VN I 12s?

Manual not withstanding, it looks like a the typical No. 12 to me. I've never heard of a 12S. The 16S had a different cutter-head with a quill and power down-feed. This one has a standard cutter-head. I can't see a thing in the photos that looks different from the thousands of No. 12 millers that are out there.
 
The manual included in the pic clearly says 12s.
I don't see any spindle action.
Looks like all the 12s I've seen and touched.
I respect the shop made arbor support.
Can't tell the rpm on the updated motor. Buyer beware....
Looks like she still has the table stops!!
Table looks free of engraving.
Regardless, more than I'd pay.
I've had good luck with this eBay seller.

Daryl
MN
 
It's a late model 12 for sure, however it has none of the characteristics of my 16S. I have had very good luck with this sellar as well.

Jason
 
Definitely not a late model. That cone-shaped rear bearing cover on the cutter-head is shown on 1944 parts drawings. The late model No. 12 (circa 1953) used the same cutter head as the No. 16, which had a dome-shaped rear cover.

The main motor appears to have been replaced and the overarm support bracket is shop-made and pretty sorry. $1700 is pretty high for that machine.
 
When did they switch to the newer style table?
 
Jason Annen said:
When did they switch to the newer style table?
Click to expand...
VAN NORMAN No. 12 TABLE CHANGES

Hi Jason,

Sorry it took me a while to respond.

As best I can tell, there were three different tables used on the No. 12. Most of the machines built in the 40s have a table with a cast lip above the T-slot in the front of the table (the T-slot is for the feed stops). Older machines, like yours, have a table that’s flat on the front, with no lip over the feed stops. The machines built towards the end of production in the 50s have a table that’s similar to the 40s vintage table, but has a separate bracket for the left hand-wheel (the earlier designs incorporated the support for the left end of the leadscrew into the table casting.

The oldest manual that I have, for the ball-bearing gearbox machines, shows the table with the front lip, but brochures from about the same time show No. 12s without the lip. So just when the change happened is a bit of a mystery.

I have big gaps in my photo archive, but machine 12-5251, built in 1938, has the old style table. 12-6294, built in 1941, has the middle style. 12-9566, built in 1951 has the later style table.

Your machine is interesting since it has extensions bolted to the front and back of the table. I don’t have any photos of other No. 12s with that feature.
 
My machine had an add on coolant system, I am sure that the extensions were added at the time the coolant was added. The table was drilled to let the coolant flow into the ends of the table.

I am fairly sure that I am the 2nd owner of the machine, but I don't know for sure. The factory was pretty much dismantled, and the new owner was just clearing out the left overs, so he had no info on anything.

Jason
 
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