Garage Hangout

Tools And The Shop => Machine Shop => Topic started by: bmwrd0 on Jan 18, 2025, 02:34 PM

Title: My Small Mill
Post by: bmwrd0 on Jan 18, 2025, 02:34 PM
Vintage, benchtop, horizontal
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54024669508_fe5af316ba_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qiYy47)
This is a mid to late thirties Pratt and Whitney #3, with a Craftsman shaper countershaft. I found this on FBM, and was the first person to say "I will take it with cash money." Apparently, there were a lot of other people, to which the seller said he should have asked more than the $500, but he held his price, and loaded it for me! I has taken some time to get it cleaned up, collets found (it takes 3pn, which is the only machine that does) and  I just got the new motor wired in last week. The plan is too make a Marvin for it eventually, but right now I have a Logan Montgomery Wards lathe to put back together.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53883826775_421fe9963a_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2q6wGq8)
Title: Re: My Small Mill
Post by: skfarmer on Jan 18, 2025, 03:04 PM
great save. i would love a benchtop mill.
Title: Re: My Small Mill
Post by: goodfellow on Jan 18, 2025, 05:41 PM
That's a great project. Love the older vintage tool saves. Great Job!!!
Title: Re: My Small Mill
Post by: bmwrd0 on Jan 18, 2025, 06:30 PM
Here she is after loading in the back of my truck
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53594408174_d602c5f8ff_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pDXmmf)

Now at home, stashed in the garage
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53597428047_f554eef044_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pEdQ42)

Name plate
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53598304286_cb4f17603d_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pEijwA)

I had to disassemble her to get it down in the basement shop, and to get rid of that brush paint green
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53636574586_113c2e81a1_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pHFsXm)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53635684017_1052fc211f_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pHAUdH)

The deal only came with one of the many accessories, the dividing head. But not the spindle. It did come with a random dividing head that definitely was not part of the machine, and is just as much of a Chinese puzzle as the mill itself. Which, by the way, is the best machined piece of equipment I have ever had my hands on. I have finished the light restoration, and it is now in my shop, powered by a Kingston Conley 1/3hp motor. I had to spend a fortune on collets, but I know have standard sizes up to 1/2" and most wire sizes.
Title: Re: My Small Mill
Post by: Uncle Buck on Aug 20, 2025, 08:21 PM
Hey, any progress to report on this?
Title: Re: My Small Mill
Post by: bmwrd0 on Aug 21, 2025, 06:52 AM
The mill is mostly done, just a few tweaks needed to get it up to speed fully: I need to replace the glass in one of the oilers, build a better stand for the counter shaft, and one of the dials isn't assembled right, I don't think.

But I am mostly working on the Montgomery Wards/Logan, as I need to move big projects along to reclaim some space in my tiny shop. I do need to update that thread, but pictures of scraping old paint aren't too thrilling. I should get some up anyway.
Title: Re: My Small Mill
Post by: Uncle Buck on Aug 22, 2025, 05:09 AM
I get needing to get big projects finished to reclaim space in a small shop