# Show us your Van Norman #12 Milling Machine!



## HMF (Oct 21, 2010)

Show us your Van Norman #12 milling machine, either before or after or both!

Thanks!


Nelson


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## stoneaxe (Oct 25, 2010)

Hmmm- good thing I cleaned it- if I showed a pic of it in as found condition it would be tough on the gag reflex. Imagine five coats of paint, all chipped, a never removed layer of slush oil hardened on, 70 years of grease, many layers of chips, and nice solid coat of sawdust and mouse ****, a sump full of gunge and a mummified rat. At least the rust is minimal!


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## stoneaxe (Oct 26, 2010)

No, not up and running- I cleaned and relubed the head, adjusted the spindle bearings, and scraped the spindle taper id to get rid of the residue from spun collets- it is running pretty true now- .00015 or so.Good enough for me for now. It is apart now and I am working on the ways.


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## HMF (Feb 20, 2012)

Wow, Stone, you have gotten a lot done!

Mine is in the basement now, awaiting the reassembly and restoration.
There are some photos of it on here. I am building a hoist on the basement joists to lift it up.

I have copied a lot of your threads from the other site to use as helpful reference.

I know I'm a PITA, and have picked Cal's brain on this machine in private email, but
I would like to hear how some of these jobs are done since I am GREEN and will no
doubt need to do the same on my 1946 mill:

Replace main and gearbox motor bearing - my feed gearbox is off the mill, now would be the time to check it
Rebore main pulley for taper lock fitting- did you make one on your lathe or buy one?
change all oil- pretty self explanatory
replace the table leadscrew and nut, all the table bearings, and the knee screw and bearing-
this is a ton of work. Did you make a new leadscrew or get one? Which bearings does it take?

Scrape the knee /saddle ways. major wear here. 
Scrape a little on the table.
Very hard and specialized work- how did you learn to do this?

Adjust the spindle bearing lash- This would help to know too.

Replace the sight glass- mine works amazingly, BUT I would love to have a separate brass/glass oiler- easier to see.

Drive chain- Mine is shot on the table feed to motor.

Maybe start a new thread if you could?

Thanks,

Nelson


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## HMF (Apr 7, 2012)

I'm still new to machining, and expect I will have to bother Cal quite a bit, if I can.

I got the machine down to the basement, thanks to help from Cal in rigging it.

View attachment 35632
View attachment 35633



The service line and disconnect went in yesterday.
I have to hoist the machine back together- will build a hoist on the overhead joists.

Then the cleaning, restoration, wiring and other fun begin (hopefully).

:tiphat:Nelson


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