Machine tool junkyard

[Doug-Iowa]

I need a traversing handle and the reduction gear cover plate for a Clausing horizontal mill. Is there such a thing as a machine tool junkyard?

 

[T.R.K.]

Ebay is the only used parts source I know of and I don't know about specific machines. What I see is mostly parts for homeowner lathes and such.

Do you know someone who can make you one?

Have to 'googled' 'Clausing' or 'Clausing parts' to see if someone offers parts for them?

 

[farmersamm]

I'm thinking that you could make that. Might not be as elegant, but it would be serviceable.

BTW, I'd give my left "boy" for that mill. I run a Clausing vertical mill clone, and like it. Horizontal mill would allow me to make gears.

 

[stevieb49829]

I ran across one via Google a while back. I'll have to relive what I was looking for to see if I can re-find the site. I'll be back.........

 

[stevieb49829]

It's a forum call Practical Machinist. I'd ask your question there. steve

 

[stevieb49829]

Look under Forums, then Commerce. They have several sections of classifieds: one for machines, one for parts, etc.

 

[Patsdeere]

Horizontal mills are around. Have passed
on a couple as I already have one.

 

[rrlund]

Sounds like a chicken or egg thing. You need the handle to run the mill to make the handle for the mill. LOL

 

[Ultradog MN]

Another place you could put up a free wanted ad is owwm.org
You have to join but that is rather simple.
Click here

 

[Dave H (MI)]

Never done it personally but isn't there an attachment for a vertical mill that cuts gears? Dividing head I think it was called.

 

[wp6529]

(quoted from post at 10:44:33 01/06/23) Never done it personally but isn't there an attachment for a vertical mill that cuts gears? Dividing head I think it was called.

A dividing head is needed when making gears regardless of H or V mill. H Mill just a bit easier setup, sometimes a right angle head on e V mill helps. H mill is fairly essential for anything like helical gears, but spur gears and other straight cut ones are on on V.

 

[Doug - Iowa]

Thanks for the replies and links to other sites, I'll keep looking. Yes I could make a cover and crank, this mill lives next to a matching Clausing lathe and my Bridgeport J Head vertical. And I might consider making an adapter plate to drive the feed with an old Bridgeport electric end drive unit I have laying around. But it would be nice to have the factory parts on it. This mill is in very good condition, having come from a high school where no one seemed to know how to run it after the instructor retired 20 years ago. I bid on the lathe and when the mill had no bidders I added a buck to my bid and took it too. Unfortunately, the dumba$$es let the tooling and missing parts get scrapped before the sale. It's BT35 taper, I did find a BT35 quick change collet holder on eBay for cheap and made my own drawbar, so I can use my existing tooling. I really like the Clausing for keyways. I've used it a handful of times, though my Bridgeport is my main machine for most milling/drilling projects.

I see good horizontals come up a few times a year for cheap. There's a really nice looking Cincinnati in CAT50 with tooling for sale on FBM in Waverly Iowa for $500 or best offer. But buying these old machines is like getting a big old safe given to you. If you don't have good way to load/move/unload and set it, you just bought a whole lot of headaches.

 

[Janicholson]

I found this, I didn't find a manual handle/cover. Jim
One solution

 

[Stephen Newell]

For the most part if you have old machinery you need to know a good machinist which can fabricate some parts. I try to repair or fabricate parts for my machinery but a lot of it I have to have made because I lack the equipment to do it or the talent. I seem to be adding a metal shop to my shop to keep up with equipment, old tractors and old cars.

 

[Kimtek]

Have you checked McMaster Carr for a suitable handle.
Good Luck! Kim.