut on site?

Our fleet covers 4 inch to 60 inch diameter pipe, which is approximately 100mm to 1,525mm. That range takes in most process pipework as well as large diameter vessel and header work.

Why cut pipe in-situ rather than removing it?

Removing a section of pipe to cut it elsewhere means disassembly, transport, machining, return transport and reassembly, and every one of those steps carries time, cost and the risk of introducing a new problem. Cutting in place removes all of it. We bring the workshop to you and work in-situ, saving time and money.

Can pipe cutting be done during a shutdown?

Yes, and that is where most of this work happens. Cold cutting suits a shutdown because it needs no hot work permit, produces no sparks near other trades and delivers a weld ready face straight off the machine, which keeps the welding crew moving. BLJ In-situ Solutions mobilises pipe cutting alongside our other on-site machining disciplines as part of a single shutdown scope.

Where does BLJ provide pipe cutting and weld prep services?

BLJ In-situ Solutions operates from workshops in Brisbane and Gladstone, Queensland, and mobilises to sites across Australia, including remote and regional locations. We work for clients in energy, LNG, oil and gas, utilities, petrochemical, mining, construction and infrastructure.

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BLJ In-Situ Solutions Journal Turning Lathe (Shaft Turning) Onsite Machining Equipment Hire

Journal Turning Lathe (Shaft Turning)

Shaft Turning (2)

Shaft Turning (2)

Shaft Turning (4)

Shaft Turning (4)

Shaft Turning (3)

Shaft Turning (3)

Product Description

Journal turning is machining the outside diameter of a shaft to bring it back within specification for concentricity, surface finish and circularity. BLJ In-situ Solutions’ portable journal turning lathe does this in place. It bolts directly to the end of the shaft and rotates around it, so the shaft does not have to be removed and sent to a workshop.

Our journal turning lathe re-turns shafts and roll journals from 4 inch to 11.25 inch (101.6mm to 285.8mm) diameter. It is pneumatically driven and supplied with the tooling and equipment required to set up and operate.

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Journal Turning Lathe at a Glance

  • Shaft diameters from 4 inch to 11.25 inch (101.6mm to 285.8mm)
  • Turning reach of 16 inch (406.4mm) from the spindle face, or 22 inch (558.8mm) with the optional extension
  • Pneumatic drive running on 6 bar (90 psi) at 0.85 m3/min (30 CFM)
  • Operational weight of 90.7kg (200 lbs)
  • Supplied with tooling, for hire on its own or with a BLJ technician

How Does a Portable Journal Turning Lathe Work?

A portable journal turning lathe mounts on the end of the shaft and turns its cutting tool around the journal, instead of spinning the shaft in a conventional lathe. That is what lets a large shaft be machined without lifting it out of the plant.

  1. Expose the shaft end. The gear or bearing is removed so the end of the shaft is accessible.
  2. Mount. The lathe bolts directly to the end of the shaft.
  3. Centre. Adjusting screws centre and align the lathe on the shaft axis, even if the end face of the shaft is no longer square.
  4. Turn. The turning bar reaches along the journal and the tool feeds at 0.076mm to 0.279mm per revolution, bringing the journal back to a round, concentric surface.

Because the machine references the shaft itself, the journal is machined about the axis it actually runs on.

Journal Turning Lathe Specifications

Specification Metric Imperial
Shaft diameter 101.6mm to 285.8mm 4″ to 11.25″
Turning reach (from spindle face) 406.4mm 16″
Turning reach (with optional extension) 558.8mm 22″
Minimum swing clearance (radius) 212.7mm 8.37″
Turning bar diameter 58.7mm 2.31″
Feed rate (per revolution) 0.076mm to 0.279mm 0.003″ to 0.011″
Drive Pneumatic
Supply pressure 6 bar 90 psi
Air consumption 0.85 m3/min 30 CFM
Operational weight 90.7kg 200 lbs
Overall length (extended) 1193.8mm 47″
Overall length (retracted) 787.4mm 31″

Download the journal turning lathe data sheet (PDF)

What Clearance and Air Supply Does the Lathe Need?

Four things decide whether the lathe can do the job on site. Checking them before mobilising is what stops a wasted trip.

  • Swing clearance: at least 212.7mm (8.37 inch) radius around the shaft centreline, so the machine can rotate.
  • Length off the shaft end: around 787.4mm (31 inch) of clear space for the machine with the turning bar fully retracted.
  • Reach to the journal: the worn journal needs to sit within 406.4mm (16 inch) of the mounting face, or 558.8mm (22 inch) with the optional extension.
  • Compressed air: a supply of 6 bar (90 psi) delivering 0.85 m3/min (30 CFM).

Send us the shaft diameter, the journal position and a photo of the access around the shaft end, and we will confirm the fit before hire.

What Is Journal Turning Used For?

Shaft journals are the load-bearing surfaces that carry bearings, pulleys and couplings. When they wear, the result is vibration, poor fitment and faster wear on everything connected to them. A journal turning lathe is used for:

  • Restoring bearing journals damaged by a failed or worn bearing
  • Re-turning journals worn by damaged pulleys
  • Bringing a journal back within tolerance for concentricity and roundness
  • Re-turning large shafts and roll journals that are too big or too costly to remove
  • Avoiding a shaft replacement where the journal can be machined back to specification

It is common on crushing and screening equipment, pumps and rotating process equipment, and marine vessels. BLJ’s recent work includes restoring both 175mm journals on a mobile crusher shaft for a Brisbane client, and journal turning on a dredging vessel for a dredging company in South Queensland.

Whether machining is cheaper than a new shaft depends on wear depth, lead time and downtime, and the trade-off between repair and replacement is usually decided on those three. Where a keyway on the same shaft has also worn, it can be recut with our portable keyway milling machines in the same visit.

Hire the Lathe, or the Lathe and the Technician

You can hire the journal turning lathe from BLJ In-situ Solutions and run it with your own people, or we can supply it with a BLJ technician who carries out the work as part of our journal turning services.

What is included with a hire: the lathe and the tooling and equipment required to set it up and operate it.

What you need to provide: compressed air at 6 bar and 30 CFM, access to the shaft end with the gear or bearing removed, the clearances listed above, and confirmation that the equipment is isolated and safe to work on.

Journal turning is one part of BLJ’s wider on-site machining and mechanical maintenance work. Brisbane operators can build onsite journal turning into their planned maintenance programs, and unplanned shaft failures are handled through our emergency and unplanned onsite machining services.

We support sites across Australia from our workshops in Brisbane and Gladstone.

BLJ In-situ Solutions is certified and registered by TQCS International Pty Ltd to ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems standard. All work undertaken by our technicians is executed in accordance with its Quality Management System processes.

Journal Turning Lathe FAQs

What shaft sizes can BLJ’s journal turning lathe machine?

BLJ In-situ Solutions’ portable journal turning lathe machines shafts from 4 inch to 11.25 inch (101.6mm to 285.8mm) diameter. It reaches 16 inch (406.4mm) along the shaft from the spindle face, or 22 inch (558.8mm) with the optional extension.

Can a shaft journal be machined without removing the shaft?

Yes. BLJ’s journal turning lathe bolts to the end of the shaft and rotates around it, so the shaft stays where it is. Only the gear or bearing needs to come off to expose the shaft end, and adjusting screws centre the lathe even when the end face is no longer square.

What air supply does BLJ’s journal turning lathe need?

BLJ’s journal turning lathe is pneumatically driven and needs a compressed air supply of 6 bar (90 psi) delivering 0.85 cubic metres per minute (30 CFM). Check that the site compressor can deliver this before the lathe is mobilised.

How much clearance does the journal turning lathe need?

BLJ’s journal turning lathe needs a minimum swing clearance of 212.7mm (8.37 inch) radius around the shaft centreline, and around 787.4mm (31 inch) of clear length off the shaft end with the turning bar retracted. Send BLJ the shaft details and a photo of the access and we will confirm the fit before hire.

What does journal turning achieve?

Journal turning brings a worn shaft journal back within specification for concentricity, surface finish and circularity, so bearings, pulleys and couplings fit and run correctly again. BLJ’s lathe feeds at 0.076mm to 0.279mm per revolution, and the final finish depends on the feed selected and the shaft material.

Can I hire the journal turning lathe without a technician?

Yes. BLJ In-situ Solutions hires the journal turning lathe with the tooling required to set it up and operate it, for your own team to run. We can also supply it with a BLJ technician who carries out the machining.

Where does BLJ provide journal turning?

BLJ In-situ Solutions provides journal turning and journal turning lathe hire across Australia from our workshops in Brisbane and Gladstone. We support sites in regions including Chinchilla, Karratha, Darwin, Perth, Newcastle, Adelaide and Geelong.

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BLJ In-Situ Solutions QuickFace Flange Facer Onsite Machining Equipment Hire

QuickFace Flange Facer

QuickFace Flange Facer (2)

QuickFace Flange Facer (2)

Product Description

The QuickFace is a compact, manually operated flange facer built for small bore work. At 6.8kg it is the lightest machine in the BLJ In-situ Solutions flange facing fleet, and it needs no air or power supply to run, which makes it the practical choice in confined spaces, at height, and anywhere a compressor cannot reasonably be dragged.

Flange facing is the machining of a flange’s sealing surface to bring it back to flat and true, removing corrosion, scoring, pitting and gasket damage so the joint seals correctly once it is bolted up. The QuickFace does that work on flanges from 0.96 inch through to 12 inch, mounting inside the bore and machining outwards.

Like every machine in our fleet, it is supplied with the tooling and equipment required to set up and operate.

Download Data Sheet ~ QuickFace

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Technical Specifications

Specification Metric Imperial
Clamping diameter (ID) 24.4mm to 157.7mm 0.96″ to 6.21″
Facing diameter 24.4mm to 304.8mm 0.96″ to 12″
Swing diameter 508mm 20″
Tool post slide travel 71.1mm 2.8″
Tool post depth travel 27mm 1.06″
Tool post swivel 0 to 40 degrees
Feed screw (coarse) 11 TPI 125 to 250 microinch
Feed screw (fine) 20 TPI 60 to 100 microinch
Machine weight 6.8kg 15 lbs

Two feed screws, two finishes. The coarse screw covers the surface finish band normally specified for raised face gasket seating. The fine screw produces a smoother finish where the joint or the specification calls for one. The tool post also swivels through 40 degrees, so the machine can cut a chamfer or a taper as well as a flat face.

Download the QuickFace data sheet (PDF)

Where the QuickFace Fits in Our Fleet

The QuickFace is the hand-driven, small bore option. It is not a replacement for the air driven machines, it is what you reach for when those machines are more than the job needs or physically will not fit.

QuickFace Air driven fleet
Drive Manual Air
Weight 6.8kg Heavier, machine dependent
Facing range 0.96″ to 12″ 0″ to 72″
Best for Small bore, confined access, no air available Larger flanges, higher volume, faster cycles

For anything above 12 inch, or where a job runs to a high number of faces, see the full range of flange facing machines available for hire, which covers flange sizes from 0 to 72 inch across eleven models.

What the QuickFace Is Used For

  • Re-machining small bore raised face (RF) and flat face (FF) flanges back to a serviceable sealing surface
  • Removing corrosion, pitting, scoring and gasket damage from small flange faces
  • Facing valve, instrument and small nozzle connections in place
  • Machining flanges in confined spaces, at height, or where no air supply is available
  • Cutting a chamfer or taper using the swivelling tool post
  • One-off and low-volume flange repairs where mobilising a larger machine is not warranted

A machined face is only half of a sealed joint. The bolt load has to be right as well, which is why flange facing usually sits alongside flange joint management and controlled bolting and bolt tensioning on the same scope.

Manual Drive, and Why It Matters

Air driven machines are faster and they carry the heavier scopes. But an air driven machine needs a compressor, a hose run and somewhere safe to put both, and on a lot of small jobs that is the hardest part of the setup.

The QuickFace removes all of that. One technician can carry it, mount it and cut the face with nothing but the machine itself, which is why it is often the machine that gets a small leaking joint fixed the same day rather than the next shutdown.

Hire the Machine, or Hire the Machine and the Technician

You can hire the QuickFace from our fleet and run it with your own people, or we can supply it with a BLJ technician who carries out the work.

What is included with a hire: the machine, the mounting hardware and the standard tooling required to set up and operate it, all maintained and tested before it leaves our workshop.

What you need to provide: safe access to the flange, and confirmation that the system is isolated and the joint is clear for work.

QuickFace Flange Facer FAQs

What size flanges will the QuickFace face?

It mounts in bores from 0.96 inch to 6.21 inch and faces flange diameters from 0.96 inch up to 12 inch, with a 20 inch swing.

Does the QuickFace need an air supply?

No. It is manually operated, which is the main reason it suits confined spaces, work at height and remote locations.

Can it machine a chamfer as well as a flat face?

Yes. The tool post swivels through 0 to 40 degrees.

What surface finish can it achieve?

The machine carries two feed screws, a coarse screw for the finish band normally specified for raised face gasket seating, and a fine screw for a smoother finish where the joint requires it.

What if my flange is larger than 12 inch?

Our flange facing machine range covers 0 to 72 inch across eleven models, internal and external mount.

Where does BLJ provide flange facing?

Across Australia, from our workshops in Brisbane and Gladstone, including Chinchilla, Gladstone, Karratha, Darwin, Perth, Newcastle, Adelaide and Geelong.

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BLJ In-Situ Solutions Keyway Milling Machine Onsite Machining Equipment Hire

Keyway Milling Machine

Keyway Milling Machine (3)

Keyway Milling Machine (3)

Keyway Milling Machine (2)

Keyway Milling Machine (2)

Keyway Milling Machine (1)

Keyway Milling Machine (1)

Product Description

Keyway milling is the cutting of a keyway, the slot that seats a key, along the axis of a shaft or other cylindrical surface. It is used to cut a new keyway, to recut one that has worn or spread under load, or to add a second keyway to a shaft that is being repurposed.

Taking a shaft out of a machine and sending it to a workshop is not always practical. This is why BLJ In-situ Solutions offers its range of on-site machining services. Our portable keyway milling machines clamp directly to the shaft and cut the keyway where the shaft sits, so the plant item does not have to be dismantled, lifted out and freighted away.

We bring the workshop to you and work in-situ, saving time and money. Where it is more practical to send the component to us, the same work is carried out in our Brisbane and Gladstone workshops.

Download Data Sheet ~ KM3000

Download Data Sheet ~ KM4000

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Keyway Milling Machines Available for Hire

Our fleet covers shafts from 3/4 inch through to 24 inch outside diameter across two machines. Both are electrically driven and supplied with the tooling and equipment required to set up and operate.

KM3000 Keyway Milling Machine. For small and mid-sized shafts. Clamps directly to the shaft.

Specification Metric Imperial
Shaft diameter 19mm to 114.3mm 3/4″ to 4.5″
Stroke (slide travel) 152.4mm 6″
Vertical travel (max) 44.5mm 1.75″
Spindle hole diameter 15.9mm 0.625″
End mill diameter (max) 31.75mm 1.25″
Drive 240v electric
Operational weight with speed controller 31.8kg 70 lbs
Overall length 317.5mm 12.5″
Overall width 167.6mm 6.6″
Overall height 295.4mm 11.63″
Base size 111.3mm x 175.1mm 4.38″ x 6.75″

The standard clamp covers 1.5″ to 4.5″ (38.1mm to 114.3mm). An optional chain clamp extends this up to 10.5″ (266.7mm), and an optional shim kit takes it down to 3/4″ (19.05mm). Download the KM3000 data sheet (PDF)

KM4000 Keyway Milling Machine. For large shafts and longer keyways. Carries a side-shift (traversal) slide, so wider keyways can be cut in multiple passes without resetting the machine.

Specification Metric Imperial
Shaft diameter (standard) 203mm to 457.2mm 8″ to 18″
Shaft diameter (max, with chain clamp) 609.6mm 24″
Slide travel, longitudinal 203mm 8″
Slide travel, traversal 50.8mm 2″
Vertical travel (max) 76.2mm 3″
Spindle hole diameter 15.9mm 0.625″
End mill diameter (max) 82.55mm 3.25″
Drive 240v electric
Operational weight with speed controller 89kg 195 lbs
Overall length 469.9mm 18.5″
Overall width 355.6mm 14″
Overall height 336.6mm 13.25″
Base size 228.6mm x 470mm 9″ x 18.5″

Download the KM4000 data sheet (PDF)

Which Machine Suits Your Shaft

Shaft outside diameter Machine Notes
3/4″ to 1.5″ KM3000 Requires the optional shim kit
1.5″ to 4.5″ KM3000 Standard clamp
4.5″ to 10.5″ KM3000 Requires the optional chain clamp
8″ to 18″ KM4000 Standard clamp, side-shift available
18″ to 24″ KM4000 Requires the chain clamp

Where a shaft sits near the edge of a range, or the keyway is wider than a single pass, our technicians will confirm the machine and clamping arrangement before mobilising so the right equipment arrives the first time.

What Keyway Milling Machines Are Used For

  • Cutting a new keyway in a replacement or repurposed shaft
  • Recutting a keyway that has worn, spread or rolled over under load
  • Machining a second keyway at 90 or 180 degrees to redistribute drive load
  • Repairing keyway damage after a key has sheared or spun
  • Cutting keyways in pump, fan, gearbox, crusher and conveyor shafts in place
  • Machining keyways on shafts that cannot be removed without a major strip-down

Keyway milling is often carried out alongside other in-situ shaft work. Where a shaft journal is also worn, it can be turned back to specification with our journal turning lathe in the same visit.

On-Site or In Our Workshop

A portable keyway milling machine earns its keep when the shaft is difficult or expensive to remove. Clamping the machine to the shaft in place avoids the crane time, the strip-down, the freight and the reassembly, and it usually turns a multi-day outage into a much shorter one.

Where the component is already out, or where a batch of shafts needs the same work, sending them to our Brisbane or Gladstone workshop is often the more economical route. We will tell you honestly which way suits the job.

Hire the Machine, or Hire the Machine and the Technician

You can hire a keyway milling machine from our fleet and run it with your own people, or we can supply the machine with a BLJ technician who carries out the work.

What is included with a hire: the machine, the clamping hardware and the standard tooling required to set up and operate it, all maintained and tested before it leaves our workshop.

What you need to provide: a 240v supply, safe access to the shaft, and confirmation that the equipment is isolated and the shaft is clear for work. Our team will talk this through before delivery so nothing holds the job up on the day.

Keyway Milling Machine FAQs

What size shafts can BLJ’s keyway milling machines handle?

From 3/4 inch (19mm) to 24 inch (610mm) outside diameter. The KM3000 covers 3/4 inch to 10.5 inch depending on the clamp fitted, and the KM4000 covers 8 inch to 24 inch.

Can a keyway be cut without removing the shaft?

Yes. Both machines are portable and clamp directly to the shaft, which is the reason they exist. The shaft stays in place and the keyway is cut in-situ.

Can you recut a worn or damaged keyway?

Yes. Recutting a spread or worn keyway, and machining a new keyway at a different clock position, are both routine. Which approach suits depends on how much material is left and what the shaft drives.

What size keyway can you cut?

The KM3000 takes an end mill up to 1.25 inch (31.75mm) and the KM4000 up to 3.25 inch (82.55mm). Wider keyways are cut in multiple passes using the KM4000’s side-shift slide.

Do I need my own keyway cutter or tooling?

No. Every machine is supplied with the tooling and equipment required to set it up and operate it.

Where does BLJ provide keyway milling?

Across Australia, from our workshops in Brisbane and Gladstone, including Chinchilla, Gladstone, Karratha, Darwin, Perth, Newcastle, Adelaide and Geelong.

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