# Atlas Mhc Mill Rabbit Hole



## Greg A (Sep 29, 2016)

Hello everyone,
This is my first time posting and I must say I am enjoying reading all the other posts and seeing how helpful everyone is.  It is great to see such a supportive community.

So I recently bought a MHC mill serial # 008792 for $250.00.  I have no real experience with this particular machine but have done a little work on some old Pratt and Whitney monsters a number of years ago.  I currently teach machining and thought this would be an interesting way to expose the students to what a horizontal is without all the floor space.  Anyway, as I delve into the restoration of this little guy I am realizing what a pile of work I have gotten myself into.  

It turns out whomever had this poor thing at some point stripped off a number of its parts.  The pulley system is this interesting contraption bolted to the counter shaft bracket.  Nothing seems to be original.  Also the the entire back gear assembly is gone as well as the spindle pulleys, gears, spacers, drawbar,power switch, the whole 9 yards.

I'm also having a little trouble getting the saddle off of the knee.  I pulled the gib and screws and what not but it isn't popping off.  Is there some trick I'm missing?

I would like to get this thing back to its original configuration but it looks like some of the parts may be a bit hard to find.  I'm going to need the entire counter shaft hanger assembly, back gear assembly, spindle components and other odds and ends.  I'm watching Ebay of course but I'm not sure how regularly some of these things pop up (especially the counter shaft hanger M1-21b).  I've read up on the counter shaft pulley issues and if I can find the dimensions, I'll probably just CNC one out of aluminum.  

Thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.   Also it looks like this machine lived its' life only cutting brass. Seems to be pounds of brass chips falling out of everywhere!


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## Greg A (Sep 29, 2016)

Sorry for the sideways photos.  Not really sure how that happened.  Also I didn't take any photos before I started to get elbows deep into the tear down so sorry for no before photos.


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## brino (Sep 29, 2016)

Hi Greg,

Yep, it looks like you have a project.
I know there are a few owners of that mill on this site, and I am certain one will be by here shortly to offer up photos and dimensions to help you along.

If you have not seen it already there is a manual for MFB, MIB and MHB here:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/resources/atlas-mill-bulletin-mmb-1a-mfb-m1b-mhb-compressed-pdf.2757/

There is also some useful stuff here:
http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgIndex/detail.aspx?id=51&tab=3&sort=2&th=false&fl=
but I did NOT see any "MHC" specific documents.

Best of luck, and please keep updating with your progress.

-brino

EDIT: No wait I DID just find an MHC manual, right here:
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=4646


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## Greg A (Sep 29, 2016)

Thanks Brino,
I will definitely be checking those links out!


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## wa5cab (Sep 30, 2016)

All of the Atlas mill manuals that I have seen (from MP-2 through the final MMB-5) cover at least the then current three models (M1*, MF* and MH*).  MMB-5 in DOWNLOADS has the same information as the copy of MMB-4 on Vintage Machinery, plus covers the nine models from the M1 through the MHB.  And the photos are better.

Greg,
With as many pieces as your mill is missing, your best bet is going to be to buy another one for parts.  Which isn't going to be easy if yours is currently missing any parts unique to the lever operated MH* models.  None of your photos show any of the table or knee feed components.  The MH* appear to be by far the rarest of the three basic types (M1 manual feed, MF automatic feed and MH lever feed).


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## 34_40 (Oct 1, 2016)

Hello Greg A.! Welcome Aboard.
We've got a good group of folks here with a lot of knowledge and willing to help.
You and I aren't terribly far apart and there's a few folks from CT on different threads here.
If you need some hands on help, just holler, we'll do what we can to get that mill back in operation.
The manual that wa5cab references is really nice and clear, not like some other "copies".  I highly recommend downloading it.


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## Greg A (Oct 4, 2016)

Hi wa5cab,
I do have the table and it seems that I have most of the MH specific components with the exception of one of the lever handles.  That is no biggie though as I can either manual or CNC turn a new one. 

34_40
Thanks for the welcome!  Good to know there are local guys around who are willing to lend a hand! I really appreciate the offer.  I may just have to take you up on that. 
I'll keep you all posted as I wade my way through this project.


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## wa5cab (Oct 4, 2016)

Greg,

OK.  That's good as the lever-operated specific components would certainly be the hardest to come up with.  Good luck.


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## Ulma Doctor (Oct 6, 2016)

welcome to the hobby machinist and welcome to the atlas mill club too!

here is my lil one
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/thre...illing-machine-model-mfc-serial-011909.24231/


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## Greg A (Oct 7, 2016)

quick question.  looks like my spindle is in bad shape.  needs bearings and the actual spindle looks like it has been chewed on by a pitbull.  The arbor seems to be frozen on it too.  The thread on the spindle that the drive nut goes on is a right hand thread correct? 

 thing is so frozen I want to make sure I'm trying to actually loosen the dang thing.    Called Clausing and while they don't have any replacement spindles I did get the print for it.  I can certainly turn one, but don't have access to od grind.  My CNC lathe can hold to tenths all day so that may be good enough.  If I ever get this thing up and going, I'm not going to be doing anything super precision anyway


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## wa5cab (Oct 8, 2016)

Greg,

Yes, the spindle nose threads are right-hand.  But...

Do NOT try to remove the arbor from the spindle taper by unscrewing the arbor driver.  It is keyed to the arbor by the two 1/4" pins and before it ever starts to push on the arbor longitudinally, it would have to rotate the arbor in the taper at least half a turn.  If you ever did get the thing apart by using that method, you would have ruined the driver, arbor and spindle.  The drill is that first you remove the arbor.  Then you remove the arbor driver.


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## Greg A (Oct 12, 2016)

Hey Gents,
Do any of you know the size difference (if any) between the 6"lathe counter shaft bracket and the Mill counter shaft bracket?  I know they have different part numbers and while I was able to get a print for the bracket, I don't know what the dimensions are on the 6" lathe.  Since I don't have one and there are a few for the lathe on ebay, I thought I might use a lathe one as a replacement if it fit.


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## wa5cab (Oct 13, 2016)

I don't.  You could probably get the drawings for the 6" parts from Clausing, unless they still have parts in stock.  However, the main similarity between the 6" and the Mill countershafts is that they are both called countershafts.  The mill countershaft bracket mounts horizontally to the side of the mill and the hanger assembly sticks straight up when the belts are tight and leans over toward the mill when they are slack.  With the "B" variant (most common one) of the 6" equivalent the bracket mounts to the bench or to a bracket on the back of the stand and the bracket assembly with the pulleys hangs down.  Plus it has a 4-step pulley whereas the hanger for the B and C model mills is a 2-step.  I rather doubt, pulley steps aside, that you could make the lathe assembly work on the mill.

The earlier "A" variant found on most 101.07301 Craftsman machines is similar except that the bracket is much shorter and, with the lathe, it sticks straight up when the belts are tight.  So it would be sticking straight out to the rear with tight belts.  Download Atlas Mill Bulletin MMB-5 Rev5 and Atlas 06 618 Parts List 1950 Rev 2.  Both are in DOWNLOADS.

There is a possibility that I may have some of the parts that you need.  A couple of years ago, I bought an incomplete MFC in order to get the steel stand and drip pan for my MFA.  I can't recall how much of the countershaft assembly was present.  I will check tomorrow.  I haven't the energy to go outside and do it tonight (actually, it's already tomorrow, but quite dark outside).


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## Greg A (Oct 13, 2016)

If you have the countershaft hanger that would be a great help. Also if you have the spindle and the bearings set up that be awesome too!


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## wa5cab (Oct 15, 2016)

Greg A said:


> If you have the countershaft hanger that would be a great help. Also if you have the spindle and the bearings set up that be awesome too!



OK.  I do NOT have either of the pulleys on the countershaft, or the countershaft spindle or collar.  For drawings of what I do have, including the spindle, PM me your email address and I will send you an edited PDF from MMB-5 showing only the exact parts that I have that you need or might need.


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