Questions about a vertical head on a B&S 1B plain horizontal mill

Okay, a few weeks back I posted about a Garvin horizontal mill I was playing with and mentioned a B&S mill that the Garvin seller had also. Turns out it's a model 1B Plain Horizontal Mill. Last patent date on it is 1907. Now I'm thinking of getting it too and seeing what I can do with it. My questions are about the aftermarket vertical head that's on it. At least what's left of it.

The seller said it was an Edlund vertical head, yet the tag I saw on it said something like Universal Tool and Machine Co. or Universal Machine and Tool Co. (sorry, it was early and the coffee hadn't kicked in yet). Anyone have any ideas as to who made the vertical head based on what little is left? I tried searching for info about vertical heads from either company and was not able to find anything. The handle/wheel for the vertical spindle drawbar on top appears to be secured in place. It will rotate but will not lift up and out.

Worst case scenario my thoughts were it shouldn't be too hard to fabricate a motor mount that clamps to the vertical spindle mount. The seller has had no luck selling it and is about to send it to the scrap yard.

On a different not, the catalog I've seen with this model show it as a belt driven mill (1916 B&S catalog). Yet the mounting points for the motor mount on the rear appear to be machined into the base of the main casting. I take it this was electric powered from the start by B&S and not originally belt driven?

Speaking of different notes, I want to give a big shout out to forum member stevewatr. He has a series of Youtube videos where he takes apart a B&S model 2B plain horizontal mill. Learned quite a lot about how to take apart the 1B from them and that will be a big help should I pick it up. Thanks Steve.

My catalog from 1913 shows the electric motor drive option and it matches what you have. It used a silent chain for the drive.

It is probably a Lincoln Eklund head.

Be careful, they used a rare 3B collet, not to be confused with the B3 collet used on Bridgeport M Heads.

I passed on a working Eklund head because it had only one collet (which I think was a 9/16).

You will not be able to find 3B collets anywhere. You could have custom ones made by Hardinge or you could take the spindle out and have it re-ground to something more practical. I think Wells_Index will do this for you: Milling Machine Rebuild & Maintenance | Wells-Index. Last time I heard it cost $260 plus shipping both ways for this service.

I found a bunch of photos of the mill and head. The correct spelling is: Eklind, not Eklund.


I don't think what you have is an Eklind. There were other brands.

That milling head you have might be too far gone to restore.

Too far gone, and/or not worth the effort. At least the actual Eklind type has a quill.

With the remnants of the present mount, it should be a piece of cake to make an adapter for a Bridgeport head. I ran a Cincinnati so equipped back in the 1960's.