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Kempsmith Mill Attachments, Add-Ons, Paper, Whatever...

jdleach

jdleach

Stainless
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Location
Columbus, IN USA
Yes, still looking for Kempsmith papers and pieces. Have watched and Googled for years now, and stuff is coming up less and less often.

Looking for about anything Kempsmith, outside of the dividing head. Vise, arbor pendants, heads, charts and manuals (except for the ones for the dividing head and #1, 2, and 3 cone type millers). Some things I figure I will never find, such as the overarm support. Probably won't find a rack attachment, or the tilting table either. Hopefully though, I will one day locate a vertical head and vise. Have seen exactly one vise since 2009, but it was pretty well thrashed.

Thought I would ask the forum anyway. Perhaps someone has seen something in recent memory.
My mill is the #1 plain cone type from the post-1900 period.
 
Had to look up Munster. You are about 4 hours from me via 31, and a little over 3 hours via I-65. Been a long time since I was up that direction. Last time had to be when I was still running the Shop. Must have been 1996 or so.
 
Around '96 I was working at Continental in East Chicago. Before that, John Mohr & Son in Chicago.
I'll look for more Kempsmith info but they did not seem to have the wide coverage in periodicals.
The gearcutting article was a surprise. Have a daughter in Indy.
 
Frankly, I am thinking that Kempsmith didn't change the basic design of their dividing heads, or the mounting of their high-speed and right angle heads. Looking at your photos, I see no difference between your dividing head and mine. I got my head from a forum member several yeas ago, and given its pretty low serial number, I figure it is from the late 'teens.
 
jdleach said:
Frankly, I am thinking that Kempsmith didn't change the basic design of their dividing heads, or the mounting of their high-speed and right angle heads. Looking at your photos, I see no difference between your dividing head and mine. I got my head from a forum member several yeas ago, and given its pretty low serial number, I figure it is from the late 'teens.
Click to expand...

Their design philosophy seemed to be "perfect is the enemy of good enough". My machine was sold me in 1952 yet the column dovetail, knee, automatic feed and table design look to be the same as the flat belt machines. The design of my machine looks to be from the 20s or 30s.
 
Found a few bits.
New factory in Milwaukee 1911.
1911 New Factory and Office Bldg.jpg
The line drawing with the loops represent a trolley system for transporting parts and castings.
1911 Factory Layout.jpg1911 Assembly.jpg
Gear cutting and a Maximiller
Gearcutting.jpgMaximiller.jpg
John
 
John, while I have probably seen most of the vintage ads for Kempsmith, and have an original copy of the 1912 catalog (which has some beautiful drawings of the new 1911 plant, and of course the machines), the images you scared up of the plant layout and trolley system are new to me. The inside view of the plant is another I have not seen. Thank you.
 
There are three more interior shots, fuzzy like the first and needed a little manipulation.
The view of the assembly area fits the sketch of the plant layout. The view is looking West to East.
The plant layout image was clipped to save space (pixels). the office building and the pattern shop locations were removed.
Interesting bathroom location as everyone has to go past the foreman's office.
There is an accompanying article with details of the facility such as power, heating, the trolley system, ect.

Photo update:
Plant Layout 1911 complete.jpgForemans Office.jpgCasting.jpgLathe Department.jpg
John
 
Thank you John. I remember finding out Kempsmith was still in business when I was running my Shop in the early 1990s. Called them up, and got a very nice British-born fellow, I am thinking he was an engineer. Knew a tremendous amount about the old millers made by the company. It was he that sent me gratis, two original copies of the #1, 2 and 3 cone type miller instruction manual, and a copy of the original sales invoice for my machine. At a later date, he also sent me copies from the 1940s of the prints to make the arbors.

During the course of our conversations, he stated that, in his opinion, the Maximillers were the best machines out of all those made by the company. Since that time, I have kept an eye out for a universal model from the 1920s. Not sure if I really want to buy one, as I don't have room for another machine. Still, I like the looks of them, and recall what he said; "If you run across a Maximiller, you ought to buy it."
 
jdleach said:
Yes, still looking for Kempsmith papers and pieces. Have watched and Googled for years now, and stuff is coming up less and less often.
Click to expand...

Hi,
I'm finishing up refurbishing my Kempsmith #2 Universal and, like you, am having difficulty finding bits and parts. Do you have any spare or surplus stuff I might need?
Thanks
Dan
 
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