Atlas Horizontal Mill, Part 2

[Dunc1]

Photos at at http://www12.zippyshare.com/v/4w4zl4uH/file.html
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I need to:
1. Remove the spacers/drive key (I can remove the overarm with no problem).
For orientation the middle photo shows (left to right): Mill head/spindle bearing, drive device (shiny reflection on it) or ?, drive device (has notch facing camera) or ?, spacer (groove in the middle), thin spacer ring. The upper photo is a close-up of the inner bits & pieces. The spindle is 7/8 inch diameter with a single keyway.
I can remove all spacers outboard from those specifically identified above. The thin ring turns in place but I can't get it to slide off - I have not used any "persuasion" - yet.
The pieces inside the thin ring are "one with the spindle." I can neither move them laterally nor rotate them on the shaft; they turn in unison with the shaft. I don't know if they are frozen/rusted (no to very little rust anywhere on the machine generally), held by a key or ?

I have already flooded them with WD40 (has sat overnight with no luck).

From the user manual I would expect that I could remove the spindle and address the problem from behind; however, how to achieve that escapes me... leading to my 2nd question:

2. How do I remove the spindle?
From the manual & the bottom photo, I am supposed to remove the square plug/nut (extreme left of photo) the insert a brass rod & tap the spindle out. I have tried to rotate the square nut in both directions but it will not budge. I have loosened the collar (has the setscrew at 12 o'clock and another not visible in the photo) but I have achieved nothing. And, of course, trying to prevent the spindle turning as well compounds the issue.

Hoping someone who is familiar with this machine can provide some pointers. Thanks

 

[Rob]

The arbor for a atlas mill is mt2 and has a 3/8 16 thread in the end of it. That is what the square end or drawbar is fastened to. Not where I can take a pic of my arbor or I would, maybe someone else can along with the drawbar. You will have to remove the draw bar from the arbor and then you can tap the arbor out. The collar with the set screws are not remove to do this.

 

[wa5cab]

Dunc1,

First, You do not need to remove the spindle. Second, if you haven't already, go to DOWNLOADS, click where it says Click Here To..., slide down and click on the Machine Manuals & etc. folder. Slide down again and open the Atlas/Craftsman/AA... folder, and finally the Atlas Mill folder. Find and download Atlas Bulletin MMB-1A, MMB-3, MMB-5, Atlas M1-560 Cutter Arbors, and Atlas Mill Drawbar. The first three are the Operation and parts lists for the MFB, MFC and Parts only for all 12 mill models. The fourth shows the parts that come with the 7/8: and 1" arbors, and the arbor driver. The last is someones drawing of a drawbar for the mill. The drawing shows a hex on the left end instead of square like the originals. MMB-1 quality is terrible but open the manual and go to the7th page. That shows you all of the parts that you are concerned with except drawbar, arbor driver and arbor. Open the others to see what they look like. Page 5 in MMB-5 is almost the same as page 1 in MMB-1A but much easier to read. Unless you have an MFC and it is present, Ignore the vertical bar M1-61. It only came with the MFC, M1C and MHC.

Looking at your first photo, the gray-painted part running top to bottom down the left side is the Head or Headstock. The largest diameter round part in the middle of the front of the head is the front bearing dust cap, not the bearing. The next smaller round part is the flange near the front end of the spinde. The shiny part is located where the arbor driver should be but isn't. My guess is that it is threaded 1"-10 on the inside and screwed onto the spindle nose threads. The next round part in your photo is the flange near the left end of the cutter arbor. And the rest of the parts are spacers.

To remove the arbor, you first remove the arbor support M1-8 from the end of the support arm and arbor. Then you loosen the drawbar about two turns and hit it on the left end to break the arbor out of the spindle taper. I've forgotten what the square dimensions are. If it is 1/2", I would take a cheap long pattern 1/2" drive socket and slip it onto the square and beat on the socket. Using a good penetrant may help but WD-40 ain't it. It has its uses but as it is mostly just kerosene, penetrant isn't one of them.

 

[Dunc1]

Thanks rob for the info

@ wa5cab - thank you for the info as well.
Wondering "loosen the drawbar about two turns" - in which direction? I have tried cw & ccw while restraining the arbor outboard (in the area of the spacers). It refuses to budge. Is this a case for a wrench extension or air wrench or would these approaches cause more harm than good?

 

[wa5cab]

Dunc1,

Sorry. That's why I uploaded the rather poor scan quality drawbar drawing. I won't say ALL as there may be an exception somewhere but MOST drawbars have normal right hand threads. So if you were standing on the left side of the machine with a wrench on the square end of the drawbar and the wrench arm or handle pointed up, you would push the arm or handle away from you to loosen.

One thing that you can try (but it will probably require two people to do) is to put the spindle belt on the largest spindle pulley groove, slacken the spindle belt slightly and squeeze the upper and lower parts of the belt together until it gets tight again with the upper and lower parts touching (forming a strap wrench. While holding the belt, point the wrench handle toward the motor and hit it on the end with a hammer or large aluminum or wood block. Or use an air impact wrench (still probably requires two people. Another possibility is a strap wrench around the bull gear (large spindle gear). Once you finally get the drawbar loose and the arbor out, you shouldn't have any further trouble so long as you don't overtighten the drawbar again or let it sit for years tightened.