B&S Mill Accessory. What is it?

It looks like I'm getting the No. O B&S mill. The owner just got in an e-mailed me. He also sent some pictures of things he's been unearthing in the garage as he tries to dig it out. This is the most interesting. It seems to be an indexing fixture of some sort but I don't recognize it and I don't find it in the B&S catalog.



Joe P

Looks like an indexer with a fast hand operated "X" travel - maybe for little gear (maybe a stack of them) cutting where you don't need the main table to poke along.

John

Thanks John,
I have been half heartedly looking for an indexing head because I want to make change gears for my really old and thus far unidentified, lathe. I don't know if this will do it but at least it will get me started.
It looks like the machine comes with a pile of tooling. The owner dosen't now what, so I'm going to have to help him sort through the stuff to separate what goes with the mill from what goes with his South Bend lathe.

Joe P

The SB stuff should be a no brainer. You'll be able to tell the change gears (if it has them) pretty quickly. Ditto Morse Tapers, chucks and whatnot. If it fits the SB in any way, it's his. If it doesn't, it's yours.

Gosh you get to do the REALLY fun stuff. I once had the priveledge to help an older fellow sort out some stuff as he was "cleaning out."

He says "Here look at all this and tell me what you want. Anything you want put in a pile over here and I'll look at it later and keep what I don't want to let go."

That's about as close to nirvanah as I can get. Even a trip to the dump isn't as much fun as that.

I picked out many things, he found he didn't want to let go of a few (very few,) and I came home with a couple of good box fulls of mikes, LS Starrett stuff, planer jacks, and other miscellaneous tooling.

I think you'll find this is one of the most FUN $150 you've spent in a long time. Of course you haven't moved the mill YET. Then the fun really begins.

Just kidding, you'll do fine.

Best,
Joe in NH

Actually, I've moved lots of machines...mostly printing presses but others as well. What's really frustrating is that all the equipment went when I closed the business. I could have kept some but I had other problems on my mind and didn't think of it. Now that I need it, I don't have it and truth-to-tell, I'm not in a position to go out and buy it again. But...you're right about this being fun. Its also starting to get ahead of me. I've got my rusty but complete 15" Sidney cone head to move, a free but yet-to-be-picked-up shaper coming and now this mill. I don't even know what kind of shaper I'm getting but its not only free, the owner offered to deliver it if I paid for the gas...it dosen't get much easier than that.
I'm having a blast with the machines but so far the only work I've done is repairing other machines...

Joe P,

It is a Formed Cutter Grinding Attachmemt for the B&S No.2 Cutter Grinding Machine. This machine was used to sharpen the cutters for B&S mills (and other mills). The attachment was used to sharpen formed cutters, such as gear cutters. You might look and see if he has the grinder.
Rob

Good catch. I never thought to look in grinder accessories.
Here's the page from the 1911 Catalog.