High-quality black-and-white photographs of large old machines and tools

[cmarlow]

What does it do?

[Toolmaker51]

Horizontal milling; properly tooled, good at boring too. This particular machine has two spindles, far left of operator, about shoulder height. I'd guess smaller is normal 50 or 60 NMTB taper. The larger could be same taper, yet big spindle; I'd guess for a large facing head.
Before CNC, which is essentially direct, machines used hydraulics commanded by templates, sequential valving controlled by timers and solenoids, cams instead of lead screws, reducing many human factors. Costs incurred making templates, cams, setting up timing or replacing hoses [] were just overhead, incidental compared to value in complicated or numerous parts.

NACA refers to National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics; a United States federal agency founded March 3, 1915, to undertake promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. I think term Balde Section term is wrong; they had an entire department devoted to wing and blade forms though. . .in advance becoming NASA in 1958.
I had just turned 6.

[Jon]

Milwaukee milling machine. Westinghouse Air Brake Company. 1910.

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[tedg53]

I have a younger brother of this mill, it has a much longer table and was converted from a horizontal to a vertical mill at some point in it’s life, as well as switched to 230V single phase. Mine was built in the early 40’s and used to make products for the war effort then later used in a plant that produced automotive parts. Love that overbuilt old machinery.

[Frank S]

!920 Betts Machine vertical boring and turning mill 16 foot diameter table
Betts Machine Co. - 1920 Ad-Betts Machine Co., 16 foot Boring & Turning Mill | VintageMachinery.org

[marksbug]

the navy had some that had a vertical attachment on them too. why buy 2 machines when you can have 2&1.

[Toolmaker51]

I have a 2B like it; back in a corner, covered up. It'll run, but it doesn't have motor bracket like that pictured; probably built for a line shaft. It has a low RPM motor ~750 something 3hp in a really large frame, like a 120 hp. Appears care was taken duplicating lineshaft RPM, machine sheave is about 24" diameter, motor about 6". I brought it in for one reason, swivel table, power feeds, 40 taper and a small R8 universal head, it ran, nice condition, cutting oil pump and dual screw. OK, 7 things, I mean 8...It will need a proper guard for that triple sheave belt arrangement.
I like old iron, if Milwaukee or K&T, all the better.

[Frank S]

Ralph I used to have a 60" Bullard with 2 cutter towers just a much smaller version of that one.
I used it to turn the ID and OD of large combination brake/ clutch drums for oil field draw work winches

[the harmonious blacksmith]

I have several very old milling machines including a 1916 Kempsmith for which I have the original manual and test data sheet from January 1916. It has a Cross vertical head attachment. It was all set up with a 3hp single phase drive for the horizontal spindle and 3/4 hp on the vertical spindle. I use that machine more than my Bridgeport, especially since the horizontal spindle gives me power feed in all 3 axis. I paid $231 total for it at an auction, ready to go with overarm support, quite a few cutters and a couple of longer arbors. One of the best deals I've made.

Another is a Kearney and Trecker #2 of similar, possibly older vintage of the mill shown, motorized. I've never set it up yet.

Another is a turn of the century Cincinnati No 1-1/2 horizontal "cone head" with feeds, yet to be restored.

I once had (and wish I hadn't traded it for a Bridgeport) a #4H Leblond horizontal mill which had about a 7 foot table, double back geared spindle, feeds from .0025 to 1-3/8 inches per revolution. #12 B&S tapered spindle rebored to #50 milling machine arbors. A real beast, about 12,000 lbs. It was awfully big for my then 2 car garage but now that I have room for it I wish I had it back. It ran a 10 inch insert face mill smoother than a K&T #6CK (huge) horizontal mill I ran occasionally at my "day job" but didn't have enough HP for its size.

We used the 6CK to cut 1 inch wide half round keyways up to 59 foot long on drilling rig kelly bars, 3 around the bar. We had three matching 8 inch mill vises in a row and could cut 4-1/2 feet at a time, releasing the vises and traversing the table back for the next cut. We could actually cut the entire length and space the 3 keyways around within less than .030" error. Of course we used that big mill for other jobs as well.

So much for my watchmaking skills!

The spindles on my older mills are Brown and Sharpe Taper. Is the K&T featured a B&S taper?

[Jon]

A Mesta employee machining a section of an engine crankshaft.

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