I did not have relations with that lathe

[kopcicle]

...however it did lead to a milling machine.

I'm just going to post a couple of photos and see if there is any interest in repairing, restoring old equipment. I may drag you kicking and screaming into the present century at some point but this is basic stone knives and bear skins to begin with.

The projects are a Benchmaster Milling machine and an Atlas/Clausing/Sears/Craftsman 6" lathe (101.212)

I have been steadily putting these fine instruments of metallurgical mangling back in order.
These are both NON- rebuilds. That is if it needs it it gets it. Spare the 6 coats of hand rubbed lacquer for another day.

I have a bunch of this already in the can so to speak so don't feel special. I might have done it for all of you or not. We'll never know ;-)

So here is reason. You'd be surprised how much you can get done with how little machine. Now before the million dollar machining center chimes in here and begins to profess the limits of such said machinery, I was you. I know all about digits to the right of the decimal place. I also know what my limitations are. I'm not concerned with limitations here. I'm about to explore the possibilities.

If anyone shares an interest, cares to shed some light into the darkness, enjoys old machines, Let me know.

Heck I'll even welcome those know it all curmudgeons if they bring a sense of humor with them.

All for now

Read More

 

[kopcicle]

Okay, one tease.

 

[American123]

Knowledge/skills to produce things can be invaluable when needed. I don't think I'll get into that level of machining in my lifetime, but I can appreciate those that do.

 

[Capn Jack]

I think my Craftsman Lathe is an early 50's but it still does what I need it to do.

The only bad part is I don't have a steady rest and it's tough turning anything long,
over an inch in diameter. (rifle barrels)

Here is my, "Red Neck Steady Rest", for turning my Blunderbuss barrel.

 

[Freshman]

Ball screws for the benchmaster?

 

[red442joe]

Ball screws for the benchmaster?

I too am a Benchmaster screwball!

Joe

 

[Stomper]

I'm just glad the OP was wearing tennis shoes with actual shoe laces instead of Velcro straps.

 

[kopcicle]

I too am a Benchmaster screwball!

Joe

Machinists Gazette - Index

Machinists Gazette - Index

www.machinistgazette.com

 

[kopcicle]

Ball screws for the benchmaster?

You've got a better idea ?

 

[kopcicle]

I think my Craftsman Lathe is an early 50's but it still does what I need it to do.

The only bad part is I don't have a steady rest and it's tough turning anything long,
over an inch in diameter. (rifle barrels)

Here is my, "Red Neck Steady Rest", for turning my Blunderbuss barrel.

View attachment 1393231 View attachment 1393232

The cross feed is throwing me off. 12" commercial?

 

[kopcicle]

Okay I flipped a coin and it's the mill first.

Large picture set comes first.

 

[kopcicle]

It included the horizontal attachments as well.

 

[kopcicle]

This is as it arrived and two weeks later.
While I struggle for room in the new digs I had to leave it at brother Keith's garage.
It seems it acquired a stand. I may need to leave my tools there more often.

 

[kopcicle]

On further review I may need to leave my tools there longer. Keith says he was watching paint dry and got bored.

 

[kopcicle]

The plan is
https://www.thomsonlinear.com/en/product/8106-448-010 $60

https://www.mcmaster.com/3405N007/ $58

The weight on the Zed will take care of that backlash

 

[kopcicle]

Mike Freeman , Never bored https://www.freemansgarage.com/index.php/2010/02/13/my-homemade-cnc-mill/

The entire blog is a good read. Thank You again Mike.
The only difference is Mike used steppers i intend to use servos and close the loop.
With the addition of purpose actuators I'll have the ability to lock all but the working axis for drilling and longer X or Y axis runs. Just a few in/Lbs on the gib locks should be all it takes. I plan on adding pneumatic stays to the Zed to take a bit of weight off that servo.

 

[Capn Jack]

kopcicle,
I can't find anything attached to the lathe, other than a, "Feed Plate", but the lube chart describes it as a 12" metal working lathe. The (ring bound) Operator's manual is not model specific and has a lot of "Archaic" pictures in it. I was given the lathe by a friend who was given it by his mother-in-law.
Jack

 

[kopcicle]

And onto the spindle

Timken 09074 Tapered Roller Bearing
Timken 09194 Race

Timken 15118 Tapered Roller Bearing
Timken 15250 Race

Standard stuff from your local auto supply store.

The seals are the hard part. Here's what I did, starting at the top:

Upper Inner SKF 10111 This was a felt seal sandwiched between the upper bearing race and the housing. The seal rides on the 1" OD bushing that goes under the threaded collar.
The replacement is a lip seal that presses into the top of the casting.
1" shaft x 1.98 bore x .46 thick
National 471744

Upper inner seal. This is a lip seal that rides on the smallest diameter just above the transition to the larger diameter that fits the pulley. I found no seal with the correct OD, so I used one a little larger and hand-ground the OD until it would fit the rough bore. I used a seal that was given me by another member and I was unable to find a seal number on it, but I suspect it was the SKF 7573. This was the most difficult fit. The below are my notes.
SKF 7573 needs mod (National 471567) 1.575" OD
Cast bore 1.525" 11878 oversize OD (National 471354)
TIMken 710154 1.5 OD

Lower inner seal. Original is a metal-clad felt seal sandwiched between the casting and the bearing race. The bore is rough and the horizontal outer surface is not flat.
Cast bore 2.05" x 1.180 shaft
30x52x7 metric seal would work
Nat 223035 is the cross from the SKF
I used a Timken seal which was a loose fit in the bore. I'll come back and add the number when I get back from the shop.

Lower outer seal. This is the biggest diameter seal surrounding the working end. It was the easiest to fit.
SKF 15160 was sourced on ebay and fits perfectly
National 40067S is the crossover number but is not that common

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/new-project-benchmaster-mv-1-mill.31499/

 

[kopcicle]

Last but not least is a bit of a Bridge(port) to far.
http://www.dkpercussion.com/blog/un...m-head-rebuild-for-the-benchmaster-mill-pt-1/
These are not all that uncommon and known as either Bridge-Master or Bench-Ports.
Seems like a fair bit of work for 3 1/2" quill travel. Bridgeport did make a few "H" heads on the "M" pattern. "H" for high speed, up to 12K rpm!

I don't think I'll be going that far as a decent core "M" head is about what I paid for the Benchmaster. Now if one falls from the sky...

 

[kopcicle]

I'm in Seattle, I have family (brother from another mother, veteran computer hacker) in Imperial Beach CA. The Mill was in San Diego (east county) .

The seller was , well...
In a forum I expressed interest before it was actually for sale. When it did come up for sale I got a message that it was available. I was a bit floored as it had been months. When I found out I was getting Horizontal AND vertical for the price I was a bit stunned. I was also nearly broke and would be for at least a month.

Then I was on the phone with the seller for all of three minutes and knew that sight unseen this was the machine I wanted. Purchasing online, sight unseen can be a disaster or a godsend. This was everything as advertised and full disclosure.
This phone number remains in my phone to this day.

There are stories like Brett's (mrriggs - https://www.gofastforless.com/) where he found one across town for $200.
Then http://www.jomoandco.com/benchmaster-mv-1-restore/ where wife says "lookie what I found!"
Then there's at least , always one https://www.ebay.com/itm/294967658419?hash=item44ad7147b3:g:GgcAAOSw1AZic637 The link will disappear one day so I'll explain. It's just an antique bench top mill for $4,999,99, plus shipping.

I don't have the pics anymore but I did see several that weren't worth parting out. I won't go down the list but the worst , you couldn't have saved the column, knee, or table castings. The table was painted and for good reason. "T" nuts had been pulled out of slots in five places , with evidence of a screw bottoming in each one, then bondo'd and painted over! Broken dovetails everywhere, botched weld repairs, and a piece of all thread for a lead screw. --"They're rare set up like this one. I'm doing you a favor letting it go for what I've got in it" -- $6K meh

Best i can tell you is be ready at a moment's notice. Have the cash and transport ready to go. You and I have folks if not family all over the country. Fastenal Blue-Lane is your friend even if they don't go east west much. Know what you're getting into. It's a bunch of MT2 tooling in a restricted Zed axis , without a quil, and no spare parts. At best MT2 collets in the spindle will give you around 8". Fortunate that "standard bearings" can be found at Autozone and better bearings , well , use your imagination and credit card.

It really isn't that big a step up (or sideways) for something like a "Millrite MV-1" or the Atlas Clausing small mills. Even the "M" head Bridgeport isn't a huge footprint. The early Enco is another option. Groton made a smaller mill but it seems rare. Lagun as well made a small footprint model. One last mention for the Deckel machines, http://www.lathes.co.uk/deckel/#google_vignette
I've narrowly missed two that were affordable. One went to a very good home. I rigged it out of a basement and crated it for shipping. I made nearly enough from the rigging job to pay for it ;-) It went to a prototype/design shop and a good friend. The other is in the hands of a gun-tuber as I was moving, broke, no room, and couldn't find even $1,200 for an FP2 . Again I paid for the rigging and crating. Take a good look at Tony's site. If a Deckel shows up for under $5K with fixtures, attachments and tooling , go to the bank and get it done. It will be your first and last mill. You won't need another.