Henry Milnes Milling Machine Restoration

[Rhyolith]

wallace and his Wadkin lathe (wadkin-rs-restoration-t109909.html) inspired me to make a thread specifically dedicated to my restoration attempts of my first large industrial machine. This kinda follows on from this thread: milling-machine-for-steam-engines-t108613.html?start=15 but all elements of the restoration will be covered here, will try to keep them in chronological order.

Its a Toolroom vertical mill, dating from the 1940s-50s: http://www.lathes.co.uk/milnesmiller/

This is what it looked like when it first arrived in my workshop:

Henry Milnes Milling Machine by Rhyolith, on Flickr
Henry Milnes Milling Machine by Rhyolith, on Flickr
Henry Milnes Milling Machine by Rhyolith, on Flickr

First thing I did was wash it down with paraffin, rags, wire wool and wire brushes. Mainly just so I could see what was there! After that (which took a while) it looked like this:

Henry Milnes Milling Machine by Rhyolith, on Flickr
Henry Milnes Bradford by Rhyolith, on Flickr

Next started to examine it for mechanical issues. The first obvious issue was the table side to side movement was stiff, so started dismantling that.

Under the Bed by Rhyolith, on Flickr

This bearing was clearly stiff (possibly the problem) but I could not get into it without a specialised spanner for these nuts of a sort I have never seen before.

Table Drive Nuts by Rhyolith, on Flickr

I think the required tool is a "hook" spanner... anyway I found this on eBay recently which finally allowed for progress!

Willaims Adjustable Hook Spanner by Rhyolith, on Flickr

That worked and the whole winding assembly is not in bits, I think the nuts where actually the problem, they were too tight. All the same the whole lot will be cleaned and re-lubricated before re-assmbly.

That takes it to today, where I wanted to try and get at the winding mechanism for lifting the table, which is a tad stiff I think. Almost immediately I find a nut that needs another type of hook spanner... back to eBay :roll:

Table Depth Adjuster by Rhyolith, on Flickr

 

[AES]

Very interesting Rhyolith. Those old bits of machinery were really good weren't they? But you've got some guts taking that lot on. Best of luck Sir, I envy you (I don't have the space), and admire your courage in taking that little lot on. All power to yer elbow mate.

BTW, just trying to be helpful, but I think your "hook spanner" is more properly called a "C" spanner. (And if the "slots" in the nuts that the spanner actually locates into are round holes, like I THINK I see in your last pic, then the spanner is called a "Peg" spanner). Not nit picking, but having the correct name may help you a bit with t'internet searches.

AES

 

[wallace]

Very cool, I'm pleased I passed the bug on. That looks a lot more complicated than the stuff I do, take plenty of pics for future reference when your putting stuff back together.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Fortunately, I've had the innoculation.

 

[MusicMan]

Nice hunk of iron!

 

[wallace]

Phil you have to be careful because there are specific strains of the virus, I think I'm a carrier of the wadkinitis one

 

[Rhyolith]

Finally got an appropriate C Spanner/Hook Spanner/Pin Spanner (So many names for them!), so the second cranking assembly could come off.

R0000007 by Rhyolith, on Flickr

A winding wheel was in the way, so thats also come off.

Table by Rhyolith, on Flickr

The main lump still wouldn't slide off, so I started taking thing off to see what was holding it back. Removing the filthy gib strip confirmed it was the obvious thing. The power shaft for the table.

R0000007 by Rhyolith, on Flickr

R0000005 by Rhyolith, on Flickr

Took a few bits off to look at what was going on where the shaft meets the table, not obvious way of disconnecting it.

R0000007 by Rhyolith, on Flickr

I am going to have to have another look, but it might be a case of taking it off the other end (from the main body) . If anyone has anyone suggestions or spots anything, let me know Think the manual would be useful right about now (hammer)

Table by Rhyolith, on Flickr

 

[DTR]

Looking at that splined / telescopic joint on the drive shaft, is it possible the two halves just slide apart? I can't think of a reason why the two halves would need to be captured in normal use.

 

[Rhyolith]

Thats what I hoped but it wasn't coming, I might try pulling a bit harder.

 

[wallace]

Would it not come off if you remove that pinned collar at the end?

 

[Rhyolith]

There was a grub screw in there which I have removed. I cannot work out what its purpose was though as nothing seems to have got any looser. Mind there is a pin as well perpendicular to the grub screw, maybe it holds that? Will give it a tap.

 

[Rhyolith]

Finally got one of the pins out, they were quite stubborn!

Table by Rhyolith, on Flickr

As I suspected its filthy underneath, so given that a good paraffin rub.

Table by Rhyolith, on Flickr

Now I can finally get at the up down mechanism for the table, which is stiff (hence all this effort). I have taken off the plate covering it, turns out its just some angled gears and a thread, simple!

Table by Rhyolith, on Flickr
Table by Rhyolith, on Flickr
Table by Rhyolith, on Flickr

The whole mechanism was covered in dried grease, so I have soaked it in paraffin too.

Table by Rhyolith, on Flickr
Table by Rhyolith, on Flickr

I put the wheel back on to move it and its already feeling much better for the clean, think dirt was the problem. Will give it another go over before reassembly, mainly i want to make sure the nipples are clear for lube to get where it should.

 

[Rhyolith]

I am in two minds whether to re-paint it or leave it looking old, probably leaning sightly toward the latter.

 

[AES]

Coming along very nicely Ryolith. Like a couple of others I wondered why your couldn't just pull that splined drive shaft apart, but most importantly, you got there in the end, well done.

Isn't it "nice" how apart from being all gummed up with dried grease and general crud, it's clear that (perhaps) apart from a little wear here and there, the whole thing is going to be as good as new once you're done - easily capable of performing another lifetime of productive work. I think I mentioned it before, but I wonder what the inside of one of today's machines will look like when it's pulled apart after a 100 years?

If it was me, I deffo repaint it, but that's just me. I can quite understand why some people want to keep their old refurbished machines looking "clean but refurbished", but personally I'd like to "finish the job" by making it look all as near like "new" as possible. But as said, that's just a personal opinion.

Great work

AES

 

[wallace]

I find it hugely satisfying to get a problem solved, sometimes my favourite bit in doing a machine is taking it to bits

 

[Rhyolith]

I am still undecided about the painting. I do like my machines showing their age and due to the complexity of this machine painting it is going to be quite a task I think. I don’t really like pianting either there so much to get right for it to come out ok.

On the other hand I don’t like the peeling paint its covered in.

 

[AndyT]

How old is this machine? It looks pre WW2 to me. So in my book, it's a museum piece, lucky enough to be put into working order. It's not something young-ish but neglected.

Most of the surface looks lovely.
For instance, in this picture,

it's only the bit above the name plate that is flaky. The rest has that nice old cast iron look.

I've only done a restoration job on one big bit of old machinery, my Barnes treadle lathe, as documented here. On that, the areas where there was no paint but there was the old black cast iron colour came up really nicely with just some boiled linseed oil. I thinned it a bit, brushed it on and wiped off the surplus.

This shot shows an area on the headstock which had some remnants of flaked paint, where the oil has just toned down the scruffiness a bit - on the rest I think it looks ideal.

Fresh paint on that would look like a toupee on a 70 year old.

Oil is also quick, cheap and easy, compared to painting.

 

[Rhyolith]

That oiling techique seems like a good compromise to me and I keep a generous stock of linseed. What did you thin it with?

According to lathes.co.uk its 1940s - 50s http://www.lathes.co.uk/milnesmiller/
I would be interested to learn more, but thats the only reference I have found so far (thanks DTR).

 

[TFrench]

My dad has a lot of old stationary engines and BLO is his go to finish if there's still original paint to preserve.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[AndyT]

I thinned it with white spirit. You could use turpentine if you prefer.
Probably about 10% but I don't think it's critical.