Whats going on with this mill

[RainbowsParticipant @rainbows]

After my success with the £5 watchmakers lathe (woops it got sent to a relatives adress instead so that will take another week to get here) I am again cruising through the internets ready to chew bubblegum and get bargains.

Aside from 80s movie references here is my question. Through a website other than fleabay this time I have found a small horizontal miller but I must say I can't tell how the chucking works. It has what looks like a collet drawbar on the pulley end but on the other there is just a nut. Can anyone tell what is going on there?

Also more generally how useful do you think this would be? Spindle height is apparently adjustable and the table moves by that lever but there isn't an z axis to speak of. I guess it is useful for making surfaces flat or cutting slots but it doesn't posess the over reaching arm of most H millers so I guess it will only achieve light cuts. I'm debating what a good price for it would be.

Finally pictures

[RainbowsParticipant @rainbows]

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Can't be sure from the photos, but I think the bit with the nut on is being held in a collet.

What would worry me [and certainly go towards determining the price] is the brassy patch on the front bearing … it looks very much like a brazed repair of a cracked housing.

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

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.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I beg to differ, Jason

It looks [to me] very much like a small [Horological] Horizontal Milling Machine.

I would expect the [missing] arbor to fit an 8mm collet, and carry cutters with a 7mm bore.

… Always happy to be proved wrong.

MichaelG.

[RainbowsParticipant @rainbows]

!!!

Now you say so you may be right, I have seen capstan lathes with a similar mechanism. I would have thought a production machine would be heavier built though.

Also he says there is a brazed crack in the headstock does not affect operation. No doubt he is an honorable man and is entirely correct.

And re: nut being held in collet. Well sometimes the obvious will just fly over my head.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

They used to use these things by the hundreds for slitting screw heads.

As to value if it polishes up, £10 if it doesn't £8

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

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

[RainbowsParticipant @rainbows]

Posted by John Stevenson on 26/06/2015 18:13:28:

They used to use these things by the hundreds for slitting screw heads.

As to value if it polishes up, £10 if it doesn't £8

Maybe I should send that to the seller

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

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

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Similar to the action of a slot morticer Clive but lacking the second lever to advance the work into the tool, looks like there is only one axis of quick movement. Also teh position of teh lever would limit you to quite short lengths of wood.

J

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Useful pictures, of lathes, Jason … and I accept the family resemblance.

However: Rainbows' description includes an adjustable spindle height [presumably effected by the knurled and pocketed drum, acting on eccentrically mounted bearings]

How would this be used on a lathe ?

MichaelG.

.

P.S. [Rainbows] … some dimensions would be useful, if you have them.

[RainbowsParticipant @rainbows]

"It's 9" high, and 13" deep. The bed is 3" x 7.5" with about 2.5" travel. The bed is moved across by the lever for speed."

I asked if they knew what the collet standard was. If it was a standard size and not some long defunct proprietry I might be tempted. Not sure why but tempted none the less. (It is for a lower price than an adept lathe so the temptation is real)

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Rainbows on 26/06/2015 20:54:25:

(It is for a lower price than an adept lathe so the temptation is real)

.

So at £3 I might be tempted

[Anonymous]

The lever between the pulleys and headstock looks exactly like the quick action collet closer on one of my Pultra lathes. I can't see why you'd need that on a mill, so my money is with the suggestion by JasonB, it's a second op lathe. If there is a height adjustment, it's not immediately obvious. If one is very lucky it may use one of the commoner watch making collets but is probably more likely to be proprietary.

Unless one has a specific use for it, value is probably scrap only, and that's from a sufferer of OIS!

Andrew

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by Rainbows on 26/06/2015 20:54:25:

Not sure why but tempted none the less.

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.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Rainbows on 26/06/2015 20:54:25:

"It's 9" high, and 13" deep. The bed is 3" x 7.5" with about 2.5" travel. The bed is moved across by the lever for speed."

.

Thanks for that.

It is whatever it is, and could become one or more of many things !!

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

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.

[Anonymous]

On my repetition lathe the amount of closure of the collet is adjusted using a knurled ring with radial holes before it is locked in place prior to use, a bit like the one here. I can't see why it would need a scale though. It would also be strange if the unit was using dead length collets.

Andrew

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

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 GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks for the confirmation, John

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

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

[Nigel McBurney 1Participant @nigelmcburney1]

Perhaps its a combination machine,lever operated collet to hold screws,bolts etc for facing chamfering etc then fit cutter mandrel in largest collet with work held in table fixture for milling slots in screw heads ,two cutters for making square or hex heads. Looking at the position of the handle it would not be a comfortable machine to use all day,Many years ago I worked on a screw polisher during my apprenticeship as an instrument maker,a spindle with collets operated by a foot lever and a tee rest in front of the spindle polishing the heads of 0 to 10 ba screws,and various instrument knobs,awful job could be on the machine for weeks. There was also a very small horizontal mill with lever feed on 3 axis , x axis to produce flat bottomed slots in screw heads, z axis up to produce curved bottom slots in screw heads.

[thaiguzziParticipant @thaiguzzi]

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

[Author]

Posts