Atlas Model "mf" Horizontal Mill

[Dunc1]

I have located one of these for a low price for my area. I gather that it should sell for at least 2x what is asked. It runs well and supposedly has had little use (but see below).

It is missing the x-axis power feed and I think some parts of the back gear assembly - unsure about the latter as I am not familiar with the workings.

Assuming both features are missing, if I otherwise like the machine is it worth keeping or a hopeless cause? I get along well without a power x-axis feed on a vertical mill. Are back-gear parts available at reasonable cost?
Are there alternate methods published to get back-gear speeds with an altered drive train?

While it is supposed to be little used, I wonder where the missing mechanicals went - destroyed by a ham-fisted user?

 

[Holescreek]

Having just worked on ne of these to change out the V-belt I'm somewhat familiar with the back gear parts. They are very specific to the mill so I'm not sure how hard they are going to be to find. You will definitely need to use the back gears for most cutting operations IMO. The power feed you can do without. If the machine is in otherwise good shape, you could sell it in pieces and make enough profit to buy a complete one and some tooling.

 

[wa5cab]

The only part of the back gear system on the Atlas mills that is more often than not broken is the operating lever on the front eccentric. Otherwise, the parts are either the same (part number begins with M6) or the same except for length as the equivalent part on the Atlas 618 lathe. And it does not have a common history of back gear problems.

The table feed system, except for about half of the gears and the reversing system, is a little different. However, I think that the most common failure in it is one or the other of the two U-joints, which are unique to the mill. Despite being an EE, I would recommend fixing the mechanical drive system rather than kluging up some sort of a separate motor drive. AFAIK, the main failure fault with the mechanical drive system is running the table into the stops because the kick-out is either missing or inoperative and not repaired before trying to use the mill.

Parts availability is actually fairly good. Places to look are here, on eBay, and on the two Yahoo Groups. Unfortunately, unlike the lathes the new parts availability from Clausing isn't very good. There are a lot more of the lathes around than the mills.

I forgot to mention that in Downloads you will find parts manual MMB-5 which covers all 12 models (M1 through MFC). And MMB-3 which parts wise only covers the "C" models but has an operating section that is applicable to all.

 

[JPMacG]

The pulley and small gear on the spindle are subject to damage where they mate together. This was the problem with my MHC. I eventually found the parts on eBay but had to pay $230 for them. If I were considering buying another Atlas I would take a close look at the spindle assembly and make sure (1) the small gear and pulley fully engage with no damage to the mating dogs and (2) the screw plug can be removed from the oil hole on the bull gear and (3) the bull gear engagement pin moves in and out properly.

Another thing to check is the motor V-belt pulley and the two pulleys on the countershaft. They are not standard sizes and it is hard to find used replacements that run true. Someone on eBay is selling new motor pulleys turned from aluminum plate for around $100.