Electro Machines Milling Head - A Mystery

Frank R · Jun 3, 2015

I recently acquired this old milling machine head. The label on the motor says "Electro Machines Inc., Cedarburg, Wisconsin".

It looks like it is from the 1920s or 1930s. It is 1/3 HP and 3 phase.

Some googling around found that the motor is from Electro Machines but probably not the rest. I thought the company might have evolved into Electro-Mechano Instruments of Milwaukee, Wisconsin but they emailed back very quickly that it was not. I cannot find any other labels.

The fine feed wheel is nice and smooth.

It has a Morse 3 taper with one collet.

The collar is graduated at one end for rotation. It looks like it fit into a very large bracket that I am guessing fit over a horizontal mill arm. The collar is a good 6-8 inches in diameter.

The switch is located on the back of the motor, opposite from the spindle end (upper right hand corner of photo). This makes me think it was mounted crosswise to the over arm and parallel to the table.

A neat feature is the mechanical counter on the front. It clicks by as you rotate the find feed wheel.

Does anyone recognize this head?

There is a fourth image there at the end; easy to miss it.

gwilson · Jun 3, 2015

That is a Dalrae attachment. Google Tony Lathes. Go to his very extensive web site,and look down the list of milling machines. You will find the name there. One of the striking things is the ridiculously small diameter on the step pulley's small ends. They look as if they might easily break off,and the belt would probably self destruct if used long in that position.

Kearney and Trecker also used that attachment. You are missing the mounting attachment,which wrapped around the round part of your head. It attached the head at right angle to a round overhead arm of a mill. You'll see it at Tony's site,with references to K&T,etc.

Andy FitzGibbon · Jun 3, 2015

K & T Midgetmill:
Page Title

Andy

gwilson · Jun 3, 2015

Your head is the Dalrae. The Midget Mill and other such are modifications of it. You are going to have to make some kind of mounting attachment in order to put it on a mill.

I hope the motor still works. These are pretty old units. Not sure if another motor could be adapted as I have not seen one of these in person.

Frank R · Jun 3, 2015

It does look very much like it, but with many significant differences. Was this a competitor? A predecessor?

gwilson · Jun 3, 2015

Are you referring to the unit seen in Tony's web site? It is more pure Dalrae. Somewhat different motor. I'm sure there were variations. I like the motor seen on Tony's site,with the built in switch.

Frank R · Jun 3, 2015

Ok, I was looking more at the Speed Mill. It is closer to the Midget Mill.

Still some differences though.

What threw me off was the reference to Syracuse, New York. But in this photo you see the name "Milwaukee" where the "Dalrae" is on the other photos. And this model has the mechanical counter and other features of mine. Maybe Dalrae bought this company's product?

gwilson · Jun 3, 2015

No idea at all. But,whatever,Dalrae started the head. Tony mentions that it was popular to use among several machine makers,I think.

With the addition of the counter,I'd think the Milwaukee was an advanced development of the Dalrae head. Likely still made by them for other companies. Plenty of stuff has been "rebadged". All too common these days.

Bob-O · Jun 3, 2015

I had a K&T Midget mill about 25 years ago. The P.O had it on a 22L Van Norman. Mine had a phase motor and a #7 B&S spindle taper. I mounted mine on the Hardinge TM mill I had at the time. It was good for small, light work. Sorry, no pics. That mill got sold to a co-worker when I bought my #6 Van Norman.

Frank R · Jun 3, 2015

Bob-O said:
I had a K&T Midget mill about 25 years ago. The P.O had it on a 22L Van Norman. Mine had a phase motor and a #7 B&S spindle taper. I mounted mine on the Hardinge TM mill I had at the time. It was good for small, light work. Sorry, no pics. That mill got sold to a co-worker when I bought my #6 Van Norman.

Did yours come with a bracket or did you make your own?

Bob-O · Jun 3, 2015

Frank, I made my own. I 1st made a bushing with the OD to go into the mill head housing, and the ID fit to the Hardinge overarm. To get more daylight between the spindle and the table, I later made a plate with 2 bored holes the size of the overarm spaced about 6-8 inches apart, and put a short length of bar in the plate and mill head. This placed the head above the mill overarm and gave me more room under the spindle. Not very sturdy, but it was all I had at the time.

gwilson · Jun 3, 2015

I recommend a huge block of BILLETT!!!!! Or,be sensible and weld one up.

Frank R · Jun 3, 2015

Bob-O said:
Frank, I made my own. I 1st made a bushing with the OD to go into the mill head housing, and the ID fit to the Hardinge overarm. To get more daylight between the spindle and the table, I later made a plate with 2 bored holes the size of the overarm spaced about 6-8 inches apart, and put a short length of bar in the plate and mill head. This placed the head above the mill overarm and gave me more room under the spindle. Not very sturdy, but it was all I had at the time.

Thanks. No chance you have a picture of it do you?

Frank R · Jun 3, 2015

A fun thought occurred to me: I could make this into a small knee mill. I know where to get my hands on a brand-new XY table from a mill drill cheap. I could then weld up a square column and bore the top end to fit this head. Grind some ways on the front edges of the column, make up some gibs and clamps. I have some spare acme thread.

Whew..... I better lie down, that sounds like a lot of work.......

Frank R · Jun 5, 2015

I did a google search on "midgetmill" and I found the following right here on PM courtesy of Ramsay1: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...heavy-iron/milwaukee-midget-mill-head-236046/

Frank R · Jun 5, 2015

More by Ramsay1:

Frank R · Jun 5, 2015

Here is a historical photo of a Midgetmill in use:
Woman Working On Midget Mill In Torpedo Plant | Photograph | Wisconsin Historical Society

reggie_obe · Jun 5, 2015

Frank R said:
A fun thought occurred to me: I could make this into a small knee mill. I know where to get my hands on a brand-new XY table from a mill drill cheap. I could then weld up a square column and bore the top end to fit this head. Grind some ways on the front edges of the column, make up some gibs and clamps. I have some spare acme thread.

Whew..... I better lie down, that sounds like a lot of work.......

Or you could sell it and solve the needs of the guy who recently joined looking for a vertical head for his USMT #1 horizontal mill.

Frank R · Jun 5, 2015

reggie_obe said:
Or you could sell it and solve the needs of the guy who recently joined looking for a vertical head for his USMT #1 horizontal mill.

I already offered it here: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...le-milling-attachment-horizontal-mill-304704/

Is there another?

reggie_obe · Jun 5, 2015

Frank R said:
I already offered it here: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...le-milling-attachment-horizontal-mill-304704/

Is there another?

No, there is not. I simply missed seeing your post in that thread.

Electro Machines Milling Head - A Mystery

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