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

[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?