# New Project - Clausing Mill + Bridgeport M-head



## AR1911 (Aug 2, 2015)

A few years back I stumbled upon a small mill base. It was rusty and had no markings, but it followed me home




After a bit of research, I determined it was a Clausing product, though the data plate did not look like a mill:  



	

		
			
		

		
	
   I am not sure what it was used for.

So I got it home, took it apart, cleaned up all the internal parts, bought new bearings etc.  Then it sat disassembled on the shelf for a couple years.

Now that the Benchmaster is finished and gone to a new home, I decided I needed to get going on this again.


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## AR1911 (Aug 2, 2015)

in the interim I sourced the parts to finish the column: The column cap, the turret, and the ram.




I'm a bit embarrassed at how much I had to pay for those 3 pieces. Much more than the base. sheesh.
All I needed was a head.


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## AR1911 (Aug 2, 2015)

After looking for a Clausing head and drive, and finding just a couple projects for too much money, I finally settled on a Bridgeport M-head.   I got one a few months ago. shipping damage and a 7B&S spindle.  And 3-phase.


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## AR1911 (Aug 2, 2015)

The M-head had some issues, so of course I had to take it apart. Needed paint anyway.



Still missing a few parts: Clockspring, and the downfeed lever handle. I think that handle assembly is the same as a J-head BP, but everyone says it isn't.  I'm not convinced.
    Anyone got a clockspring for a M-head?
   Oh, and I need an upper quill sleeve. found one of those.

It may need bearings, so I ordered a set just in case.  I may end up tearing it back down, but once you've done it it's pretty simple to pull the quill an spindle.


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## AR1911 (Aug 2, 2015)

Head is mostly back together. Still need to clean up the motor and get a downfeed lever.




To adapt the head to the Clausing ram, I used the mounting plate for the Bridgeport round ram. You can see it between the head and the turret.  The BP ram hole was about 3.5", the Clausing ram was 2.5" and had a 3-bolt pattern. I turned an aluminum ring to a light press fit inside the adapter, and a light press fit to the Clausing ram. I pressed them together, marked the hole positions with a transfer punch, then pressed it apart. I drilled and tapped the 3 holes in the adapter plate.  then I pressed it back together and installed 3 socket-head cap screws. it all fit great.  Sorry, I did not document that process.


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## AR1911 (Aug 2, 2015)

So now I am working on repainting the base, knee, and column.



I plan to mount it on this Enco mill-drill cabinet, but I'd rather find a Clausing or even a Rockwell base. Anyone got a spare?




I am not going to strip this column like I did the knee and base. Too much filler. i'll sand, fill, prime, sand, prime and paint. 
A cheap engine stand is very handy for projects like this.


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## Silverbullet (Aug 2, 2015)

Shure looks like a jhead set up . Crank handle may fit heck you could pick one up pretty cheap and try it or just make one of your own. Only take a little while on the lathe and drill press . If you can mount the head and fit it you should have no problem doing it. Let us know how it turns out.


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## AR1911 (Aug 2, 2015)

In the meantime I'm cleaning, sorting, doing partial assemblies of the small parts.
I bead-blasted and painted the cast parts, brushed and buff the shiny stuff.

Most of it just needed a touchup from storage. I had de-rusted it back then, cleaned everything and then coated it with lanolin before storing it. Not a trace of new 
	

		
			
		

		
	



rust.  The lead screws and acme bearings appear to have very little wear, if any.

The handwheels are the biggest difference from all the other Clausings I have seen.  Clausings seem to have ballcranks instead.


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## AR1911 (Aug 2, 2015)

Silverbullet said:


> Shure looks like a jhead set up . Crank handle may fit heck you could pick one up pretty cheap and try it or just make one of your own. Only take a little while on the lathe and drill press . If you can mount the head and fit it you should have no problem doing it. Let us know how it turns out.



I have the OE handle source for $15, which is a deal. But it's not the spring-loaded version like the J-heads use. Tose are available new for $25. I think I want to do that.

Now that I think of it, I have all but the handle of the spring-loaded unit (which came on the head). You can see it in the lower right of the head componenets photo above. I can just add a handle to that to get it working.


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## AR1911 (Aug 25, 2015)

Making progress. I would have had all but the head finished yesterday, until I ran into a snag.  
	

		
			
		

		
	








	

		
			
		

		
	
 The little sheet metal slider that goes between knee and saddle has gone missing. If it doesn't turn up tomorrow I'll make one. That will ensure that the old one appears.


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## JimDawson (Aug 25, 2015)

AR1911 said:


> .....The little sheet metal slider that goes between knee and saddle has gone missing. If it doesn't turn up tomorrow I'll make one. That will ensure that the old one appears.



Those things are made of a special material, like many things,  as soon as you remove them from the original location they evaporate.  I have that problem all the time.


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## AR1911 (Aug 26, 2015)

Well, the little slider plate has not yet made an appearance, so I appealed to the Yahoo group for dimensions:
"Plate is 2 x 10-5/16ths x .068 inches.  The slot is on C/L, 1.09" wide by 3-3/4" long and offset from the front (hand crank end) edge by 3-1/8".  I.e., it is centered on width but not on length of the plate.  Also, there's a small notch in the rear corner, to clear a pin on the knee."  
(mine had no pin to clear) 
I had some nice Stainless Steel sheet, mirror finish, from a hobby shop. I don't know what alloy it is, but it was very easy to cut, no work hardening that I could tell.  But it sure was gummy!


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## AR1911 (Aug 26, 2015)

Once it was cleaned up, I realized the center slot was too narrow for my roughly-cast bronze Y-nut. So I re-mounted it and cut the slot wider.  
	

		
			
		

		
	





Turned out well:



Full disclosure: I actually found out the table would stop 3/8" shy of the column, so I tried trimming the hole larger at the back. That resulted in the hole being uncovered, which is a Bad Thing.  So I remade the plate, and it turned out a bit nicer than the one pictured.


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## AR1911 (Aug 26, 2015)

Starting to look like a mill now:




Not real happy with that base, which came from an Enco mill-drill. I'm working on getting an original Clausing cabinet/base from a guy in Illinois. Logistics may kill that deal.

Tomorrow I'll work on the motor and see if I can get it turning.


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## Eddyde (Aug 26, 2015)

Beautiful restoration, gonna be a very nice machine when your done.


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## AR1911 (Dec 17, 2015)

OK, done deal. Here's is the result of 11 years (!) of on and off work on this thing.


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## the gentleman (Dec 17, 2015)

You did a super job . . . you can now enjoy your hard work


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## jocat54 (Dec 18, 2015)

Nicely done Rex.
I spoke to you about this mill about a month ago.
Will try to get back in touch with you.

John


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## AR1911 (Dec 18, 2015)

Well, the machine went to a new home this morning. I had just about talked myself into keeping it a while.


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