Not sure its really a milling machine. I would say the collet allows for quick changing of the actual part not the cutter and a toolpost or two would be mounted on the bed. Quick pull of the lever would do the cutting opperation(s) and then change to the next part and so on, ideal for repetative production work.

Simpler version of this Boley, second op or finishing lathe. If you were only making hundreads of small parts why would you need a heavy substantial machine? As for the brass nut could have been the last of the production run that was being faced and/or chamfered

And another

Edited By JasonB on 26/06/2015 18:54:38

What you have there is a Morticing machine for wood. Most likely it will have '0' taper in the spindle. It would need to run at high revs.

Clive

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So at £3 I might be tempted

Probably not so much for what it is but for what it could become. Might be a basis for a nice little tool grinder for instance.

Andrew, and Jason,

There is a graduated scale just behind the knurled drum; but I can't see the units.

My first assumption was that it related to angular displacement of an eccentrically mounted spindle … but perhaps it measures linear displacement [if the spindle body is suitably threaded] … Do you have any suggestions ?

I also note that there is a maker's name [?] cast into the body, but I can't read it.

… When Rainbows buys it; all should be made clear. …

MichaelG.

Read my post 6th one down.

It's not a lathe.

It's not a morticing machine.

It's a one op milling machine that only needs one axis of feed.

They were used for putting slots in screws, putting hexagons on screw with two ganged cutters.

The work was in jigs on the bed and the cutters went into the spindle. The spindle is on eccentrics to set the depth of the cutter instead of altering the jigs all the while.

I'm surprised that no one has found a picture of one from one of the old books.

Michael from what I can see of the scale on the knurled part it seems to have evenly spaced divisions, if it were a height adjustment using an eccentric I would have expected each div to represent a measurement say 0.001" in which case they would need to have variable spacing. Also if adjusting height with an eccentric it would make the stop screw on the right of the bed redundant as you would get different length cuts at the cutter moved sideways as well as down. The even spacing of the divs suggests to me it moves the work/cutter in and out.

The handle looked too agricultural for fine work, I've only had a quick play with a Sixis 101 which had the lever feeds and they were far better quality.

And the lever action collet closer also suggested a need to quickly and frequently change what was being hels so again that made me thing repetition.

But as you say it could be repurposed in a number of ways especially if its selling for less than a rusty boat anchor

Wonder if that is a name cast into the main body?

J

As someone mentioned, could be turned into a very basic T&CG. Certainly better than starting off with your average cheapo bench grinder.

Edited By thaiguzzi on 28/06/2015 06:04:26