# I want a horizontal mill



## Us Navy machinist (Feb 23, 2017)

So I want a horizontal mill. I have no real money to play with. I've been playing with casting and I'm thinking that maybe I can get a set of castings made up and come up with something. I'm thinking a smaller mill, maybe a 18"x6"x8" envelope? 3 T slots in the bed. Power feed off the spindle. Motor would be a treadmill motor set up on a double pulley system with a back gear for a lower speed range since I've read that you can squeeze about 200 rpm on the low end and up to a couple grand- good for the eventual vertical milling attachment.

Thoughts?

I know the machine mill not be ideal, especially as a set of aluminum castings.


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## Chipper5783 (Feb 23, 2017)

Us Navy machinist said:


> So I want a horizontal mill. I have no real money to play with.



Well, that is a good place to start.  Probably most folks here started with some version of  "I want a ... ".  Does your moniker mean that you have significant training and experience in machining?  Dave Gingery's books include building a milling machine and there are numerous examples people have posted on the internet.  Perhaps checking them out would provide you some ideas?


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## Us Navy machinist (Feb 23, 2017)

So I went to a trade school where I learned how to file a block of HRS square with nothing but a bastard and 2nd mill file, a Starrett square, and a sharpie to CNC programming and operation. I have a pretty good knowledge base. I have all of the Gingery books, but I'm not wild about the mill, look and the design isn't really what I;m looking for. I am looking for something that I could purchase arbors and standard arbor tooling. I have a southbend 9A from back in the day and I will soon have the gingery shaper (I ran out of aluminum) and I want a horizontal mill because it really is a workhorse for contouring and planing operations with an arbor stack.I kinda want to copy the concepts of the Sheldon Model "0". I'm fascinated by the power feed drive system.


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## Hawkeye (Feb 23, 2017)

Another thing to keep in mind is that vertical attachments on horizontal mills are sometimes geared to a higher speed. (Mine is.) This means you don't have to set up the horizontal for vertical speeds. The change-of-angle gearing can give you the range you want.


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## Us Navy machinist (Feb 23, 2017)

The thought was to run the attachment off of a stub arbor with a pulley and a 90 degree belt change. For the shifting system I was thinking using a simple dog system that I've seen used on a go kart transmission.


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## Leggman (Feb 25, 2017)

I know a guy in central Kentucky that has a used horizontal mill for sale.


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## Us Navy machinist (Feb 25, 2017)

Might you have pictures?


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## tomh (Feb 25, 2017)

Grizzly sells a small horizontal mill, According to the measurements is the same size as  the old atlas mill.
I have always wondered why no one sells a larger one in the 6x18 range, I personally believe that there is a market now in the home hobbyist.
I have often thought of asking mat at QM what his views are, but haven't given much effort to it.
As for building one I suggest looking at dave gingery mill plans and photos.  Also there is some build photos of one that is larger on the web to give you some ideas. good luck with your adventure.


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## Us Navy machinist (Feb 25, 2017)

I kinda like the look of it, but the a lot of the reviews are much to be desired for. It apparently has a goofy horizontal spindle size, it is an R-8 collet (I'd do a 30 taper) so I could buy standard arbors&tooling, and it isn't apparently very rigid.


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## Silverbullet (Feb 25, 2017)

Un , if you watch craigslist I'm sure you can find some. There are lots of them in our area. I missed a small mill working for $200.00 . Looked like a Rockford . In I fact if your willing to drive to New York there's a nice old one for $350.00 he also has an old Hardinage lathe for $850.00 I think may be $750.00. Just look in different areas and close states. Good luck if you build it I bet it will cost much more.


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## ThunderDog (Feb 26, 2017)

I have two benchtop mills and seriously considering parting with the one.  I found an Atlas shortly after finishing this one.

I will be completely upfront and tell you that it has some runout and I'm just losing interest in dealing with resolving it.  Plus, my Atlas came with a vertical head so that is more reason that I'm losing interest.

Here is the forum thread build with videos when I cleaned it up.


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## DaveInMi (Feb 26, 2017)

I built the Gingery mill.  It is more capable than it looks.  I bored a tractor bell housing for a clutch shaft on it.  The bell housing looked as big as the mill.  I did have to take light cuts but it got the job done.  Then I found a horizontal mill with vertical head (DuFour) on ebay for the materials cost to build the Gingery mill.  I ran across an Atlas for even less money.  The Gingery is the least capable of the three.  If the building is what interests you, go for it.  If you want a mill, you can find them..... eventually, and most likely more capable.


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## Billh50 (Feb 26, 2017)

That little red mill looks kinda neat. I am sure someone would like it to play with.


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## Us Navy machinist (Feb 26, 2017)

Hi thunder dog! I love your videos. I was the one asking you the other day if you ever found anything out about that mill. You should PM me.
- Jonathon Wood


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## ThunderDog (Feb 27, 2017)

US Navy Machinist, sent you a pm.


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## Leggman (Feb 27, 2017)

Us Navy machinist said:


> Might you have pictures?


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## KBeitz (Nov 16, 2018)

I see lathes and mills in our local junkyard a few times each year.


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## DiscoDan (Nov 16, 2018)

I am in Annapolis and have a a Pratt and Whitney 3C bench mill I am working on, so I like the small horizontals. Check out Facebook Marketplace and search for milling machine. There is an Enco for $500. There is also a Heald that looks interesting. The Heald uses #9 B&S taper. Both have some tooling.


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## BaronJ (Nov 16, 2018)

Hi Guys,

Not bad for a nearly two year old thread !


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## Ulma Doctor (Nov 16, 2018)

for the cost of materials and the expense of time to build 1 machine, 
you could buy 2 used ones and spend your time machining instead of building


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## P. Waller (Nov 16, 2018)

A year to late, my employer scrapped 2 Cinci horizontals last year a 5 and a 2. 

They would have given them to anyone that would take them and pay for the rigger to move them (-:


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## WalterC (Nov 17, 2018)

https://austin.craigslist.org/tls/d/van-norma-milling-machine/6737397796.html

The price will come down, but it may be bigger than you want. If you haven't found one by last year.   (Long trip to haul it too.)


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