- Joined
- Nov 3, 2013
- Messages
- 405
I'll be restoring both my 9J and my 8-1/2D Gorton mills in the near future. I plan on going different directions with each mill.
I'm going period correct with the 9J (1954) and am outfitting it as a jig borer which was a Gorton factory option.
I'm going for a more modern restoration of the 8.5D (1953) with a DRO and a VFD.
My Gorton 9J mill has the long handfeed only table and power downfeed. This combination is what was recommended by Gorton when using these great mills as jig borers.
Gorton offered a B&S end measuring rod system which allows location to be accurate within .0001-2 for jig boring. This was the same equipment supplied to P&W for their excellent jig borers.
This system is nearly impossible to find and using it is a bit fiddly.
Later on, but still during the production run of the 9J, Gorton offered a Vernac optical measuring system that was easier to use than the end measuring system but offered the same accuracy.
I've managed to purchase several Vernac reader heads and more importantly, several of the scales used with this system. The 24" sclaes are really hard to find but I now have three of them as well as two 12" and several 8" scales.
I also scored two sets of the cast iron scale mounting brackets which will make adapting this system to my mill much easier.
I do have to design and build the reader head mounting brackets and the heads are required to have an inch of travel so you can line up on a whole number. They also need a means to fine adjust the distance between the reader lens and the scales for proper calibration.
The mounting brackets are going to be challenging but should be interesting.
I'll need to scan a paint chip to come up with the correct color for this mill as I wish this mill to be as period correct as possible when done.
Period correct restoration, whether on a car or a mill, is always a bit more difficult than the alternative but is usually very rewarding when you see the finished product.
My 8.5D (1953) has the powerfeed table and power downfeed. I'm thinking modern with this mill.
I'll run either the factory 2 speed spindle motor with a VFD or possibly adapt a Mitsubishi 1.5hp (up to 5hp for limited duration) CNC AC spindle motor I have lying around. I'd run that with a Mitsubishi spindle drive if I can find one reasonably or just go with a VFD on it and lose all of the encoder functionality.
I'll also outfit this mill with a modern DRO. I'd like to find a used Acu-Rite, Anilam, Heidenhain, Sony, Newall, or Mitutoyo DRO for this project but am not averse to going with a new Chinese made unit if forced to.
There may eventually be some ballscrews added and the whole thing converted to CNC but that's well in the future.
I'll be tackling the mills themselves when this miserable Winter is over but am presently working on the Vernac stuff in my basement.
I'm looking forward to this.
I'm going period correct with the 9J (1954) and am outfitting it as a jig borer which was a Gorton factory option.
I'm going for a more modern restoration of the 8.5D (1953) with a DRO and a VFD.
My Gorton 9J mill has the long handfeed only table and power downfeed. This combination is what was recommended by Gorton when using these great mills as jig borers.
Gorton offered a B&S end measuring rod system which allows location to be accurate within .0001-2 for jig boring. This was the same equipment supplied to P&W for their excellent jig borers.
This system is nearly impossible to find and using it is a bit fiddly.
Later on, but still during the production run of the 9J, Gorton offered a Vernac optical measuring system that was easier to use than the end measuring system but offered the same accuracy.
I've managed to purchase several Vernac reader heads and more importantly, several of the scales used with this system. The 24" sclaes are really hard to find but I now have three of them as well as two 12" and several 8" scales.
I also scored two sets of the cast iron scale mounting brackets which will make adapting this system to my mill much easier.
I do have to design and build the reader head mounting brackets and the heads are required to have an inch of travel so you can line up on a whole number. They also need a means to fine adjust the distance between the reader lens and the scales for proper calibration.
The mounting brackets are going to be challenging but should be interesting.
I'll need to scan a paint chip to come up with the correct color for this mill as I wish this mill to be as period correct as possible when done.
Period correct restoration, whether on a car or a mill, is always a bit more difficult than the alternative but is usually very rewarding when you see the finished product.
My 8.5D (1953) has the powerfeed table and power downfeed. I'm thinking modern with this mill.
I'll run either the factory 2 speed spindle motor with a VFD or possibly adapt a Mitsubishi 1.5hp (up to 5hp for limited duration) CNC AC spindle motor I have lying around. I'd run that with a Mitsubishi spindle drive if I can find one reasonably or just go with a VFD on it and lose all of the encoder functionality.
I'll also outfit this mill with a modern DRO. I'd like to find a used Acu-Rite, Anilam, Heidenhain, Sony, Newall, or Mitutoyo DRO for this project but am not averse to going with a new Chinese made unit if forced to.
There may eventually be some ballscrews added and the whole thing converted to CNC but that's well in the future.
I'll be tackling the mills themselves when this miserable Winter is over but am presently working on the Vernac stuff in my basement.
I'm looking forward to this.
