Mystery Horizontal Mini Milling Machine (Northern Illinois Machinists LMG-3) made in USA?

[9t8z28]

I was on craigslist and I found a small supposedly USA made mini milling machine. The tag on it says its made by Northern Illinois Machinists and the model number is a LMG-3. I have never heard of them and googled the name and came up with nothing. It looks like its a vertical milling machine but the Y-axis handwheel is a crank. It looks to me like it is some kind of a surface grinder?
Has anyone ever heard of this company or know anything about it or can you tell me anything about from looking at the pictures?
I am not sure if its allowed but here is the link. https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/tls/d/small-horizontal-milling/6662951956.html
I saved and posted some of the 12 photos he has posted on craigslist. I am interested in this machine and wonder if its worth $450. It comes with a rotary table that looks to be a Palmgren and it appears as though the surface is flaked by a Biax type scraper. and it also comes with a small dividing head.
Thanks
Brandon

 

[Superburban]

Looks like it may have started life as a surface grinder. If I was still in the area, I would definitely go look.

Interesting that the model number has the periods. L.M.G.-3-, and seems a high serial number for an unknown company. Gotta be an interesting story there.

I would buy it, but I'm a sucker for old machines.

I bet Google will be busy with everyone trying to find any info they can. I've tried every combo I can think of, and will keep looking for a bit.

 

[markba633csi]

It looks similar to a Barker, somewhat of a dedicated machine to do certain repetitive jobs in a production capacity but not the best choice for a hobby machine I would say. A small benchtop vertical mill would offer more versatility I think (drilling, for example)
mark

 

[9t8z28]

I got an email into him. Hopefully I hear back from him tomorrow and I can go look at it tomorrow. I’ll post back here with what I find out. Thanks for looking. I think the rotary table, if it was maintanined is at least worth half of what he is asking although I do already have a 6” RT.

Looks like it may have started life as a surface grinder. If I was still in the area, I would definitely go look.

Interesting that the model number has the periods. L.M.G.-3-, and seems a high serial number for an unknown company. Gotta be an interesting story there.

I would buy it, but I'm a sucker for old machines.

I bet Google will be busy with everyone trying to find any info they can. I've tried every combo I can think of, and will keep looking for a bit.

 

[9t8z28]

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction with Barker. I have never heard of Barker and just doing a quick Google search shows that they are very similar to each other.
I do already have a bench mill and bench lathe but it would be nice if it was sturdy enough to do some light duty milling that my bench mill can do but not well.

It looks similar to a Barker, somewhat of a dedicated machine to do certain repetitive jobs in a production capacity but not the best choice for a hobby machine I would say. A small benchtop vertical mill would offer more versatility I think (drilling, for example)
mark

 

[Cooter Brown]

I see these style horizontal mills all the time.... But this one has a very funny Y axis...

this is a Burke

no name on this one

 

[BaronJ]

Hi Guys,

I think that LMG is definitely a small surface grinder.

 

[markba633csi]

That big blue one is a Burke also, I believe it's a #2 or #3- Someone here bought one of those recently
The one you were looking at doesn't seem to have a provision for an overarm or if it does it's missing- that really limits you. Also I don't think it was used for grinding; the pulley ratios look wrong for that. Probably used for milling keyways and splines, etc.

 

[Eddyde]

I would buy that in a minute. Looks like it could be set up to grind or mill.

 

[projectnut]

I believe the second machine in the pictures is a US Machine Tools #1 horizontal mill. They were built through the 1940's and were very popular in Defense Department plants throughout WWII. US Machine Tools was later bought out by Burke. The early Burke #1 was almost identical.

The lever on the left side of the table is the X axis handle. They were used in production to make small parts so the table had to be able to move quickly in either direction. There is a similar handle to raise and lower the milling head to accommodate taller parts.

My machine is an earlier version that uses a crank handle for raising and lowering the table, and a wood handle lever arm for the X axis rather than the hand wheels. It isn't as pretty as the one in the picture, but it still owns its keep. It was originally purchased for a machine shop at the company I worked for. When it was retired one of the engineers bought it for his violin and cello making business. I bought it about 20 years ago from his son.